What are the alternatives to CleanMyMac? 5 apps to try

CleanMyMac can do a lot to keep your Mac in top shape by decluttering it, finding and removing Mac-specific malware, and running maintenance tasks. But if you are here, perhaps you want to know if there are CleanMyMac alternatives that work better than it does. Keep on reading, and we’ll provide a brief overview of 5 similar tools you can try.

What is CleanMyMac?

CleanMyMac is a handy control and care app for your Mac. It has 25+ tools designed to help you with uninstalling apps, deleting junk files, freeing up disk space, making your Mac run faster, and getting rid of the malware. Get your free CleanMyMac trial.

Here’s an overview of its main tools:

• Smart Care — an easy, one-click way to free up junk, speed up your Mac, remove malware, delete duplicate files, and update your apps
• Cleanup — a set of features aimed at removing all kinds of unnecessary system files and mail attachments as well as emptying trash bins, thus reducing System Data
• Protection — designed specifically for enhancing your privacy offline and online as well as removing threats and managing application permissions
• Performance — tasks developed to boost your Mac’s speed by running maintenance tasks (like freeing purgeable space, flushing DNS cache, and reindexing Spotlight) and manage background items
• Applications — a set of features allowing you to uninstall and update your apps as well as delete files left after the incomplete app removal
• My Clutter — a tool for managing your files and removing those you no longer need, like large and old files, similar images, duplicates, and downloads
• Space Lens — an interactive storage map builder that lets you see the biggest space hoggers shown as bubbles and remove them with a few clicks
• Cloud Cleanup — scans cloud storage solutions (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, One Drive, and Google Drive) for large and forgotten files
• Menu App — a real-time health monitor that can identify top memory and CPU eaters and battery-draining apps

The benefits of using CleanMyMac

• On average, users find and remove 14 GB of unneeded files after the first Smart Care scan in under 2 minutes
• With the help of the Protection feature, on average, users find and remove 1 malware after the first scan 
• 29 million downloads
• Loved by users in 180+ countries (TrustPilot rating: 4.7/5)

Try CleanMyMac for free — see it in action on your MacBook. It costs $39.95 annually or $119.99 for a one-time purchase.

CleanMyMac alternatives

Now that you know what the main features of CleanMyMac are, let us introduce its closest alternatives. 

We’ll begin with a quick comparison table of CleanMyMac and all 5 tools. 

1. CCleaner

Piriform’s CCleaner is an all-in-one Mac cleaning solution. Like CleanMyMac, it has several outstanding features like a deep scan designed to find and delete unnecessary system junk, app uninstaller allowing you to remove apps and all their files, and a tool for managing login items and background processes. All of these are great for Mac optimization. 

The main advantage of CCleaner is that it lets you delete duplicate files. This feature scans the location you choose and finds duplicate photos, files, and folders. You can then easily remove them. The app even lets you preview the files it found to avoid deleting something you might need in the future. 

At the same time, though, CCleaner does not have any tools designed to protect your Mac like the Malware Removal feature or the instrument for managing application permissions that are available in CleanMyMac. It also does not have a tool for updating and resetting apps. But it does a great job of analyzing your system and cleaning your browsers. It costs $44.95 per year, which is more than a subscription for CleanMyMac, but it comes with fewer modules.

2. MacCleaner Pro

MacCleaner Pro is a bundle of apps by Nektony. Like CleanMyMac, it has a friendly interface and a lot of tools for maintaining, cleaning, and optimizing your Mac. It does that by cleaning up junk and duplicate files, running maintenance tasks, and uninstalling apps you no longer need. It can also find hidden files to make the cleanup even more effective.

What stands out is the thoroughness of the scan and the number of tools you can use. But to use all of these tools, you will have to install six apps, not one, and it is not always convenient. It may come as a surprise because you may expect to download one application, not a bundle of apps. Still, its design is attractive, and the app is easy to use, allowing you to open another application from the main screen of MacCleaner Pro. 

However, it doesn’t have any tools to protect your Mac from malware, nor does it dive deep into protecting your privacy the way CleanMyMac does with its tools for removing browser files and Recent Items lists. The price for all six apps is $39.95 annually. Still, given that it lacks some functionality, it is worth trying it for free first to see if it meets your needs. Also, because it is a bundle of apps, over time, it may eat up a lot of space on your Mac.

3. DaisyDisk

DaisyDisk scans your disks and presents a colorful graphical illustration of the files that occupy the most space — similar to the Space Lens feature that comes with CleanMyMac. Clicking an element in the diagram reveals the file’s size, and you can then preview it using Quick Look. If you decide you don’t need it, you can drag it to the collection area at the bottom of the window. And when you’ve collected all the files you want to get rid of, you can delete them at the click of a button. 

The main benefit is that DaisyDisk is a neat tool and an easy way to identify large files. It can also scan multiple disks simultaneously, so it is pretty quick.

However, all the job is manual, as DaisyDisk does not preselect files for deletion like CleanMyMac does. And CleanMyMac also has many other tools that allow you to improve the performance of your Mac, get rid of thousands of small files, and free up gigabytes of space, as well as securely delete data and protect your Mac from malware. Nonetheless, at $11.99, it is cheaper than CleanMyMac, but if you need an app that can do more than just help you get rid of files, consider investing in an all-round Mac cleaner app.

4. OnyX

OnyX is a multi-function application — think of it as a Swiss army knife — for your Mac. It can verify the structure of system files, perform maintenance and cleaning tasks, and configure parameters that you would normally have to use Terminal to manage.

The best part about OnyX is that is has lots of terrific features such as the ability to change the file format and default location for screenshots, or manage the Open Recent command in the File menu of applications. And, of course, it can help clean up your Mac by getting rid of junk files.

It’s not as user-friendly as CleanMyMac, though. Its interface may seem a little daunting for new users, and its options aren’t as well explained. Also, it doesn’t have tools for uninstalling or resetting applications, getting rid of malware, or deleting largest and oldest files or similars and duplicates. But it’s free to download and use, although you will have to install a new version after every major macOS update (like when upgrading from Sonoma to Sequoia).

5. App Cleaner & Uninstaller

App Cleaner & Uninstaller is one of the bundle of apps we mentioned above — MacCleaner Pro. However, as its name suggests, it focuses on only one aspect of Mac cleaning and optimization — cleaning apps. It can remove applications and files left after incomplete app removal, update them, and manage extensions and startup programs. Just like the Uninstaller tool in CleanMyMac (found within the Applications feature).

The best part about App Cleaner & Uninstaller is that it does its job greatly. It is fast and efficient, so you won’t have to worry about leftover files. It also allows you to manage hidden background items that may hog your Mac’s resources.

But it lacks other tools that CleanMyMac has, like the reset feature that allows you to remove all app-related data and keep only the binary and all other features designed for Mac cleanup (which comes in handy when an app misbehaves). Unlike CleanMyMac, it also does not have tools for cleaning up, maintaining, and protecting your Mac. The price is $14.95 annually, so if you are looking for a dedicated uninstaller, it may be a great option for you.

What Mac cleaners users actually recommend

Based on our online search, users do recommend all of the tools we’ve tested in this article as well as CleanMyMac. Here are our main findings: 

• CleanMyMac: Praised for UX design (the winner of the iF Design Award and the red Dot Award), one-click functionality, and an all-in-one approach to cleaning and optimization
• OnyX: Loved by advanced users who prefer manual solutions over automatic tools
• App Cleaner & Uninstaller: Preferred by users who love to keep it simple — one tool for one purpose
• DaisyDisk: Highly regarded for its visual, intuitive interface helping find the largest space eaters
• CCleaner: Chosen by Windows switchers 

Among those not listed in the article, users also recommend OmniDiskSweeper for storage management, Hazel for automated file organization, and simply checking Storage section in macOS settings if not using any third-party apps.

There are lots of tools that look like a CleanMyMac alternative. And most of them do a very good job at what they are designed to do. App Cleaner & Uninstaller is an excellent app remover, and OnyX is a brilliant way to access parameter controls that you would typically have to use the Terminal for. All these apps serve different purposes, and they are as great as they are. However, none of the other options has the full range of tools that are available in CleanMyMac since it offers the broadest feature set among the apps reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

How does CleanMyMac compare to Parallels toolbox?

CleanMyMac is a highly polished, all-in-one Mac cleaner focused on deep system cleaning, performance optimization, and malware removal. Parallels Toolbox, on the other hand, is a suite of ~40 utilities (including cleaning, screen recording, and file management) designed for Mac and Windows.

How does CleanMyMac compare to Cleaner One Pro?

Cleaner One Pro and CleanMyMac are similar in that they provide tools for protecting and decluttering Macs. Both also allow managing login items. Cleaner One Pro stands out in that it has a file shredder — a tool for safely removing files, which CleanMyMac does not include. However, CleanMyMac lets you run maintenance tasks and install app updates with a click — features missing in Cleaner One Pro.

What cleaner apps are available on the App Store?

A lot of Mac cleaners are available on the App Store. You can find them by typing "Mac cleaner" into the search bar. All apps downloaded this way are safe-to-use since they are notarized by Apple, but to learn more about their effectiveness, check reviews first. Some examples of apps that do work and are found on the App Store include CleanMyMac, Cleaner One Pro from TrendMicro (it also includes VPN), and Cleaner-App from Nektony. Note that the functionality of apps downloaded here may differ from the functionality of apps downloaded from the developers' website.

What is the cheapest Mac cleaner app that still works well?

DaisyDisk is the cheapest one, but it requires manual selection of files that will be removed. If you need a completely free tool, check out OnyX, but it is for pro users. Alternatively, if you want to free up space without using a pad-for third-party app, check System Settings > General > Storage and enable Recommendations under the colored bar. It is a built-in Optimize Storage tool that is absolutely free.

Does a free version of a cleaner do enough or do I need to upgrade?

It all depends. If you need a one-time cleaning session, in most cases, a free version would be enough. However, if you want to use a cleaner regularly, you will have to upgrade because most of them offer a few days of a free trial. In some instances, a free version comes with limited functionality, so you cannot test all features.

Do I really need a Mac cleaner, or is macOS capable of managing itself?

macOS should manage itself, but in practice, it rarely does. As temporary files pile, your Mac may become increasingly slow. Also, Mac-specific malware becomes more intricate so that built-in tools cannot detect the latest threats. With this in mind, if you want to automate Mac cleaning and maintenance and make them safe, you do need a cleaner app. However, as long as you have enough free time and are okay with the risk of deleting vital system files, you can declutter your Mac and remove any malware manually. In 90% of cases.

Are Mac cleaner apps safe to use, or can they damage your system?

Most Mac cleaners — as long as they come from trusted developers and are downloaded from their official websites — are safe to use if they offer automatic file preselection and deletion. If you select files by yourself, there is a risk of removing vital system files. If you are concerned that a cleaner removes anything important, back up your Mac first so that you can restore anything that was accidentally deleted.