How Much Does Pest Control Cost in 2024?

Based on our secret shopping, we found that the national average for general pest control plans is $51 per month or $152 for each quarterly pest control visit if that’s how you prefer to pay. Specialized treatments for bedbugs, wildlife control or termites will increase that number. A one-time visit can range from around $150 for ants or fleas to $8,000 for fumigation services.

Pest control can sometimes be purchased as an à la carte service, such as bedbug or wildlife solutions. However, many homeowners opt for an ongoing plan to prevent future issues while dealing with current pests. For preventive services, it’s best to sign up for a yearly plan, typically paid monthly or quarterly.

Note that your initial visit and treatment are typically more expensive than ongoing visits. Depending on your selected provider and services, this initial treatment can range from $150 to $350.

Sources: Angi.com and homeguide.com

Pest Control Pricing by Pest Type

The average cost you’ll pay for pest control can also vary depending on the type of pest on your property. Some types of pests (such as ants) typically will not cause as much damage in a short period of time as termites, even at relatively high populations. It will usually cost between $100 and $500 per treatment to rid your home of ants, which is one of the more affordable ranges.

Other types of pests, like bed bugs, can be stubborn and persistent, invading multiple parts of your property and even causing physical harm to humans. As a result, these pests are more expensive to remove — it could cost up to $5,000 to eradicate a serious bed bug infestation. Other expensive pests to remove include termites, which can easily cause structural damage to your home. Wasps are another common example of a pest that can require specialized equipment to remove.

The table below summarizes the average cost you’ll pay per treatment for some of the most common pests you might see in your home.

*We compiled pest control cost data by averaging pricing from HomeAdvisor and Fixr.

Cost of DIY Pest Control

Do-it-yourself (DIY) pest control costs can vary significantly depending on the specific pest issue at hand. Expenses typically include the purchase of traps, ranging from $6 for ant baits to $58 for larger wildlife traps, and cleaning products needed to deter pests from re-entering your property.

Our comprehensive research into trap prices and damage expenses showed that pest control pricing is highly personalized. Some factors that influence treatment cost include the size of your home, the pest’s location (inside or outside), the number of entry points, the type of pest and the extent of infestation. The average cost of DIY pest control can span from $50 for a small ant problem to $250 for a minor mouse infestation.

It’s also important to consider the hidden costs of DIY pest control. Attempting to handle a pest problem independently carries the risk of a worsening infestation, potentially leading to higher expenses in the long run. Our survey of 1,000 homeowners who dealt with a pest issue revealed that 62% initially opted for DIY methods. However, one-third of these DIY attempts failed to resolve the problem, prompting half of the unsuccessful DIYers to eventually seek professional assistance.

The table below summarizes the average price you’ll pay for some of the most common tools used to treat in-home pest infestations.

*We determined cost data by averaging together prices from retail outlets, including Home Depot, Lowes and Amazon.

A wide variety of factors influence pest control prices. After speaking with a dozen customer service representatives during our secret-shopping process, we concluded that the most commonly cited pricing factors are these:

• Size of the home: The larger the home, the more places insects have to hide out. A larger home will typically cost more to service.
• Location of pests: If pests are both inside and outside the home, their prevalence can increase service costs. If you’ve seen pests outside, but they haven’t entered your home yet, treating them before an infestation occurs can potentially lower your pricing. On the other hand, if pests are located throughout the home and around the perimeter, the extensive treatments needed may raise your cost.
• Number of entry points: For many pests, such as wildlife and termites, you’ll need to seal off any entry points to fend off future invasions. This can increase treatment costs.
• Type of pest: Each type of pest can incur a different cost for pest management. Simple traps for ants will be less expensive than sealants and fumigation for termites. The pest type you’re battling will be a significant factor in determining your pest control price.
• Number of treatments: If your home has been infested, you may need multiple treatments on a strict schedule to exterminate all the pests inside. These intensive, repeated treatments can drive up your pest control bill. Conversely, if you are performing preventive maintenance, you may be able to use a minimal quarterly treatment schedule for a lower cost.
• Level of infestation: A few simple bugs can often be treated easily and quickly, while a full-fledged pest infestation may require a more extensive schedule of services and more intensive, expensive types of chemical treatments. In short, the larger your pest problem, the higher your bill may be.
• Your home’s location: Where you live determines the types of pests you face — for instance, New Yorkers aren’t often battling scorpions — and how far an exterminator will need to drive to treat your home. Both of these items will influence your exterminator pricing.

As a homeowner, you have the option to decide whether you want to hire a professional pest control company or attempt DIY removal. According to our survey, many homeowners start with a DIY approach, which has upfront cost benefits. DIY supplies may cost as little as $50, while a single pest control appointment is likely to cost three times that amount at a minimum. You can also take immediate action with a DIY pest control plan, which is not always possible when you must coordinate appointments with professionals.

Professional pest control has a host of benefits and is usually the best option for more severe infestations. Professionals have the knowledge and expertise to identify, treat, and prevent a wide range of pest issues and severity levels. They also have access to professional-grade chemicals and tools, which are useful in eradicating stubborn pest populations and introducing insecticides to crevices and hard-to-reach areas.

While professional pest control services are more expensive than DIY fixes, it is often better to leave pest control to the pros. If not handled properly, ineffective DIY treatments can leave pests with more time to populate and damage your home’s structure, foundation and systems. Outsourcing pest control to a professional team ensures the matter is handled swiftly and effectively.

When To Use Professional Pest Control Services

Though you may be tempted to try DIY first, these are the common household pests best left to the professionals for treatment:

• Wildlife: The law often protects wildlife against poisoning and habitat destruction. Additionally, critters like raccoons, possums and squirrels can carry diseases and become aggressive if threatened. It’s best to leave wildlife pest control to trained professionals.
• Carpenter ant Treatment: These tiny creatures bite, but worse yet, they can destroy the wood in your furniture and damage your home structure. You may have carpenter ants if you note winged ants and sawdust around the home. Reach out to a professional immediately to avoid serious damage to your house.
• Termite Control: Termite treatment is a pest control service best left to the experts. Severe infestations may require fumigation, which fills the infested area with pesticide gas and requires homeowners to evacuate the premises. If termites have invaded your home, you may notice hollow spots in the wood, tiny white wings around the house, unexplained wood damage or small swarms of them that are often mistaken for ants.
• Bedbug treatment: Bedbugs can infiltrate more than just beds, making their home in furniture, upholstery, electrical appliances and more. Call a pro to kill bedbugs and avoid throwing out most of your home. Signs of bedbugs include small, pale yellow eggs and eggshells, rust-colored stains in the bed, bites and tiny droppings.
• Cockroach control: Roaches are not only unsightly, but they’re also extremely difficult to exterminate. These dangerous pests are primarily active at night, hiding in cracks in walls, piles of clutter, cupboards, drains and electrical devices during the day. The World Health Organization states that you can typically spot them by their small, dark droppings around the house, particularly near food sources.
• Rodent treatments: While most rodent problems are simple to solve with a few traps, larger-scale infestations will almost certainly require a professional. If your home has a nest of rats or mice, it’s time for expert help. You can spot a rodent infestation through signs such as small brown droppings in the back of cabinets and drawers, holes in the walls or floors, bite marks or holes in food containers and chewed wires. You may also hear scratching noises in the walls, attic or ceilings.

If you’re facing one of these nuisances, scheduling a professional pest control treatment quickly is best. The providers in this review even offer same-day service for serious pest issues.

We recommend hiring a pest control company to tackle most infestations because professional services offer some important benefits over DIY methods. 

• A professional eye and application: Professional pest control companies have trained technicians with extensive knowledge of pest behaviors and effective eradication methods. Their expertise ensures a thorough and accurate assessment of your pest problem, which you might not be able to replicate with online DIY resources.
• Customized solutions: Pest control professionals tailor their approach to your specific situation. They consider the type of pests, the severity of the infestation and the unique characteristics of your property to provide customized treatment solutions. This can kill pets more effectively when compared to a one-size-fits-all treatment.
• Options for long-term treatments: Some pest control companies offer long-term preventative pest control plans. This can help you stop potential infestations before they have a chance to take root on your property, potentially saving you thousands if you live in an area prone to pests like bedbugs or rodents.
• Time and convenience: It’s worth mentioning that professional pest control can save time and money — and offer peace of mind. Professionals often efficiently handle the entire pest removal process from inspection to treatment, freeing you from the responsibilities and challenges of DIY pest control.
• May be more cost-effective in the long term: While professional services may have an upfront cost, this option can be more cost-effective in the long run. Timely and effective pest control prevents extensive damage that could lead to expensive repairs and more treatments. For example, if you do not pay for professional pest control to eradicate a termite infestation early, you could end up needing to pay for more expensive foundation repairs later due to feeding damage.

Your choice of pest control company influences the speed and effectiveness of the treatment you receive. Start by ensuring that the pest control company you’re considering is licensed with technicians trained to your state’s standards. Licensing requirements vary by location, so check with local authorities to verify the company’s credentials. A licensed company has undergone the necessary training to handle pest control safely and effectively, which lowers the chance of damage to your property due to improper insecticide applications.

After verifying a company is licensed in your area, research its reputation online. Reading customer reviews, checking testimonials, and seeking recommendations from friends or neighbors can provide insights into the track records of local pest control options. An experienced and well-reviewed company is likely to have encountered a variety of pest situations and developed effective solutions. This means more effective service to handle your infestation.

Finally, contact each company and describe your pest issue to the best of your ability. It can be helpful to have photos on hand to forward to technicians so they can provide a more accurate remote assessment of your property and give you the most up to date pricing estimates for extermination or fumigation. Inquire about treatment methods used and the company’s recommendations. If a company seems knowledgeable and meets your standards, schedule a free consultation for a final pricing confirmation. A reputable pest control professional will walk you through a treatment plan and your options before beginning any service.

Although you may be able to handle smaller infestations with DIY methods, hiring professional pest control specialists is often worth the price. Rather than guessing which of dozens or even hundreds of DIY solutions will produce the best results, pest control professionals have the knowledge and experience to get it right the first time.

The upfront cost of professional pet control is higher than attempting to eradicate creepy crawlies on your own, but going the professional route is often quicker and more efficient, can treat all levels of pest severity and is safer than spraying chemicals you may not fully understand. It also may include preventative measures that keep your yard and home pest-free longer.

Pest control can offer homeowners peace of mind, but it’s important to understand common concerns and safety measures before service begins. Here are some of the best questions to ask a pest control company:

• Do you use only non-banned, FDA-approved pesticide options?
• How long should I wait after application before the area is safe for children and pets to re-enter?
• What is your reservicing policy if pests return between visits?
• Will we need to leave the home for any treatments?
• How long will it take to eliminate my pest infestation?
• What is the training process for your technicians?

Our team created a comprehensive ratings system to rank pest control providers. We researched companies by examining each provider’s website, speaking with representatives to get more insight on coverage, treatments and pricing, reading hundreds of third-party customer reviews across multiple sites, and surveying 1,000 homeowners who had hired pest control companies.

Following our in-depth research, we scored pest control companies in these categories:

• Plan options (35%)
• Customer Service (25%)
• Pricing (20%)
• Trustworthiness (20%)