Orkin vs. TERMINIX: Major Differences, Pros And Cons - Forbes
Two pest control industry giants go head to head in our comparison of Orkin and TERMINIX. Both companies have been bugging out for about a century now, and they both offer similar services to customers. But when you've got a pest infestation, you only want to hire the best pest control. When it comes to Orkin vs TERMINIX, which is the right company for you?
Both Orkin and TERMINIX use similar methods for treating termites and other pests and offer a variety of services, both preventative and treatment, depending on your situation. Both companies tackle pests using an effective combination of baits, liquid soil treatments and tent fumigation services. In addition, both Orkin and TERMINIX are able to install spray foam insulation to prevent insects and other pests from entering your home through microscopic cracks or crevices in walls.
When browsing each company's website for pricing, TERMINIX does provide more pricing information than Orkin. However, it's important to keep in mind that the cost of pest control services will vary widely based on factors like the degree of the infestation, the size of your home, how difficult it is for your pest control professional to access the pests and even where you live.
The average cost of a one-time pest control visit is between $250 and $600. However, more insidious pests like termites come with a much higher average: The high cost of termite control for example can be between $930 and $1,530 depending on the extent of the issue. However, these are only averages, and potential customers should contact the pest control company of their choice for more specific pricing.
Orkin
BBB Rating
A+
States Serviced
47
Effectiveness Guarantee
Yes
BBB Rating
A+
States Serviced
47
Effectiveness Guarantee
Yes
Perhaps the oldest pest control company in the business, Orkin is pretty much a household name. And for good reason: The company invests in its employees, providing them with 160 hours of mandatory training that can be completed virtually in order to cut down on the environmental impacts of employee travel. This is just one example of Orkin's comprehensive pledge to protect and preserve the environment.
One of the contributing factors to Orkin's trusted brand is the fact that the company's website is transparent about the services offered and the products used. With a huge array of online resources, Orkin customers can learn from a robust blog and filter through a library of common pests for the purposes of identification and education.
- Products used have been extensively tested
- Trusted brand
- A+ BBB rating
- Slightly more expensive
- Free inspection not offered
Orkin at a Glance
Orkin provides customers with a customized, comprehensive treatment and prevention plan that involves a multifaceted approach to pest control. After a thorough inspection, Orkin pest control professionals will create a plan of attack that uses the safest possible products that will still be effective. Once treatment has been applied, Orkin professionals will fill any cracks to ensure no new insects will come in from the outside. Finally, follow-up visits are conducted in order to interrupt the pests' life cycle and make sure the problem is fully handled.
One thing Orkin isn't transparent about is its pricing structure. The company maintains they provide every customer with a customized price quote that best suits their situation. However, the company does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and will refund the price of an unsatisfactory visit as long as you remain a customer.
Pests Orkin Treats
There aren't many pests that Orkin can't tackle. The list we pulled from their website includes the following: moths, crickets, fleas, hornets, scorpions, ants, silverfish, cockroaches, mice, spiders, centipedes and earwigs
Orkin State Availability
Orkin provides pest control services in 47 of 50 states. The only three states in which Orkin doesn't operate are Wyoming, Alaska and South Dakota.
Fine Print
Orkin is an industry leader, but it's also one of the few pest control companies that don't offer a free initial inspection. This can be a big drawback for some customers who don't want to commit before getting a sense of what they'll have to pay for one-time, monthly or quarterly pest control. What's more, some customer reviews indicate that Orkin services are priced a bit higher than competing companies.
How Orkin Stacks Up
With an A+ BBB rating, Orkin is the most highly rated pest control companies in our study of 16 businesses. We find it to be a better overall choice than similarly ranked Viking Pest Control due to Viking's limited service area (they service only the Mid-Atlantic states). We didn't find Aptive to be a comparable service to Orkin, since the company doesn't offer termite services and has only been in business for six years.
TERMINIX
BBB Rating
C
(but 4.7 on Consumer Affairs)
States Serviced
47
Effectiveness Guarantee
Yes
BBB Rating
C
(but 4.7 on Consumer Affairs)
States Serviced
47
Effectiveness Guarantee
Yes
Terminix comes a close second to Orkin when it comes to industry experience, with more than 90 years in business. The company prides itself on the extensive knowledge its pest control specialists possess, boasting many entomologists on staff. Terminix's wide presence in the US—the company serves more than 2.8 million residential and commercial customers—and top-notch customer service make this company one you can trust. .
Speaking of customer service, this is one area where Terminix outdoes the rest. They offer an online chat function that's actually quite useful, with representatives readily able to answer questions and offer assistance without fishing for sales.
- 90 years in business
- Excellent customer service
- ACE- and BCE-certified entomologists
- BBB Rating of C
- Limited online resources
- Mixed reviews online
TERMINIX at a Glance
Terminix operates using a unique a la carte pricing structure that allows customers to add certain pests to their service plan. However, the standard Terminix Pest Control Plan includes 13 common insects, including cockroaches, mice, rats, moths, spiders and silverfish. Pricing starts at $99 for the company's quarterly pest control service, but the initial inspection is free—a benefit over competitor Orkin, which does charge for the inspection.
The company provides both treatment and prevention services, and their suite of offerings is quite similar to Orkin. Customers can sign up for one-time service, monthly service or quarterly service. TERMINIX repeatedly gets top-notch reviews on both Google and Consumer Affairs, and ranked eight in our survey of the best pest control companies overall with a 4.05 out of five.
Pests TERMINIX Treats
There are 13 common pests that TERMINIX will inspect and treat for as part of their standard Terminix Pest Control Plan. Those pests, according to the Terminix website, are as follows: cockroaches, mice, rats, silverfish, "house" ants (excluding carpenter ants, fire ants, pharaoh ants and tawny crazy ants), clothes moths, spiders (excluding black widow and brown recluse spiders), scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, earwigs, house crickets and paper wasps. Service for other pests can be added on to the standard plan.
TERMINIX State Availability
TERMINIX services all states in the U.S. with the exception of North Dakota, South Dakota and Alaska.
Fine Print
TERMINIX is an industry leader, but potential customers should be aware of mixed reviews. Many customers report they found it difficult to cancel their recurring services and were often charged for services they no longer desired. One customer says:
We wanted to reschedule our service and my wife called and canceled the scheduled service date and confirmed the service as canceled for the selected date. The tech still came and since we weren't available ended up just doing the outside and billed us for the full service even though we neither approved the service time and date nor did the tech do that much work (our security cameras showed he just 'lightly dusted' around a couple of areas which wasn't at all worth the nearly $100 we paid for the service call. I could have done the same exact thing with probably about $20 worth of insecticide.
