Best Mac Cleanup Apps: CleanMyMac vs AppCleaner vs MacCleaner Pro

A Mac doesn't need constant "cleaning", but caches, leftover app files, duplicates, and forgotten downloads do pile up. When your drive is nearly full or you want to remove an app completely, a cleanup utility saves time. Three of the best-known options take very different approaches: MacPaw's all-in-one CleanMyMac (formerly CleanMyMac X), the free uninstaller AppCleaner, and Nektony's toolkit MacCleaner Pro.

All three have changed since this comparison first ran in January 2025, including new names, new pricing models, and new macOS requirements, so here's where they stand today.

Quick Verdict

Choose CleanMyMac if you want one guided app that handles junk cleanup, app uninstalling and updating, malware scanning, and background items, and you don't mind paying a subscription or a higher one-time price.

Choose AppCleaner if you only want to remove apps and their leftover files, for free.

Choose MacCleaner Pro if you want detailed disk space analysis, duplicate finding, and app uninstalling in one toolkit, with monthly, yearly, or one-time pricing.

Feature Comparison

CleanMyMac

MacPaw dropped the "X" when it released the redesigned app, which is now simply CleanMyMac. It's built around Smart Care, a single scan that combines five routines: deep cleaning, scanning for threats, performance tasks, software updates, and decluttering storage.

Beyond Smart Care, its tools are grouped into modules:

• Cleanup: system junk, Trash bins, and local Time Machine snapshots
• Protection: a malware finder, privacy items such as browser history, and app permissions
• Performance: login items, background items, and maintenance tasks
• Applications: an uninstaller, app leftovers (including from apps you already deleted), and an app updater
• My Clutter: duplicates, similar images, large and old files, the Downloads folder, and mail attachments

Newer additions include a Cloud Cleanup feature for finding large files in cloud storage and an "AI Clutter" tool for clearing caches, logs, and local models left behind by AI apps.

Pricing: MacPaw advertises CleanMyMac from $3.33 per month, which is the yearly 1-Mac plan. Our Irish checkout showed €39.95 per year for 1 Mac, €63.95 for 2 Macs, and €127.95 for 5 Macs, plus a monthly plan. The one-time license costs €119.95 for 1 Mac. Prices vary by region, there's a free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, and CleanMyMac is also included in Setapp. Owners of CleanMyMac X get an upgrade offer. The current version is 5.5.7 (July 2026) on MacPaw's site, and it needs macOS 11 or later.

The tradeoff is cost and scope. CleanMyMac is the most expensive option here, and much of what it does (deleting caches, emptying Trash, managing login items) you can do yourself in System Settings or Finder.

AppCleaner

AppCleaner from FreeMacSoft does one job. Drop an app onto its window, and it finds the related files the app scattered around your system (preferences, caches, support files) so you can delete them together. That's it: no junk scans, no malware checks, no subscriptions.

It's free, small, and fast, and it has been around for years. Check which version fits your Mac: AppCleaner 3.7 requires macOS 15 or later, 3.6.8 supports macOS 10.14 up to 15.6, and older builds remain available for older systems. FreeMacSoft accepts donations on its site.

The limitation is obvious: if you need to find what's filling your drive, AppCleaner won't help. Pair it with Finder's storage tools or a disk analyzer.

MacCleaner Pro

MacCleaner Pro is Nektony's bundle of cleanup tools in one app. Alongside quick cleanup of caches, logs, and other junk, it includes the company's App Cleaner & Uninstaller (remove apps and leftovers, reset app settings, manage startup programs and extensions, update apps), Duplicate File Finder (duplicates, similar photos, merging folders), Disk Space Analyzer (see the largest files and folders, find old unused files), and Memory Cleaner for freeing up RAM. Smaller tools cover mail attachments, unused localization files, Spotlight and Mail reindexing, and large media files.

The disk analyzer is the standout. If you want to see exactly what's taking space before you delete anything, MacCleaner Pro gives you more detail than CleanMyMac's guided approach. Nektony also says the app always asks for confirmation before it removes files.

Pricing: MacCleaner Pro now offers monthly, yearly, and one-time plans. Its homepage lists pricing from $14.95 per month; our Irish checkout showed €35.62 per year for 1 Mac, or a one-time license at €76.63 for 1 Mac that includes minor updates, with major upgrades at extra cost. Two-Mac and five-Mac plans are available, plus a 20% education discount. There's a free download with a short trial. Version 4.0.4 (September 2026) supports macOS 11 or later.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose CleanMyMac if you:

• Want a guided, one-click maintenance routine
• Like having malware scanning, app updates, and cleanup in one place
• Already use Setapp, where it's included

Choose AppCleaner if you:

• Only need to uninstall apps cleanly
• Don't want to pay or subscribe
• Prefer to handle everything else yourself

Choose MacCleaner Pro if you:

• Want detailed disk space analysis and duplicate finding
• Need to reset apps to their default settings
• Prefer a one-time license at a lower price than CleanMyMac's

Before You Clean

Any cleanup app can delete something you wanted, so:

• Back up with Time Machine before a big cleanup
• Review what's selected before you delete it
• Leave system files alone unless you know what they are
• Don't expect miracles on speed: freeing disk space helps most when your drive is nearly full

Final Verdict

CleanMyMac is the most complete and easiest to use, with malware scanning and app updates on top of cleanup. It's also the most expensive, so it makes the most sense on Setapp or for people who want a hands-off routine.

AppCleaner is the best free pick and the one most Mac users should install first, because removing apps properly is the most common cleanup job.

MacCleaner Pro is the best choice for hands-on cleanup, with the strongest disk analysis and a cheaper one-time option than CleanMyMac.

For more options, including Sensei, DaisyDisk, and OnyX, see our guide to CleanMyMac alternatives for Mac.

Catch these apps on sale: many paid Mac apps, including cleanup utilities, run discounts at least once a year, most often around Black Friday. Subscribe to the Apps.Deals newsletter to hear when the deals arrive.

Note: First published in January 2025 and updated in October 2026. Features and prices are current as of October 2026 and can change; prices vary by region, so verify them on each official site before buying. Always keep a current backup before using a cleanup utility.

Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for CleanMyMac and Setapp. Apps.Deals may earn a commission if you buy or subscribe through them, at no additional cost to you.