By Alex Hawkins Updated February 5, 2024
All products and services featured are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
No homeowner wants to see evidence of insects crawling or rodents lurking inside their living space. Pest activity can make it difficult to relax, discourage you from inviting guests, and even cause significant damage to your home’s structure. It’s imperative to deal with an infestation quickly and decisively.
We’ve researched and ranked the nation’s best pest control companies, and this review breaks down the factors that brought Terminix to the top of our list. We evaluate real customer experiences, outline Terminix’s pest control plans, and list various pros and cons to give you a comprehensive overview of the company.
What We Like About Terminix
Terminix is a pest control industry leader, serving 45 states and offering treatment plans for most common household pests. It offers free initial inspections for many of its services, including its bedbug and termite treatments. We also like Terminix for its convenient online pricing for several of its pest control plans. In addition to pest extermination, Terminix offers attic insulation, crawl space moisture mitigation, and gutter protection services.
A member of our team tested Terminix’s services for quarterly pest prevention and moisture control. They noted that its customer service and pest control treatments were impressive. The customer service representatives they spoke to were attentive, helpful, and polite when scheduling services. The technician who applied the treatments was knowledgeable, kind, and professional. Once the treatments were applied, the pests began to dissipate and didn’t return after continual treatment applications.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Terminix
Here are a few of pros and cons of Terminix’s services.
| Upsides | Downsides |
|---|---|
Offers preventive services for attic insulation and crawl spaces beyond pest control | Á la carte treatments can be more expensive than recurring ones |
Provides a Nix Pests Guarantee that promises to return for re-servicing if needed until the covered pest is 100% gone | General plan addresses different pests seasonally, so you may need additional services for a particular type of pest |
Offers a live-chat feature as well as a 24/7 customer service line for late-night emergencies | – |
Terminix Pest Control Services
Terminix offers a general pest control plan that targets 13 common household pests. You can enroll in an annual plan and receive quarterly pest control treatments or schedule a one-time service. The annual plan includes an initial interior and exterior inspection and treatment prior to quarterly scheduling.
Our team member who tested Terminix services received pest control treatment quarterly. Leading up to each appointment, they received a call from their local Terminix branch office to schedule a meeting time. On the day of each treatment, they received a call from the technician confirming the appointment time.
Once on scene, the technician met with our team member, discussed any issues or new pests they might be experiencing, inspected the property, and applied a spray treatment. Each appointment was handled quickly and efficiently by the technician. Our team member received a follow-up email after each visit asking them to rate the technician and services.
Terminix treats your home for co*ckroaches, mice, rats, silverfish, house ants, moths, non-dangerous spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, earwigs, house crickets, and paper wasps in its general pest control plan. You can also schedule targeted pest control services for these pests:
- Termites: Terminix offers Basic, Advanced, and Premium termite plans. All three plans include an annual termite inspection, control application, preventive treatments, and free reservice for recurring termite activity. The Advanced and Premium plans include repairs for new termite damage, and the Premium plan also provides ongoing control against 13 other types of household pests.
- Bedbugs: Terminix’s bedbug service includes inspection, removal treatment, and ongoing monitoring. After treating your home, its specialists will conduct a follow-up inspection. Terminix tailors its treatments to your home and the problem’s severity, using heat, steam, or rapid cooling solutions to eliminate bedbugs.
- Mosquitoes: A mosquito control plan includes a property inspection and periodic services throughout peak mosquito season. You can also schedule a one-time control service. Mosquito treatments target all domestic mosquito types and eliminate and repel mosquito populations. Terminix uses liquid and granular treatment products.
- Rodents: Terminix offers a rodent exclusion service designed to control mouse and rat populations. The treatment process includes rodent extermination, identification and sealing of access points, and an annual inspection.
- Ticks: Terminix offers one-time tick treatments and monthly service during tick season. It uses both liquid and granular treatment methods.
- Wildlife: Terminix will identify the type of animal entering your home and its point of entry. From there, it will create a personalized plan, close entry points, and perform annual inspections for as long as you maintain your plan.
Terminix does not treat a few common types of pests in its general plan, notably excluding brown recluse spiders, black widows, fleas, carpenter ants, fire ants, pharaoh ants, and tawny crazy ants.
Terminix Reservice Guarantee
A reservice guarantee is a promise to service your home between pest control treatments if the initial treatment failed to resolve the issue. For instance, if you see a resurgence of co*ckroaches in your home between scheduled quarterly treatment services, the provider will follow up and reapply treatment. Note that this satisfaction guarantee only applies to the pests your plan covers.
Terminix offers a reservice guarantee if your plan’s covered pests reemerge. When secret-shopping Terminix’s services, a customer service representative told us that technicians will continue to return until the customer is 100% satisfied. Terminix does not offer this reservice guarantee after you end your plan with the provider.
Terminix Pricing
We secret-shopped for a general Terminix pest management plan for a four-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot home in New York City. Terminix quoted us $214 for the initial service for a general pest control plan and then $149 every three months for quarterly service. Terminix also offers you the option to pay for your treatment plan monthly.
For most a la carte services, Terminix will need to complete a free inspection before giving a quote. These one-off services are also available to customers with a general plan for an additional cost. Since Terminix serves customers through local branches, pricing may vary by your location and home size.
Terminix Reviews
We read more than 100 recent Google Reviews from Terminix customers across the nation and found that most were satisfied with their service. Common complaints in the few negative reviews revolved primarily around scheduling difficulties or no-shows from exterminators. While our team member had a positive experience with both the over-the-phone customer service representatives and technicians, service quality can vary from location to location.
Many positive reviews praised Terminix technicians‘ professional and polite demeanor. Here’s what Terminix customer reviews said:
“They were great! Really friendly and helpful customer service rep. The inspector Ray was thorough, knowledgeable and very willing to answer all my questions, no matter how inane they might have been. They then were able to get a tech out to me to start treatments the SAME day!” —Dani M. via Google Reviews
“Terminix responded fairly quickly to my request for services. My technician was friendly and professional and used quality products. In between my quarterly services they will come as needed for no additional charges.” —Nissi N. via Google Reviews
“I have carpenter ants all over the yard. It’s been almost two weeks since I signed up for the monthly plan with terminix and they have yet to send someone to inspect the house. I don’t know why they cannot just come to exterminate but I have to get an appointment with an inspector first. They have no problem taking your money but good luck getting them to actually show up and provide a service. Needless to say I canceled and would suggest looking elsewhere to those in need of extermination services.” —Bianca R. via Google Reviews
“My initial experience with Terminix was good. My quarterly visit was scheduled and confirmed, but the service person never showed. I spoke to three different customer service representatives over the course of the day of the missed service, and the next day so Terminix was completely aware of the situation. I was charged for the service visit anyway, and I am currently trying to get them to rescind the charge. Very frustrating. I can’t currently recommend Terminix.” —Dale N. via Google Reviews
Our Recommendation
After reading customer reviews, analyzing plans and pricing, and testing its services, Terminix emerged as our top-rated pest control option. Terminix is an excellent choice thanks to its 24/7 customer service availability, reservice guarantee, wide range of treatments, and customer satisfaction. While it excludes some common pests in its treatment options, its termite control is among the best in the industry.
If you’d prefer a provider with more than 120 years of experience, reliable service, and a swift money-back guarantee, we recommend Orkin. Hawx is a newer provider in the pest control industry with more limited state availability but a generally solid reputation for its customer service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Terminix cost?
Our secret-shopping process found that Terminix was more affordable than many other pest control companies. The quotes we received for multiple four-bedroom houses on the East Coast averaged around $46 for monthly service under a general plan.
How do I prepare for a Terminix inspection?
You can prepare for a Terminix initial inspection by taking the following steps:Writing a list of when you’ve seen pests and where you’ve noticed themDecluttering, if possible—clutter is a common hideout for pestsMoving items away from water sources like sinks, as pests can thrive in these areasClearing space for a Terminix technician to inspect your crawl space and attic, if applicableMany customers noted that Terminix technicians were friendly and professional, so you should ask any questions you have during this first visit.
Does Terminix work in the winter?
Yes, Terminix can work in the winter, particularly for pests that seek shelter from the cold, such as mice and rats. Terminix’s general plan will treat different pests during each season based on the common pest issues in your area.
What is the difference between Orkin and Terminix?
Orkin and Terminix share many similarities. One key difference is that Orkin typically schedules visits every 60 days for its general pest control plan, while Terminix schedules visits every 90 days. Orkin also tends to have higher pricing.
What are Terminix’s hours of operation?
Terminix’s hours of operation vary among local franchises. However, its primary customer support lines are available 24/7.
How do you know if your home is infested with termites?
Signs of termite infestations include live termites in your home, shed wings, visible wood damage, mud tubes, and discolored drywall.
How We Chose the Top Pest Control Companies
Our pest control research process starts with analyzing customer reviews on third-party websites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and Google Reviews. We then do a deep dive into each company’s website, service plans, and available cost information. We also secret shop the companies we review, reach out to representatives, and request quotes.
From there, we compile the information we’ve gathered and compare each company using our in-depth pest control methodology and review criteria. This process uses a series of factors that are important to our readers, and we score each company depending on how well they perform in each factor. For instance, companies that offer more guarantees for their service earned more points than others, and pest control plans with a larger range of covered pests earned more points than ones with fewer.
After analyzing dozens of residential and commercial pest control businesses through this process, we were able to determine the best pest control companies on the market.
