Originally created in 2004 by Piriform, CCleaner comes with a free and professional version, focusing on businesses and business customers. CCleaner is a cross-platform tool, for PCs, Macs, Android, and it has a Cloud, Network and Technician tool, depending on what you need and the platform/software you use. I think CCleaner is some of the very best Windows software Ive ever used and I think Windows isnt complete without it. I love it and really cant picture myself using Windows without it. Ive started using Mac OS X lately and although theres no registry to clean and less problems related to trash t. Ccleaner is really easy to use. You can download it straight from the official website or you can download it from the different versions that are available. If you decide to download the cleaner for mac download from the official site, you will find that it is very simple to use this particular program.
We clean our rooms and clothes so why not our Macs? But who can waste the entire day digging through folders and files? There are so many places like music, videos, apps and email downloads, and countless more locations on your Mac where junk and clutter accumulates. In 2020 cleaning your Mac is easier than ever. Which is why millions of people download free and low-cost Mac cleaning software.
To start off, we've made a quick comparison chart about best Mac cleaners for Mac.
| Rating | Name | Features | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CleanMyMac X | Best cleaning and antimalware functionality in one tool | Link |
| 2 | Disk Doctor | Quick scan and deep cleaning of all kinds of junk | Link |
| 3 | Gemini 2 | Finds duplicate and similar files everywhere on your Mac, including Photos, iTunes, and external drives. | Link |
A handy cleaner may prove that your Mac is still alive and can actually perform at its best. In this article we’ve brought together some of the best Mac cleaning solutions around to clean, optimize, and maintain Macs that are available in 2020.
Top 10 best cleaners for Mac: Free and premium versions
1. CleanMyMac X
CleanMyMac X takes the first place with good reason — this cleaner combines features of both cleaning software and antimalware tool. Its Smart Scan promises a “nice and thorough scan of your Mac.” It does what it says, detecting junk like user cache files and system logs, checking your Mac for malicious software, and speeding up your MacBook. Looks like, there is a threat in my system, that I need to get rid of:
Frankly speaking, CleanMyMac X is Tesla Roadster among other Mac cleaners. And it does a great job revealing your junk and other clutter, uninstalling unneeded apps and their leftovers, and keeping your Mac’s system clean and optimized. Another pro is that CleanMyMac X is Apple-notarized, which means it’s safe for your Mac. You can download its free version right here.
Price: $39.95
Free version: Available here
2. Disk Doctor
Disk Doctor is developed in the UK and was awarded the 'Mac Gem’ award by MacWorld in 2013. CNET and other tech journalists also praise functionality. As of 2020, it still looks like a useful tool for Mac cleaning that removes junk slowing down and reducing the computing power of your Mac.
Price: $2.99
Free version: N/A
3. Gemini 2
Gemini 2 is the duplicate finder that allows you to free up gigabytes of storage and organize your files. In just a few minutes.
It quickly scans every corner of your Mac and weeds out useless copies. No matter what type of file it is: a photo, music track, or a doc… Gemini will definitely find it. And once the scan is done, you can remove the duplicates in a click. Or review results to make sure nothing important gets deleted.
If you remove something by accident, it takes just a click to put it back. And to make sure things like that never happen again, you can exclude specific files and folders from scan. Try out the free version right here.
Price: $19.96
Free version: Available here
4. Onyx
OnyX is a french Mac cleaning solution developed by Titanium software. It weighs only 5 MB but that doesn’t mean its capabilities are limited. OnyX is a tool that programmers will have a lot of fun with. With it, you can peek under the hood of your macOS and automate a whole list of jobs, like disk cleanup and cache removal. You can even tweak the color of folders on your Mac, and even make them invisible. Deservedly, it's among the best free Mac cleaners.
OnyX is one of the best Mac cleaners because it cleans many specific under-the-surface files, like inner databases and logs. If you know what is XPC cache is, you’ll probably like this app. But for us, ordinary Mac users who came here for the design and glossy buttons, OnyX will require some learning time.
Those who use OnyX say it is stable and reliable. There is no dedicated customer service (because OnyX is free software), but you shouldn’t be worried. The only likely damage is you accidentally deleting files by yourself.
Price: Free cleaner
5. DaisyDisk
DaisyDisk gives you a visual representation of your Mac folders, making it easy to see what is taking up space and delete the folders you don't need. All you need to do is select a drive, DaisyDisk will scan it, then you can delete everything that is wasting valuable space. It comes with a free and premium version.
Price:$9.99
Free version: Trial version available
6. AppCleaner & Uninstaller
If you only need to uninstall apps on Mac, AppCleaner is a good pick. AppCleaner only removes applications, plugins, and widgets, which are again, small apps. AppCleaner works in a familiar drag & drop mode. Its interface is also clean and easy to understand for a newbie.
After feeding the apps to AppCleaner, you should visit the Leftovers section of the app to erase their remains. Why we place AppCleaner & Uninstaller among free Mac cleaner tools? Because it is 100% free. Whether you will fully clean your Mac using it, is a different question.
AppCleaner & Uninstaller is created by FreeMacSoft, also the makers of LiteIcon, an icon customizer for Mac.
Price: Voluntary donation
7. Smart Mac Care
If you launch Smart Mac Care, it will look hauntingly familiar to other free Mac cleaner apps. Not only features will be called the same, everything up to the fonts, will be identical to some other app you’ve just used. That’s not a minus, though. You can still free up a lot of space with Smart Mac Care.
Smart Mac Care operates by a logic of “scans.” There is a Junk Scan, Malware Scan, Privacy Scan, etc. Just like Mac Booster, Smart Mac Care removes duplicates scattered in various locations on your Mac. There’s also a Memory Optimizer feature that promises to free up RAM on your Mac. In a word, Smart Mac Care resembles every other generic product whose only difference is in packaging. This is supported by the fact that we couldn’t find any credible third-party reviews for this app.
Ccleaner Mac Os
On another skeptical note: to uninstall Smart Mac Care you have to enter your admin password. This is not the case with other Mac cleaners we’ve used.
Price: $56.62 per year
Free version: Demo available
8. Drive Genius
Drive Genius is labeled a “Mac monitoring software.” It’s a whole suite of tools that provide powerful disk diagnostics. It’s hard to list a thing that this software doesn’t do. You can scan for malware, secure-erase files, customize icons — it’s dozens of apps in one body. What makes Drive Genius unique is, probably, its search for corrupted files and inconsistencies on your drive. If your Mac is an old one, keeping it in good health will be easier with Drive Genius.
In a free version, you can use just a fraction of tools, notably a DiskPulse utility. This is an automatic Mac health checker that notifies you before your hard drive fails. Unlike Mac cleaners that merely scan, it is able to repair damage on your disks, which makes it a real deal. Be prepared that hard drive scan may take some time, but the results are worth it. Also note that Drive Genius is not available for macOS Catalina (as of the beginning of 2020).
Price: $299 for Professional edition
Free version: Limited Lite edition is available
9. CCleaner
Originally created in 2004 by Piriform, CCleaner comes with a free and professional version, focusing on businesses and business customers. CCleaner is a cross-platform tool, for PCs, Macs, Android, and it has a Cloud, Network and Technician tool, depending on what you need and the platform/software you use.
The premium version comes with a lot more features, including real-time alerts, free updates, and dedicated support. Although created for PCs in the early days, CCleaner does well to identify unwanted files on a Mac, so that users can select and delete the files and folders they don't need to free up space. As a cleaner for Mac, customers are pretty happy with the results of CCleaner.
Price: $19.95
Free version: Available
10. Sensei
The Sensei app is a relatively new app on the market, but it can be another useful tool for your Mac. The Sensei software developers call the app “Pro Mac Cleaner” on their website. I would call it a performance controlling tool.
How Good Is Ccleaner For Mac
Sensei presents a detailed picture of how your Mac performs. In the Dashboard, you can find out information about your MacBook, check your CPU’s current temperature, and see how much of your RAM is used. Cooling gives you exact information on your Mac’s fans' speed.
Its Clean option helps to get rid of user cache, logs, large files, etc. The Uninstaller feature allows you to delete apps from your Mac and remove their traces. It doesn’t list pre-installed apps from Apple, such as Safari or Calendar, but it shows every app you have installed on your Mac.
Surely, you can clean up your Mac manually, but using dedicated software will save you tons of time.
Price: $29 per year
Free version: Available
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t my Mac clean itself?
Your macOS also has a built-in Mac cleaner, which Apple called Optimized Storage. Though its capabilities are limited, it gives you basic directions on where to start the cleanup. But for a thorough system cleanup and removing malware, you’ll need a dedicated Mac cleaner app.
Can Mac cleaner apps delete my important files?
Typically, best Mac cleaner apps have a protection built-in. They will usually select only those files that are safe for deletion.
Will Mac cleaners slow down my Mac?
Some cleaners try to get into your Login items, thus creating an extra burden on processor. On a flip side, the reliable Mac cleaner apps might even speed up your Mac. They remove all the outdated junk files giving your Mac an extra boost.
Mac cleaning apps you should avoid
Above we've touched the trusted Mac cleanup solutions but there are many that work on the dark side. Malwarebytes lists Advanced Mac Cleaner Pro and similar tools as unwanted applications. Here are some signs that should warn you against using scam Mac cleaners.
Signs of Mac cleaner scam:
- 'Your Mac is infected' intrusive message
- An app is installed as part of different app
- An app finds 2323 (the number is an example) threats on your Mac
- Mac cleaner redirects your search page
Be safe and happy cleaning.
These might also interest you:
As we all know that there are loads of free cleaning apps for Mac is available. Among all, are you not convinced with the CCleaner for Mac? Then check out this post on best CCleaner alternatives for Mac OS X and go with your best.
Any household items or electronic gadgets or automobiles needs consistent maintenance for its proper functioning. Likewise, cleaning up your mobiles and PC is significant to extend its life and performance. Cleaning your Mac system is not only to free up its disk space. It is also crucial to maintain its faster performance. Moreover, it is advisable to clean up the system regularly, to keep it safe from malware and virus attacks.
Hence, the tool we are using must be the best Mac cleaner app. Through this post, you will get an opportunity to explore the features of various paid and free Mac cleaner tools. It’s time to switch over to a best Mac cleaner software from CCleaner.
Need For Best Mac Cleaner Software In 2020
Certainly, recent Mac books will have solid state drives. In case, it always alerts you that ‘the disk is almost full’, then it’s time free-up the space. It is significant to keep your Mac hard drive clean. There are no industry tests that using cleaning utilities on your Mac system will directly boost its performance. Still, de-cluttering your disk space can help you maintain your Mac files, and app active and updated. Why to waste your disk space for unused or obsolete files?
That’s why you need powerful cleaning apps for Mac to free up huge disk space – it’s just a matter of minutes. Make sure to go for a multi-purpose utility for disk cleanup, virus scanning and removal, disk cloning, data recovery, etc. Installing separate software for every purpose would again kill your disk space.
In case, you don’t use any Mac cleaners or frustrating using CCleaner, then this best CCleaner alternatives for Mac article is for you.
Why Best CCleaner Alternatives For Mac OS X?
Though CCleaner is devoted to detect unnecessary junk files and clear it to free up the disk space. The typical tool that is easy to use and available for Windows, Mac, and Android. Still, why Mac users are not happy with CCleaner and looking for best Ccleaner alternatives for Mac OS X?
CCleaner is not the fastest cleaner app for Mac. The junk removal tools are very basic. The tool rarely detects only common entries that can easily be handled manually. Hence, writing this post on best alternative to CCleaner for Mac OS X.
Contents
Best CCleaner Alternatives For Mac OS X – Paid & Free Mac Cleaners
Being a Mac user, I love to dig my life into it. Hence, I wanted to keep my Mac in a proper condition to accompany. For which, I have been using a few cleaning apps to clean my Mac and other Apple products that I have. Also, I wish you to try these tools to make your PC clean and refreshed ensuring the best performance and long life. Anyways, you don’t need to invest more in this. I am sharing here a few of the free cleaning apps for MacBook. Also, I am including some ultimately paid tools for incredible features and benefits. Go for it!
Important Note: Not just the cleaning apps for MAC. If you are looking for several other Mac products to get rid of duplicate files, set custom desktop backgrounds, unpack the archived files, discover and experience new apps every day, Mac drive management, protect your files with AES-256 encryption or even more – get it from MacPaw. The one-stop solution platform for MAC OS users.
#1. CleanMyMac3 – Best Mac Maintenance Software
CleanMyMac3 is the latest version of CleanMyMac cleaning program by Mac Paw. And, this is the Mac cleaning tool that I use and hence, I recommend. Since CleanMyMac3 is an all-in-tool tool for complete Mac protection and care. The tool detects every corner of your Mac system and removes junk in 2-clicks. It has all the built-in tools like full cleaning, health monitoring, optimization and much more to optimize your Mac OS for the challenging performance. CleanMyMac3 is not one among the best Ccleaner alternatives for Mac, but it is also a comprehensive Mac cleaning and maintenance app.
CleanMyMac3 outstands for its set of features –
- Multilingual cleaning program for Mac OS
- Take out the photo junk, unused language files, etc.
- Removes the local copy of email attachments and downloads
- Runs maintenance scripts for optimization
- Wash out DNS caches
- Get you alerts on your Mac health
- Monitors CPU usage & battery health
- Schedule your Mac cleaning
Pros
- 100% safe to remove files
- Deletes junk in just 2-clicks
- Free version available
- Extensions management
- Empty Trash and much more
User Opinion
“Works like a charm, simple & beautiful UI – CleanMyMac3 still the best way ever to make your Mac as speedy as heck. I’m so happy about it.”
#2. AppCleaner
AppCleaner is the most popular free cleaner program for Mac OS. This tool uninstalls or deletes the unwanted programs on Mac leaving no marks of it. It detects all its support files like cache, cookies, launching agents, etc. and removes completely. So that, you can avoid these obsolete files eating up your hard disk space.
You can simply drag and drop the software into it. The tool will start locating all its hidden files and notifies you before deleting. You can also remove the unnecessary browser extensions and add-ons with AppCleaner. AppCleaner is a free program, is highly preferred by users looking for best Ccleaner alternatives for Mac at no cost.
AppCleaner is popular with its incredible features –
- Free Mac cleaner tool
- Preview all installed apps
- Uninstalls programs with no trace
- Manages extensions
- Reset app preferences
- Blocks even banner ads
Pros
- Easy installation
- Drag & drop to uninstall apps
- Find the disk space statistics
- Supports multiple languages
Cons Adobe zii 2019 4.1.
- Serve only as a cleaner and uninstaller where other tools can do multipurpose
#3. Daisy Disk
Daisy Disk is a professional cleaning program for Mac users. While working on your Mac, you will create or download new apps or files every day. Unfortunately, you won’t be deleting the unwanted things. Finally, you will be lacking your startup disk space. Daisy Disk can show you real-time data of all your connected disks. It includes Macintosh HD, network storage, flash, Thunderbolt, etc. As a professional tool to boost your Mac performance, Daisy Disk deserves to be as the best Ccleaner alternatives for Mac.
Daisy disk scans your file and folders and previews the data as a visual interactive pattern. Daisy Disk is a choice of preference by photographers, IT professionals, filmmakers who deal with large-sized media files.
Set of features that determine Daisy Disk popularity –
- Latest version adds the Italian language
- Both stand-alone and Mac app store versions available
- Displays Purgeable space taken by local snapshots in the hidden space
- Compatibility with APFS and Mac OS High Sierra
Pros
- Featured in plenty of Mac App store
- Supports many languages
- Easy to access keyboard shortcuts
- Quick Scanning
- Free trial to experience its features
Cons
- It has multi-step file deletion phenomena
- Does not display file elements like date created or modified
#4. MacBooster 7
If you are a Mac user looking for a complete solution for your Mac maintenance or best Mac cleaner software, then it is MacBooster 7. The tool can detect and clean up 20 types of junk files. Moreover, MacBooster 7 removes the malware threats and virus to optimize the hard disk boosting your Mac speed and performance. You can it as your Mac performance booster. It has five built-in tools to clean up every edge of your Mac OS and ensuring it to function smoothly.
MacBooster 7 technically goes in-depth and resolve disk permission issues, high RAM consumption, and login startups.
Unbeatable features that MacBooster 7 can offer you –
- Real-time protection against malware attacks and viruses
- Free up space with deep cleaning
- Identifies and removes the duplicate files
- Fix disk permission issues to neglect 3rd party caches
- Lightning booster to improve the data read & write speed
Pros
- Has seven inbuilt tools
- Serves multipurpose
- Supports 14+ languages
- Single-click solution to clean up your Mac
- Cleans up around 20 types of junk files
- Acts as a Mac performance booster
Cons
- Compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 or later
- System requirement: 70+ MB free spaces
- Unregistered version has only limited functionalities
#5. AVG Cleaner
AVG Cleaner is an easy-to-use and fast hard drive cleaning software for Mac. The tool can smartly detect even hidden clutters that may slow down your system. With one-click, it can remove application caches, iphoto library trashes, trash bin, junk files and more.
The AVG cleaner tool can also identify hidden duplicate files that are sucking your space. It can either be photos, documents, music or video files. Though it is not a Mac maintenance program, you can use it as both hard disks cleaner and duplicate finder for Mac devices.
The features that AVG users admire by –
- Extremely fast scanning
- Clear overview of your hard disk storage
- AVG Zen panel integration to access your Mac from Windows PC remotely
- Guide on free performance tips to clean in a flash
- Protects your Mac against viruses and spyware
- Top rate by various popular Mac App Stores
Pros
- With a single-click, clean your hard drive
- Perfect tool to find duplicate files in any format
- Removes gigabytes of file within no time
- Detects and removes hidden clutters too
Cons
- No undo delete option. Hence, make sure before deleting any files
- Does not available for other languages
#6. Onyx
Onyx is a favorite Mac maintenance utility for most of the Mac users. Since the tool is available for free with abundant features. It is not only a Mac disk cleaner, but it is also a multi-specialty tool. You can verify the system file structures, run maintenance & cleaning tasks, configure parameters in Dock, Finder, and much more. Onyx allows you to uninstall the unnecessary Mac apps, delete caches, manage extensions, rebuild databases, and remove certain problematic files and folders.
Onyx has two individual applications named Maintenance and Deeper as a part of it for specific needs. I am sure that while using Onyx, you will admire with its set of features at no cost.
Onyx features that favor Mac users –
- Performs multiple tasks in addition to hard drive cleaning
- Runs maintenance tasks regularly
- Configure dock parameters too
- Deletes web caches and application caches
- Blocks malware and ads
- CrashReporter reports
- Confirm before closing multiple tabs in Safari
Pros
- Free Mac maintenance utility software
- Available in multiple languages
- No registration required
Cons
- The tool is translated into multiple languages by localized service providers and volunteers. Some translations might be incomplete
Recommendations
I love to use cleanMyMac3 by MacPaw to clean my Mac OS hard disk. Since, the tool can serve in multiple ways like offering complete Mac protection, monitoring storage spaces, etc. I just wanted my Mac readers to give out a try with it.
Before that, I was using AppCleaner like most of the Mac users. As it can serve only limited functionalities, I was about to switch over to CleanMyMac3. And, I am happy with it in terms of boosting Mac OS performance and speed. CleanMyMac3 proves its championship among other best Ccleaner alternatives for Mac.
Best CCleaner Alternatives – Frequently Asked Questions
The undeniable emperor of cleaning apps, the CCleaner have always been the world’s first choice to keep better their Mac Pc’s running smooth. But over the last years, we had some newer players enter the arena
In today’s FAQ, lets breakdown some of the most popular questions ever levied against these newest CCleaner Alt – apps
Read on;
1) Why replace CCleaner? What’s wrong with it?
Make no mistake: CCleaner is still an undoubtedly powerful tool. And for a mac user, it can always be a nice Go-to cleaner in every sense. However, with Mac getting more advanced with the last generation, CCleaner has had a terrible decrease in its speed. In other words, though it cleans well, the whole thing is now slow as a snail.
Besides that, many have complained CCleaner Junk kill tools to be basic. Plus, its malware detection too is anything but great.
2) Are these apps really safe?
Used by millions world over, every single Best CCleaner Alternative for Mac OS apps we’ve mentioned above are completely safe to use, with all boasting class-leading safety features and nicer functionalities.
After all, Apple is known to keep a tighter grip on their app stores in terms of malware protection/removal. So yeah, as long as you download it from official sources, we don’t reckon you’ll have any security issues whatsoever.
3) Paid Vs. Free – which is best for me?
Obviously, the paid ones are always better, as they offer increased security and features and better yet, nicer care support. That said, indeed, most everyday users can easily get by with a freemium or a free variant.
Still, always try & go with the premium ones, as they serve better in the long run.
4) Will these apps affect my important files?
No, they don’t. In fact, most of the popular Mac cleaners feature a manual review system where you can precisely pick and choose what files to keep & what to delete. Besides, they have smart algorithms that can also keep the junk killing teeth from getting to your important files but protect them instead – great, huh?!
That said, we’d advise always keeping a good backup of all your important files nonetheless, as it’s a good habit to get in too.
5) Will they slow down my computer?
No. with most being lightweight applications, we don’t reckon you’ll experience any slowdowns with your Mac whatsoever.
In fact, with all the junk cleaned, you can readily expect a speed jump instead.
How To Download Ccleaner For Mac
Over To You: Best Ccleaner Alternatives For Mac
Best Free Mac Cleaner
Don’t drag further to clean up your Mac system to maintain its smooth functionality. Don’t let such cluster of obsolete files to occupy your disk space and slow down your Mac OS X. Meanwhile, don’t pick your tools based on pricing. Though there are free cleaning Mac utilities available, prefer a tool that can help you in complete Mac maintenance.