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Midwest Pest Control vs. Plunkett's Pest Control

Two craftsman porches side by side, one with a green door and one with a terracotta door, each with a blank checklist on a clipboard.

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Editor · Research and verification: Handshake Research Desk

Midwest Pest Control ranks #24 of 164 and Plunkett's Pest Control ranks #35 of 164 in the West, with Handshake Scores of 8.4 and 8.2 out of 10. Both have locations on file in Iowa and Nebraska. Plunkett's Pest Control also has locations in Arkansas, California, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota and Texas.

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

#24 of 164 in the West

Midwest Pest Control8.4/10

Handshake Score · Provisional. #24 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

Midwest Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control at a glance
Midwest Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Rank#24 of 164 in the West#35 of 164 in the West
ConfidenceLowLow
Provisional scoreYesYes
Door-to-door salesPartial6N/A5, 4
OwnershipIndependent5Independent3, 4
HeadquartersOmaha, Nebraska3Fridley, Minnesota2
States on fileIowa and Nebraska3 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: Midwest Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
Midwest Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Customer satisfaction 35%9.99.2
Midwest Pest Control scores higher on customer satisfaction (9.9 vs. 9.2).
Complaint record 10%8.510.0
Plunkett's Pest Control scores higher on complaint record (10.0 vs. 8.5).
Sales and contract fairness 15%N/A8.5
Plunkett's Pest Control scores 8.5 on sales and contract fairness; Midwest Pest Control isn’t scored on it.
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 Score8.4/108.2/10
Midwest Pest Control has the higher Handshake Score (8.4 vs. 8.2).

Midwest Pest Control had no usable inputs for sales and contract fairness, so that factor was left out of its score and its remaining weights were scaled up to 100%.

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: Midwest Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
Midwest Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Workplace scoreN/AN/A
Neither company has a workplace score.

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: Midwest Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
Midwest Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
Google listings in the West326
Google reviews6,7274,165
Google average5.04.8

Midwest Pest Control 3 review profiles

Review profiles recorded for Midwest Pest Control
Platform and scopeRatingReviewsSource
GoogleAnkeny, Iowa5.0/51,189View
GoogleCedar Rapids, Iowa4.9/5868View
GoogleOmaha, Nebraska5.0/54,670View

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

Midwest Pest Control. Its BBB profiles show 2 complaints in the last three years across its BBB files; 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: Midwest Pest Control and Plunkett's Pest Control
Midwest Pest ControlPlunkett's Pest Control
BBB gradeA+ (Omaha profile); C (Ankeny profile)4, 13A+7, 41, 42
AccreditedNoYes, since 4/17/1985 (headquarters file); Fridley branch file 8/9/2019
Complaints, last 3 years2, across 2 BBB files5, company-wide
BBB customer reviewsNot shown3.0/5 average from 12 reviews
Profile scopeTwo separate BBB files, neither accredited: Omaha, Nebraska (BBB of Midwest Plains, 14225 Dayton Cir STE 10, file opened 2/8/2022) and Ankeny, Iowa (BBB serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities, and Siouxland Region, 1479 NE 69th Pl Ste 82, file opened 7/29/2024). No BBB file was found for Cedar Rapids. Other BBB “Midwest Pest Control” files (Agency Missouri, Dearborn Missouri, Aberdeen South Dakota) and Midwest Legacy Pest Control (Lincoln Nebraska) belong to different businesses.company-wide headquarters file (Columbus, Ohio); includes corporate-owned locations in non-Western states, so not attributable to the West
RetrievedOctober 28, 2026November 2, 2026
Profiles

Contract terms

Terms as recorded from the linked sources.

Midwest Pest Control 4 terms

  • Home Defense Basic plan advertised from $39/month, with an initial fee (“Initial Fee Applies”); Home Defense Plus Rodent and Plus Yard from $43/month; Platinum from $47/month. No term, renewal, cancellation or arbitration terms are published on the site.7

  • Company guarantee: free re-treatment if the customer is unhappy.7

  • Company’s own BBB reply (Omaha profile, 02/14/2024) describes a 2021 contract for five paid services (an initial service plus four quarterly services) and says the account was closed with a “contractual early-termination fee” and sent to collection; the fee amount and the contract term in months are not stated. The reply offers the service agreement on request.6

  • $50 off the first application with a Home Defense package and a $100 referral credit, both shown with an expiry of 10/31/2026.8

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.

Midwest Pest Control 4 records (Iowa 3, Nebraska 1)

Licenses and registrations for Midwest Pest Control
StateAuthority and typeNumberStatusExpiresSource
IowaIowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Pesticide BureauCompany license listed in the IDALS company lookup (license type column not shown); Midwest Pest Control LLC, Omaha Nebraska, listed as an out-of-state licensee10192-001Current (expires December 31, 2026; lookup shows only an expiration date)December 31, 20262
IowaIowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Pesticide BureauCompany license listed in the IDALS company lookup (license type column not shown)11523-001Current (expires December 31, 2026; lookup shows only an expiration date)December 31, 20262
IowaIowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Pesticide BureauCompany license listed in the IDALS company lookup (license type column not shown)11524-001Current (expires December 31, 2026; lookup shows only an expiration date)December 31, 20262
NebraskaNebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA), Pesticide ProgramNo company license exists in Nebraska; NDA licenses individual commercial applicators onlyNot shownNot applicable (individual-only state). Applicator last-name search “Perkes” (Commercial) returned no records; this does not show the owners are unlicensed (license may sit under a technician or another name).Not shown16, 17

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.

Midwest Pest Control 3 records

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

  • October 28, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record

    Nebraska

    BBB Omaha profile (BBB of Midwest Plains): 1 complaint in the last 3 years (dated 02/05/2024, service issue), 0 in the last 12 months; status Answered, rating A+. A power of attorney alleged an 88-year-old woman was solicited at her door in 2021 and later sent to collection after canceling; the company says she signed a contract and offered to withdraw the collection if the unpaid invoice was paid.6

  • October 28, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record

    Iowa

    BBB Ankeny, Iowa profile (BBB serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities, and Siouxland Region; file opened 7/29/2024): 1 complaint in the last 3 years (dated 07/22/2024), 0 in the last 12 months, status Unanswered, rating C for failure to respond. A reply from a different company, Midwest Pest Management of Ankeny, says the complaint concerns it, not the Midwest Pest Control profile it was filed against; BBB still lists it as unanswered. BBB’s record (this profile, whose address and phone are this company’s Ankeny office) is kept as shown.14

  • October 28, 2026 · Complaint summaryShown only

    Nebraska and Iowa

    No attorney general, pesticide-regulator, FTC or court action against Midwest Pest Control was found. Nebraska AG and Iowa AG publish no per-company complaint data; IDALS publishes no enforcement list; NDA publishes no enforcement list; Nebraska JUSTICE court search is paid ($17 per search) and was not used; federal OSHA establishment search is behind human verification. Searches for attorney general, lawsuit, settlement and consent order returned no results about this company (leads only).16

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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