Best duplicate file finders for Mac: top 10 apps

Duplicate files can be a massive pain and cause huge headaches when you’re trying to find a specific file in all of that digital clutter, not to mention all the space they take up on your hard drives. But who has the time or patience to go through their entire computer folder by folder trying to clean it all up?

Fortunately, there are some really great apps that will scan for duplicate files and help you get rid of them in a flash. Here’s a glance at the top duplicate finders you’ll read about below:

Rating	Name	Features	Info
1	Gemini 2	Quickly removes duplicate files with one button	Link
2	dupeGuru	Mac duplicate finder with specialized modes for music and photos	Link
3	Duplicate Sweeper	Powerful tool that will remove any and all duplicates it finds	Link

Top 10 duplicate file finders for Mac

It’s always a good idea to scan for duplicates on your Mac. Maybe you’re running out of storage space, or your Mac feels a little more sluggish than usual. In either case, cleaning up the copied files on your computer should help you out some. And don’t worry; we’ve done the hard part for you by ranking the top duplicate finder apps for your Mac.

1. Gemini 2

Topping this list is Gemini 2. Not only is it easy to use, but it’s also an intelligent duplicate file remover for Mac. After it scans either a specific folder or your entire hard drive, you’re given two options: reviewing the results or simply deleting the duplicates with just one click of the Smart Cleanup button.

If you decide you want to review the copies that Gemini 2 finds, you’ll see the obvious information like the filename and other metadata, and you can view the photos or playback videos and music files.

Official website
Price: $19.95/year
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Can scan different types of files	The trial version is limited to cleaning up to 500MB of data
Flexible pricing policy — both subscription and one-time purchase are available	Does not show a time estimate for the scan
Has a Smart Selection algorithm that learns from your choices	Does not find similar folders, although finds similar photos

2. dupeGuru

Similar to some of the other apps on this list, when you scan your computer with dupeGuru, it not only shows you files with duplicate filenames but also checks your files to see if they’re similar in any way. It also has special modes for music and photos to look for and display different information for both file types. The one downside to dupeGuru is that its interface is a little older and may not be as straightforward as some of the other apps on this list. There may also be some compatibility issues since the app is rarely updated.

Official website
Price: Free
Free trial: Not applicable

Pros	Cons
Comes with 3 different scanning modes: standard for different file types, photos, and music	The scan is slow
Indicates the percentage of files similarity	May be less effective compared to specialist tools
Has exclusion rules to exclude some files or folders from the scan	Reports of the app crashing when scanning the entire drive

3. Duplicate Sweeper

You can scan any folder on your computer with Duplicate Sweeper, and it will show you all the copies of your files. Enabling the Auto Select feature will have the app choose which file you keep, but it’s strongly advised you still review those results before deleting any of them. Duplicate Sweeper scans everything in the folder(s) you select, including app files. So, if you accidentally delete a file that an app needs to run, then the app might not run correctly the next time you use it. Long story short, when using Duplicate Sweeper, just make sure you’re only deleting files you know are safe to remove.

Official website
Price: $19.99 (one-time purchase)
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Has Auto Select feature that automatically select duplicates for removal	Extra caution needed — can delete files apps need to run
Finds different types of duplicate files	No entire disk scan — folders should be added to the scan one by one
Comes with a preview feature	Compared to other apps, the scan is slower

4. Cisdem Duplicate Finder

Cisdem Duplicate Finder is an app for those who have tons of different files. Like some other apps on the list, it can scan your Mac for different types of files and find similar photos. The app comes with a trial version that will completely scan the files and folders you select; however, to remove any of the files it has selected for deletion, you will have to purchase the license. Except for that, it is an easy-to-use application that sorts out search results and, what is a significant benefit, can scan not only Mac’s drive but also external hard drives and cloud storages. It also lets you save scan results if you decide to quit the app without cleaning up the duplicates.

Official website
Price: $19.99/year
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Can scan multiple drives and folders at a time	Does not find similar folders or let the user merge them
Detects different types of duplicate files and can find similar photos	The scan is slower than in other apps reviewed
Can scan external hard drives and cloud storages	Does not have warning pop-ups before final removal of files

5. Nektony Duplicate File Finder

Nektony Duplicate File Finder can be used for organizing your Mac effectively. Not only does it quickly find duplicate and similar files, but it can also identify similar folders and let you merge them. It takes Mac space organization to a whole new level. Some other features that stand out include filtering scan results, scanning multiple libraries at a time, and viewing duplicates removal history. The app also comes with auto select rules that make the deletion of files easier. However, like with some other apps on the list, it is better to review files before removing them, especially if you haven’t backed them up.

Official website
Price: $15.90/year
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Can spot similar folders and let the user merge them	Users report issues with the identification of similar files
Comes with tools for finding similar photos	The auto select feature can mark non-duplicate files for deletion
The scan is fast and accurate	Limited functionality of the trial version

6. Disk Drill

Disk Drill is actually a very powerful data recovery tool with the extra feature of a duplicate finder for Mac. When you run Disk Drill, it will scan the folders you’ve selected and show you all of your copied files. The thing to keep in mind, though, is that it will only show exact duplicates. This means it might miss things like similar-looking photos where the angle is slightly different or duplicate files with different filenames. But one of the biggest benefits of running Disk Drill is if you do accidentally delete a file, you can run Disk Drill’s file recovery tool.

Official website
Price: $89 (one-time purchase)
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Can find and remove duplicates from online storage accounts (e.g., Dropbox)	Auto select feature may work inaccurately, although accidentally deleted files can be restored easily
The scanning process is fast and accurate	Does not have tools for merging similar folders
Locates different types of files	Cannot find similar photos or files

7. CleverFiles Duplicates Finder

CleverFiles Duplicates Finder comes from the developer of Disk Drill mentioned above. Unlike Disk Drill, it is a fully automatic app for duplicate files removal. It is similar to other apps on the list in that you will have to select folders for the scan. The app offers several removal types and can scan cloud storages in addition to your Mac’s drive. The main downside of the app is that it finds exact duplicates only and won’t locate similar files.

Official website
Price: $3.99 (one-time purchase)
Free trial: Not applicable

Pros	Cons
Comes with an easily configurable system of exclusions	Cannot find similar files or photos
High performance and quick scan	No free trial version available
Does not let delete files app depend on to work properly	The functionality is limited

8. Duplicate Detective

Where Duplicate Detective really shines is with its simple-to-use and minimal interface. Even most novices would be able to open it and figure out how to find duplicate files on a Mac. But maybe you find yourself scanning for duplicates on a regular basis, and the app has more advanced features, like Ignored Folder or Ignored File Extensions. So, you can scan better and smarter.

Official website
Price: $5.99 (one-time purchase)
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Comes with a double-check verification screen before confirming the deletion of files	Reports of app crashing when trying to remove all identified duplicates at a time
Has filters to help you sort out duplicates	The scan is designed for individual folders, not the entire drive
Duplicates are sent to Trash, not removed instantly — makes recovery easier	Subfolders are not included in the scan

9. Easy Duplicate Finder

Easy Duplicate Finder delivers on everything its name promises. You can simply drag and drop the folders you want to scan. Like other Mac duplicate finders, it lets you quickly review and delete the copies that it finds. But it also has an undo-delete feature, so if you do accidentally remove a file, you’re able to undo it.

Official website
Price: $39.95/year
Free trial: Available

Pros	Cons
Comes with the Undo feature for emergency recovery of accidentally deleted files	Compared to other apps, the accuracy of scans is lower
Accurate automatic selection of duplicate files for removal	High price considering accuracy issues
Has a user-friendly interface	Some users report that support is unresponsive

10. Photos Duplicate Cleaner

Rounding out the list with a sleek interface is the app Photos Duplicate Cleaner. It scans your Photos library, looking not only for duplicates but also for similar-looking images. It even works with libraries that are stored on external hard drives. The obvious downside is that this app is only for your pictures, so if you wanted to scan for copies of other file types in the future, you’d need another app.