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ClearDefense Pest Control vs. Plunkett's Pest Control

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Editor · Research and verification: Handshake Research Desk

ClearDefense Pest Control ranks #2 of 164 and Plunkett's Pest Control ranks #35 of 164 in the West, with Handshake Scores of 9.3 and 8.2 out of 10. Both have locations on file in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas. ClearDefense Pest Control also has locations in Louisiana, and Plunkett's Pest Control in California, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico and North Dakota.

This comparison sets their verified records side by side: the five scored factors, review platforms, BBB, contract terms, licensing and legal record. It draws no conclusion beyond the scores. The small numbers link to each fact’s source, and each company’s full review has the rest.

At a glance

#2 of 164 in the West

ClearDefense Pest Control9.3/10

Handshake Score. #2 of 164 in the West

#35 of 164 in the West

Plunkett's Pest Control8.2/10

Handshake Score · Provisional. #35 of 164 in the West

ClearDefense Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control at a glance
ClearDefense Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Rank#2 of 164 in the West#35 of 164 in the West
ConfidenceHighLow
Provisional scoreNoYes
Door-to-door salesYes9, 10, 11, 12, +3N/A5, 4
OwnershipPE-backedParent: Coalesce Capital (private equity; growth investment announced Sept. 28, 2026; founders and management retain a meaningful equity interest)4, 7, 8Independent3, 4
HeadquartersMatthews, North Carolina2Fridley, Minnesota2
States on fileArkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas5 locationsArkansas, California, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota and Texas26 locations
Record verifiedOctober 27, 2026October 27, 2026

Our research

How they score

The Handshake Score is a weighted average of five factors, each scored from 0 to 10 from verified records. The percentage beside each factor is its weight. Each score links to the deductions behind it on the company’s review.

Handshake Score factors: ClearDefense Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
ClearDefense Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Customer satisfaction 35%10.09.2
ClearDefense Pest Control scores higher on customer satisfaction (10.0 vs. 9.2).
Complaint record 10%10.010.0
Tied on complaint record (10.0 each).
Sales and contract fairness 15%9.08.5
ClearDefense Pest Control scores higher on sales and contract fairness (9.0 vs. 8.5).
Licensing and compliance 15%10.010.0
Tied on licensing and compliance (10.0 each).
Legal and regulatory record 15%10.010.0
Tied on legal and regulatory record (10.0 each).
Handshake Score9.3/108.2/10
ClearDefense Pest Control has the higher Handshake Score (9.3 vs. 8.2).

Workplace

We rate how companies treat employees from employee-review sites and wage-and-hour records. A workplace score is computed and carries 10% of the Handshake Score when there are at least 20 employee reviews on file (otherwise excluded and remaining weights renormalized).

Workplace scores: ClearDefense Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
ClearDefense Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Workplace score7.7N/A
ClearDefense Pest Control has a workplace score of 7.7; Plunkett's Pest Control isn’t rated.

Review platforms

Google figures cover each company’s western US listings; the average is weighted by each listing’s review count. Ratings and counts are as each site showed them on the date retrieved.

Google reviews: ClearDefense Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
ClearDefense Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Google listings in the West526
Google reviews10,0524,165
Google average5.04.8

ClearDefense Pest Control 15 review profiles

Review profiles recorded for ClearDefense Pest Control
Platform and scopeRatingReviewsSource
GoogleAustin, Texas5.0/52,173View
GoogleAmarillo, Texas5.0/51View
GoogleKansas City, Missouri5.0/52,576View
GoogleBaton Rouge, Louisiana5.0/52,195View
GoogleLittle Rock, Arkansas5.0/53,107View
FacebookLittle Rock, Arkansas—449View
FacebookAustin, Texas—53View
FacebookBaton Rouge, Louisiana—603View
FacebookKansas City, Missouri—394View
ThumbtackAustin, Texas4.9/510View
BBBLittle Rock, Arkansas1.0/51View
BBBBaton Rouge, Louisiana1.0/51View
BBBAustin, Texas—0View
BBBKansas City, Missouri—0View
YelpAustin, Texas—38View

Plunkett's Pest Control 33 review profiles

Review profiles recorded for Plunkett's Pest Control
Platform and scopeRatingReviewsSource
GoogleFridley, Minnesota4.8/51,535View
GoogleEdina, Minnesota4.8/5419View
GoogleMankato, Minnesota4.8/5223View
GoogleMoorhead, Minnesota4.9/5213View
GoogleFergus Falls, Minnesota4.9/5142View
GoogleWorthington, Minnesota4.9/5102View
GoogleRochester, Minnesota4.9/530View
GoogleSpringdale, Arkansas4.8/561View
GoogleSan Francisco, California3.4/58View
GoogleCedar Rapids, Iowa4.9/5207View
GoogleEmporia, Kansas4.7/5107View
GoogleLiberal, Kansas4.8/599View
GoogleSalina, Kansas4.9/598View
GooglePittsburg, Kansas4.7/574View
GoogleWichita, Kansas4.7/572View
GoogleManhattan, Kansas4.7/555View
GoogleKansas City, Missouri4.9/528View
GoogleSt Joseph, Missouri5.0/521View
GoogleHillsboro, Missouri1.0/51View
GoogleLincoln, Nebraska4.8/5157View
GoogleNebraska4.5/517View
GoogleSanta Fe, New Mexico4.7/5136View
GoogleFarmington, New Mexico4.7/5135View
GoogleAlbuquerque, New Mexico4.9/5129View
GoogleBismarck, North Dakota4.6/570View
GoogleLubbock, Texas4.8/526View
BBBcompany-wide3.0/512View
YelpFridley, Minnesota—94View
OtherFridley, Minnesota4.78/51,362View
OtherFridley, Minnesota—171View
AngiSioux Falls, South Dakota——View
BBBFridley, Minnesota branch file——View
Googlenational: all US Google listings of the Plunkett’s Pest Control brand, used only as the complaint base4.79/56,635see record

Better Business Bureau

ClearDefense Pest Control. Its BBB profiles show 0 complaints in the last three years; grades vary by branch.

Plunkett's Pest Control. Its company-wide BBB profile shows an A+ grade and 5 complaints in the last three years.

BBB records: ClearDefense Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
ClearDefense Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
BBB gradeA+ (AR, MO, LA branch profiles); A- (TX)33, 41A+7, 41, 42
AccreditedNoYes, since 4/17/1985 (headquarters file); Fridley branch file 8/9/2019
Complaints, last 3 years05, company-wide
BBB customer reviews1.0/5 average from 1 review3.0/5 average from 12 reviews
Profile scopeFour branch profiles, each covering one West branch: Austin Texas, Little Rock Arkansas, Kansas City Missouri, Baton Rouge Louisiana. BBB also has separate profiles for ClearDefense market LLCs outside the West (e.g. Raleigh B-, Richmond C, Charleston A); those are not included.company-wide headquarters file (Columbus, Ohio); includes corporate-owned locations in non-Western states, so not attributable to the West
RetrievedOctober 27, 2026November 2, 2026
Profiles

Contract terms

Terms as recorded from the linked sources.

ClearDefense Pest Control 8 terms

  • Company FAQ: cancellation fees, if any, depend on the customer’s service agreement; no fee amount is published.16

  • Company FAQ: whether a contract is required varies by location; no term length is published.16

  • Company FAQ: customers can cancel by phone, email or a website request to the local branch.16

  • Company FAQ: billing is set up on a recurring basis that aligns with the service plan; the FAQ recommends quarterly service for most homes.16

  • Company FAQ: free re-service between scheduled visits.16

  • Little Rock BBB reviewer (1 star, 11/10/2025) says she asked before signing whether she would be in a contract, was told she would not be, and later received a letter requiring her to pay out the contract.17

  • Website terms cover the website and SMS/email programs only; pest control services are governed by separate service agreements, which are not published. The web terms choose North Carolina law and courts and contain no arbitration clause.2

  • Website promotion: $50 off the first service for new customers.1

Plunkett's Pest Control 6 terms

  • Residential HomeGuard program: the initial service agreement is for 1 year and renews at the end of the year unless the customer cancels.6

  • HomeGuard advertised from $37/month (1,200-1,700 sq ft homes); payment by autopay, emailed link, portal, or annually in advance with a 3% discount.6

  • HomeGuard includes free call-backs between scheduled services.6

  • Company ‘Difference’ page says clients are not required to sign anything for interior service at a distance; estimates, service reports and receipts are sent electronically. (Wording dates from the COVID-era page; it sits beside the 1-year HomeGuard agreement.)4

  • Satisfaction guarantee quoted on the BBB profile: the company redoes service at no additional cost if a customer is not satisfied.7

  • HomeGuard FAQ: ‘Can I cancel my HomeGuard service?’ is answered that the plan renews annually and can be canceled any time after the first year with no penalties. This confirms the 12-month initial term and annual auto-renewal; it does not address canceling inside the first year.6

Licensing and registrations

Status and expiry dates are shown exactly as the issuing agency’s record showed them on the date retrieved.

ClearDefense Pest Control 8 records (Texas 2, Louisiana 2, Missouri 2, Arkansas 2)

Licenses and registrations for ClearDefense Pest Control
StateAuthority and typeNumberStatusExpiresSource
TexasTexas Department of AgricultureCommercial business license0882194Active (listed in TDA’s current-licenses report, file dated 26 Oct 2026)04/30/202742
LouisianaLouisiana Department of Agriculture and ForestryPlace of Business Permit001ZM8Active (LDAF POB list revised April 20, 2026)6/30/2026 (per the April 2026 list); BBB records the license with expiry 6/30/202733, 43
MissouriMissouri Department of AgriculturePesticide Business (MOPlants USAPlants Idaho)0032Y6ActiveNot shown44
ArkansasArkansas Department of AgricultureLicense Holder (business) licenseNot shownNot verified (no online lookup; the Department verifies licenses by email only)Not shown45
TexasTexas Comptroller of Public Accounts (franchise tax account status; Texas SOS registration)Business entity registration (Texas LLC)SOS file 0804415613; taxpayer 32082997274Right to Transact Business: ACTIVE; SOS registration ACTIVE (effective 02/02/2022)Not shown3
LouisianaLouisiana Secretary of State (Commercial Division)Business entity registration (Louisiana LLC)Charter 44293967KActive; Annual Report Status In Good Standing; registered 2/23/2021; last report filed 1/29/2026Not shown4
ArkansasArkansas Secretary of State (Corporations)Business entity registration (Arkansas LLC)Filing # 811353243Good Standing; filed 02/02/2022Not shown5
MissouriMissouri Secretary of State (Business Services)Business entity registration (Missouri LLC)Charter LC001571498Active; created 1/11/2018Not shown6

Plunkett's Pest Control 15 records (Minnesota 2, Iowa 1, Texas 1, Missouri 1, Kansas 1, Colorado 1, South Dakota 1, North Dakota 2, Nebraska 1, New Mexico 1, California 1, Arkansas 1, Oklahoma 1)

Licenses and registrations for Plunkett's Pest Control
StateAuthority and typeNumberStatusExpiresSource
MinnesotaMinnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Pesticide & Fertilizer ManagementStructural Pest Control Company license20018762Active (expires December 31, 2026; suspension is not shown in the lookup)December 31, 202643
IowaIowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Pesticide BureauCompany license (IDALS lookup lists it by company; license type not shown)02163-000Listed with expiration December 31, 2026 (lookup shows no status column)December 31, 202644
TexasTexas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial business license (categories PTLWC)0795706Current: on the TDA current-licenses report (license expiration October 31, 2027; insurance expiration January 1, 2027; renewed October 31, 2026)October 31, 202745
MissouriMissouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), Bureau of Pesticide ControlPesticide Business record (agency business record; Missouri licenses individuals)0003NJ, 0034K5, 004FKA, 004X1H, 004X1M, 004X1N (USAPlants IDs)Active (6 records)Not shown46
KansasKansas Department of Agriculture (KDA), Pesticide and Fertilizer ProgramPesticide business license (PBL)7071Listed as a current PBL: categories 3, 5, 6 and 7, each expiring 12/31/2026 (KDA Pesticide Business Search for ‘Plunkett’, November 2, 2026; the lookup shows no separate status column)December 31, 202647
ColoradoColorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), Plant Industry DivisionCommercial applicator license (out-of-state business, Fridley Minnesota)BusinessId 17022Listed as current (lookup shows only valid licenses); expires December 31, 2026December 31, 202648
South DakotaSouth Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR), Pesticide ProgramIndividual commercial applicator licenses only (no business license in South Dakota)Not shownCompany-field search ‘Plunkett’ lists 128 items; active rows include Plunketts Pest Control Inc applicators, e.g. license 50791, Big Stone City South Dakota, expires Mar 31 2028Not shown49
North DakotaNorth Dakota Department of Agriculture / NDSU Extension (individual certification only)Individual certification only (North Dakota issues no business license)Not shownNot looked up (individual-only state; the NDSU applicator search shows no employer)Not shownsee record
North DakotaNorth Dakota Secretary of State (business registry, FirstStop)Business registration (foreign corporation)0000042164Active / Good Standing (filed 08/20/1993)Not shown50
MinnesotaMinnesota Secretary of State (business registry)Business registration (domestic business corporation)Not shownActive / In Good Standing (renewal due 12/31/2027). History shows administrative dissolutions on 3/13/2018 and 2/20/2020, each followed by reinstatement (3/20/2018 and 3/11/2020), both more than 5 years ago.Not shown2
NebraskaNebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA)Individual commercial applicators only (Nebraska issues no structural pest control business license)Not shownNot looked up (individual-only state; no company record exists)Not shownsee record
New MexicoNew Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA)Pesticide Business record (agency business record state)Not shownNot looked up (NMDA lookup terms restrict commercial use)Not shownsee record
CaliforniaStructural Pest Control Board (SPCB), Department of Consumer AffairsCompany RegistrationNot shownNot verified: no match for ‘Plunkett’ in the SPCB licensee snapshot (October 1, 2026; canceled registrations are omitted, so a miss proves nothing), no CDPR/county penalty rows, and no California page on plunketts.net.Not shownsee record
ArkansasArkansas Department of Agriculture, Pest Control ProgramLicense Holder (business license)Not shownNot verified: structural pest control License Holder records are not publicly searchable (verification by email request only per the Department fact sheet).Not shown51
OklahomaOklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF), Pesticide LicensingPesticide License (business; ODAFF AGLook company search)8333Listed with expiration 12/31/26 (AGLook shows no status column; categories not read)December 31, 202652

Only resolved government actions count toward the legal and regulatory score. Pending lawsuits, allegations and private matters are listed but not scored. Summaries are our researchers’ wording of the source; allegations are allegations, not findings.

ClearDefense Pest Control 5 records

Legal and regulatory score: 10.0/10. Records counted in it: none.

  • October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record

    Austin, Texas (BBB Heart of Texas)

    BBB profile for ClearDefense Pest Control, 8906 Wall Street, Austin, Texas (BBB Heart of Texas; file opened 10/23/2025): not accredited, rated A-, 0 complaints, no customer reviews.35

  • October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record

    Little Rock, Arkansas (BBB Serving Arkansas)

    BBB profile for ClearDefense Pest Control, Little Rock, Arkansas (BBB Serving Arkansas; file opened 3/3/2023): not accredited, rated A+, 0 complaints, 1 customer review (1 star).37

  • October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record

    Kansas City, Missouri (BBB of Midwest Plains)

    BBB profile for ClearDefense Pest Control of Kansas City, 104 W 9th St Ste 10, Kansas City, Missouri (BBB of Midwest Plains; file opened 6/24/2026): not accredited, rated A+, 0 complaints, no customer reviews.39

  • October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record

    Baton Rouge, Louisiana (BBB of South Central Louisiana)

    BBB profile for ClearDefense Pest Control of Baton Rouge, LLC (BBB of South Central Louisiana; file opened 6/13/2021): not accredited, rated A+, 0 complaints, 1 customer review (1 star).40

  • 2017 · LawsuitShown only

    U.S. District Court, M.D.N.C.

    Clear Defense, L.L.C. sued ClearDefense Pest Control of Greensboro, Charlotte and Raleigh LLCs in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina for trademark infringement under the Lanham Act (No. 1:17-cv-01139). Private suit outside the West. A memorandum opinion and order signed 10/23/2018 (filed October 24, 2018) granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss in part and denied it in part; the final outcome was not verified (Justia returned 403).46, 47

Plunkett's Pest Control 2 records

Legal and regulatory score: 10.0/10. Records counted in it: none.

  • November 2, 2026 · Complaint summaryShown only

    company-wide (BBB headquarters file)

    BBB: 5 complaints in the last 3 years (2 in the last 12 months), A+ rating, accredited, no pattern alert shown. Displayed complaints concern wildlife trapping service follow-up/billing (refunds issued) and a company-canceled service with a disputed refund (answered).41

  • March 25, 2024 · LawsuitShown only

    Illinois (U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois)

    Followell v. Plunkett’s Pest Control, Inc., 1:24-cv-02392: Fair Labor Standards Act wage-and-hour suit by a former employee, filed March 25, 2024 and terminated September 12, 2024. The docket header does not say whether it settled, was dismissed or was adjudicated (CourtListener and Justia dockets are behind human-verification checks and were not worked around), so it is treated as an unresolved/unverified wage case, not a government action, and is not scored.53

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