1. Best Mac Cleaner
2. Best Free Mac Cleaner 2020
3. Free Mac Cleaning Software

Positives

• Clean & Protect Your Mac Free Today. Best Services of (2021) Trusted Reviews. Compare Features. Check the list now! The Best Mac Cleaner Software 2021.
• Guys, Advanced Mac Cleaner is a scam. The support guys are too stupid to carry a Hackers title. Just a bunch of hires in India who catch other stupid people to pay them. But there is some structure above them who control this business. They got into my system, injected the virus, then they called me and asked for 'only' $249 to clean it up.
• 5 FREE Mac Cleaning Software. Being an Apple products aficionado, and to keep them in good condition, I’ve been using many cleaning apps for my iPhone and MacBook. I’m listing some of the free Mac Cleaning Softwares and applications for you guys out there who have clogged up PCs and need some memory.

CCleaner for Mac. Best Multi-Platform Mac Cleaner Tool. Developed by – Piriform Version number – 1.17.603. File Size – 10.9 MB. MacOS Compatibility –. Trial Version – Yes. Money-Back Guarantee – 30-days. Offered by Piriform CCleaner is a popular name in PC cleaning software, and the same is now available for Mac. If you’re a power user looking to deep-clean your Mac, give the 14-day trial a whirl. After that, it requires a $2.49/month subscription. Intego Mac Washing Machine X9. Intego Mac Washing Machine is a Mac cleaner that makes it easy to get rid of junk files that slow down your Mac. It comes with three separate but complementary functions.

• Simple client
• Vocal warning after scans
• Individual and full scans/cleanups
• Harmful app remover
• Only $3.33 per month after first six months
• 60-day money back guarantee

Negatives

• Scan-only free version
• Non-existent customer support
• Bad value for money

Although the market is crammed with many well-known Mac optimization software (some of which we have reviewed thoroughly already), there are still plenty of optimizers out there to choose from if you’re ready to accept a few compromises or risks. Sometimes it’s possible to come across hidden gems, while other times you might find a solution that is not that spectacular, but manages to do the job anyway. Hailing from India, Advanced Mac Cleaner is the latter, offering a basic cleaning solution despite a name that literally has the word “advanced” in it. If you purchase this software – which actually becomes cheaper the more you use it – you will get access to a decent client with the most important cleanup options, ranging from a voice-aided full scan and cleanup to such rarities as a rogue app remover. Not only that but you’ll also get access to an uninstaller, internet history wiper and a file manager, with which you can keep other parts of your Mac clean as well.

Features

The first time you open Advanced Mac Cleaner’s client and every time you launch the program without license key, the software performs a quick scan and a voice warns you that the cleanup is starting. Once you activate your software, the automated scanning goes away but the vocal warning remains every time you choose the ‘all-in’ (manual) scans. This is a nice touch, especially for the visually impaired, but for regular users it might become irritating after a while.

Mac Ad Cleaner extra Software

The client itself is nothing special: the functions are self-explanatory and are divided into three logical categories, namely cleanup features, utilities and the file manager. The client also gives you the option to download (and additionally pay for) Mac Ads Cleaner, another app developed by the same company that surprisingly includes some system optimizing features that Advanced Mac Cleaner doesn’t, such as iTunes and iOS junk cleanup.

Cleaning

Whether we performed scans using the One Touch feature or picked an individual scan, the process never took longer than seconds on our MacBook Air and could be repeated without limits. If you use the One Touch cleanup, which searches for junk in every location on your computer, you will always get that aforementioned vocal warning. Here you will be able to see how serious the issues are and what files will be deleted – though you cannot select files you want to be spared. In order to do so, you’ll have to pick one of the individual cleanup options, ranging from cache, log, trash, extra language removal, and, the most interesting, the option to get rid of rogue or harmful apps. But no matter which scan you perform, you can always check the amount of junk on the left panel of the client.

Cache Before Cleaning

Cleaning Process Completed

Unfortunately, the free features stop here, because the cleanup itself can only be performed if you buy a license key. However, the process itself is pretty fast: it took only seconds for Advanced Mac Cleaner to deal with approximately 600MB of cache junk, but even the One Touch cleanup was done at an impressive speed. It’s too bad, then, that even after all the junk files are removed, the program still constantly insists that you start the cleanup again.

Utilities

Although the other, non-cleaning features are lackluster too, they do their job in a fast and thorough manner, providing you with various additional optimization options a customer would expect from software named ‘advanced’. You have the self-explanatory uninstaller, the internet history manager (for clearing out your browsers’ history, cookies and temporary files) and the startup manager with which you can block certain programs from launching during the booting up process. With the two file managers, one for duplicate files and one for large items, you have the option to select a path where Advanced Mac Cleaner can search for unwanted files, speeding up the scanning and removal process. In fact, the manager for large files even allows you to take a peek inside your photo, music, movie, document and archive library, and decide what you want to delete for good and what you’d like to keep.

Internet History Manager

Pricing

As we said before, if you only download Advanced Mac Cleaner without buying a license, you’ll be limited to only performing scans – though admittedly you can do so as many times as you want. But if you wish to perform cleanups as well and therefore purchase a license then you should prepare for a weird pricing policy that doesn’t quite work the same way as with many other products available. Instead of offering you a discount upon making your purchase, you’ll instead receive it after an initial period. In numbers this means that you have to pay $39.95 for the first six months of use (with Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Discover credit/debit card or PayPal), and then the price significantly drops to $19.97 for every six months (approximately $3.33 per month). However, your subscription comes with a 60-day money back guarantee, and alongside that you also have the option to acquire a Mac memory optimizer for free and the special Sticky Password password management tool for an extra $9.99 per six months ($4.99 for every six months thereafter). Unfortunately you cannot save on the purchase price if you want to acquire more than one license: the price of each license stays consistent no matter what option you choose to pick.

• Unlimited scans
• –
• –
• –
• –
• –

• Unlimited scans
• Unlimited cleanups
• 60-day money back guarantee
• Free Mac memory optimizer
• Sticky Password for $4.99 per month
• Mac Ads Cleaner available

Customer Service

Although the use of Advanced Mac Cleaner is pretty self-explanatory and likely won’t malfunction, if something does go wrong you shouldn’t count on the weak customer service of this company. Even though it promises 24/7 support (that even has live chat), this is only true if you turn to the staff via email or a support ticket. The phone support is very dubious, too, because the phone number on the main page rings to India and there is no evidence as to whether the provided toll-free U.S. number is live or not. As for the other support options available, there is an inexhaustive FAQ, a knowledge base where you can learn about everything except what you really need to know, and the news and troubleshooter sections where there is nothing of relevance.

Submitting a Support Ticket

The Knowledge Base

Bottom Line

Despite having the word ‘advanced’ in its name, Advanced Mac Cleaner is anything but. Granted, it does contain the most essential cleanup features and some additional optimizing options, but compared to the competition it is just not enough, especially if we take into consideration the scan-only free version, the expensive initial cost and the virtually non-existent customer service.

However, there are some pros. The user-friendly software does its job quite well and provides fast, thorough scans and cleaning. The combined cleanup even features vocal instructions, while individual cleanings can remove malicious apps as well as other programs, files, and all sorts of unwanted data. And last but not least, the more you use this program, the less you have to pay.

Overall, if you are ready to make some compromises, Advanced Mac Cleaner will serve your needs for a long time.

Best Alternative Mac Optimization Software

If you have had a Mac computer for some time now, you may notice some forms of sluggishness in the performance of the computer. This usually occurs as a result of filled storage and many other reasons. At this point, you must free up some storage space and optimize the performance of the computer.

There are numerous applications and software that allow you to clear your Mac computer of unneeded files and optimize its performance. These applications have different features and benefits. In this article, we will compare the features of some of these applications.

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. You can read my full affiliate disclaimer in the footer.

• What are the best Mac Cleaners in 2021?
• What are the best Mac Cleaners free in 2021?
• Why do you need a Mac Cleaner?
• Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Cleaner for your Mac?

What are the best Mac Cleaners in 2021?

The following are some of the best mac cleaners available for your Mac computers in 2021. While some of these cleaners are free, others require some forms of payment and subscription before you can use them. Either way, they provide some of the most effective cleaning and optimizing service for you.

CleanMyMac X + Gemini2

MacPaw is a reputable name when it comes to mac optimization software. The company gained a reputation based on the performance of two of its optimization software, Gemini 2 and CleanMyMac X.

These applications possess, amidst other features, an impressive user interface and effective optimizing abilities. These features allow them to easily detect and delete junk files from every part of your Mac computer.

I noticed that CleanMyMac X has a Safety Database feature that allows it to differentiate between junk files and useful ones. Thus, I didn’t need to worry about mistakenly deleting useful files.

On the other hand, Gemini 2 has a powerful feature that allows it to detect and delete duplicate files and photos. This feature helps you save time and strength scouring your Mac computer for duplicate files. With a single click made available by Gemini 2, you can get the details (including size and location) of all the duplicate files present on your computer.

While I feel like an application with both of Gemini 2 and CleanMyMac X features would have been excellent, you may have to get these applications individually and combine their use to enjoy their features.

Pros

• One-click smart cleanup to prevent accidental file deletion operations
• Friendly user experience, compatible with the latest macOS system
• Deep system trash scan to remove large and obsolete files
• Mac security protection to prevent malware intrusion
• iPhoto, iTunes and Mail junk cleaning, optimize space
• Application uninstallation with one click, no residue
• Provides file lens and shredder functions to quickly find and clean files
• Mac computer top menu bar shortcut window, real-time monitoring system junk
• Find duplicate files of any type to free up storage space
• Organize iPhoto and iTunes to remove duplicate files
• Customize selection rules to save time in selecting duplicate files
• Erroneously deleted files can be retrieved with one click to prevent file loss

Cons

• Free version has limited usage
• Price is a bit expensive

Macbooster

If you were impressed by the offerings of CleanMyMac X and Gemini 2, then you will probably get blown away with MacBooster. MacBooster has almost all the features possessed by CleanMyMac X and some extra features such as Photo Sweeper, Defragment and Duplicate Finder.

This means that unlike CleanMyMac X, where you may need to combine with a duplicate finder such as Gemini 2, MacBooster allows you to detect and delete photo and file duplicates without the help of another software.

The features in MacBooster are spread over four primary modules which are Cleaner, Booster, System Risks and Tools. The features under each module perform the function of that module. For instance, the features under the Cleaner module see to the cleaning and deleting of junk files while the Booster module has features that optimize the performance of the Mac computer.

Pros

• Mac computer system junk cleaning in one click
• Virus and malware scanning to protect your Mac from various threats
• Turbo Boost, one click to speed up Mac computer operation
• Privacy protection, clean up browser-related records with one click
• Support large files and old files scanning to free up disk space
• Support duplicate files and similar images finding
• MacBooster mini window, monitor Mac computer in real time

Cons

• Software virus detection is prone to false positives
• Functionality needs to be improved

DaisyDisk

DaisyDisk is another impressive mac cleaner with numerous beneficial features. DaisyDisk uses a visually-appealing interface to showcase the files and folders on your computer and the space they occupy. Also, there is a list view feature that collects and arranges the files and folders on your Mac computer. This feature provides a simplified view of the files and their details.

The Disk Selector tool analyses the mac’s hard drive and any other external drives connected to the computer. This feature works with the Scan tool to scan and detect junk files located in any of these drives.

Most importantly, DaisyDisk comes with a Collector feature that collects all the junk files identified and marked for deletion.The feature also lets you know how much space you would save by deleting the junk files.

Lastly, DaisyDisk is one of the safest and most secure mac cleaners. The software is available on Mac App Store, which means that Apple has done a thorough vetting to ensure that it is safe and free of malicious contents.

Pros

• Impressive interface
• Fast analysis of hard drives
• It is easy to use

Cons

• No optimizing feature

CCleaner

The CCleaner for mac is one of the oldest cleaning and optimization software in the business. Piriform developed the software as early as 2004, and since then, has witnessed a lot of upgrades and improvements.

Primarily, the mac cleaner is very easy to use. Sharing most of its features with a Windows version, the CCleaner for Mac allows you to declutter your computer, fix performance issues and help secure your privacy online.

Another exciting feature of this mac cleaner app is its customization feature. The software is flexible and allows you to change settings and operational features to suit your taste. This flexibility includes allowing you to choose what you want to clean, delete, or move.

You can choose to delete junk files one at a time or decide to delete everything at a go. Either way, you have full control over the way the mac cleaner app should work.

Pros

• Simple interface design, friendly user experience
• One-click browser and software cache cleaning to protect personal internet privacy
• One-click software uninstallation to remove residual files
• Support large files and duplicate files search, optimize disk space
• Support custom cleaning settings, automatic intelligent cleaning
• Support real-time monitoring of computer system
• Access to professional customer service support

Cons

• Junk cleaning is not thorough enough
• Does not provide virus and malware scanning

Mackeeper

Mackeeper is a product of Kromtech Alliance. With this Mac Cleaner app, you get lots of features and tools that help you keep your Mac computer clean and free from junk files and performance problems.

One of these features is the Data Encryption feature. This feature allows you to hide your data within your hard drive. You need to create a password that allows you to log into the data encryption feature. You then encrypt the data and use the password to access it whenever you need to.

This feature is useful when you share your Mac computer with other people and wish to keep some files and folders private.

You also get to enjoy the fast cleanup and disk usage features with this Mac cleaner app. These features allow you to view the state of your Mac’s storage space and delete large files that you no longer need. These features also allow you to choose the files you wish to keep and the ones you need to discard.

Pros

• Features numerous useful features
• Junk removal and duplicate finder

Cons

• Ineffective anti malware feature

Sensei

Sensei is one of the best mac cleaners in the market, despite its relatively young age. However, more than a cleanup tool, it is more of performance-enhancing or optimization software.

One of the first features that you may enjoy about this mac cleaner app is the review of your Mac computer’s storage. The feature presents a detailed lowdown of the computer’s memory and how much space each folder and file occupies.

Apart from that, you also get to know the state of your Mac computer’s operation. The dashboard of the Sensei app will show you the current CPU temperature, the cooling process of the computer, and how much RAM you have left.

It also has the Uninstaller feature that you can use to uninstall all the unneeded apps slowing down your mac computer. Also, there is a Clean feature that cleans log files, caches, and large files.

Pros

• Graphical display of computer hardware parameters, easy to view
• One-click management of login entries and startup agents to speed up your Mac
• Easily uninstall applications and delete hidden files
• User cache and large file cleanup to optimize disk space
• Trim drive certification, clean and maintain SSDs
• Relatively cheaper price

Cons

• Virus and malware scanning is not supported
• Does not support duplicate file cleaning

Parallels toolbox

While this software is not as popular as many of its counterparts, it is one of the best mac cleaner software out there. The software has more features and offers better benefits for users of Mac computers.

The software is a well-rounded cleanup and optimization tool. One of its features, the Clean Drive feature, can clean as many junk files as possible. It cleans log files, cache files, browser cookies, trash, and many other unneeded files.

Before cleaning, the mac cleaner scans for these types of files. Its scan feature works fast and effectively, scouring your entire storage within seconds.

There is also the Find Duplicates feature that scans your storage for duplicates of files and folders eating up space in your Mac computer.

The combination of these features and many more makes this mac cleaner app rank as one of the best mac cleaners in the market.

Pros

• Find system junk with one click and clean up quickly
• Quickly uninstall applications to optimize disk space
• Support duplicate file search, easy to clean up
• More than 30 kinds of widgets, easy and fast operation

Cons

• Junk cleaning function is relatively simple
• Does not support virus and malware scanning

What are the best Mac Cleaners free in 2021?

Having examined some of the paid mac cleaner apps in the previous section, let’s discuss some of the best free mac cleaners in the market.

Onyx

This is one of the best free mac cleaners that you will ever find for your Mac computer. Despite being free, it features some impressive features that make it useful and beneficial.

However, there is a lot of technical side to this software. It has many buttons to click and boxes to check. Thus, you may not find the software very to use if you don’t have the preexisting technical know-how.

macOS built-in cleaner

As simple and readily available as this tool is, many Mac users do not know about its functions and features. The macOS in-built cleaner is a tool created by Apple to allow users of Mac computers to clean their computers. You do not need to download the software, as it is in-built. This also means that it is free; thus, there is no need for a subscription or purchase cost.

However, despite these characteristics, the macOS in-built cleaner is effective. As long as you get the hang of it, you can use it to keep your mac computer in shape at all times.

AppCleaner

This software is good for one purpose only, cleaning and uninstalling unneeded apps. From widgets to plugins and applications, AppCleaner has got you covered. Also, the software is easy to use and has an appealing interface.

That is not all. After using the drag and drop mode to clear the computer off unneeded applications, you can go to the Leftover feature to delete the remains of the applications. These include exe. Files, cache files, and the likes.

Why do you need a Mac Cleaner?

The following are the reasons why you need to get a Mac cleaner for your Mac computer.

Clean up your Mac

This is the primary reason for getting a Mac cleaner. A mac cleaner helps you rid your Mac computer of junk and unneeded files. This activity helps create more space on your Mac computer and allows the computer to work faster and better.

Speed up your Mac

This is another equally important reason for needing a Mac cleaner. The mac cleaner apps help you optimize and speed up the performance of your Mac computer. It does this by reducing the workload on the CPU and the RAM of the computer.

Remove malware from Mac

While you will discover that not all Mac cleaners can do this, most paid and excellent mac cleaners can help protect your Mac computer from malware and other malicious contents. They do this by detecting and removing this malware when detected.

Manage apps and extensions

This is also one of the functions that you enjoy from many mac cleaners. The software helps manage apps and extensions by detecting the presence of malware or adware when installing applications. Also, when applications are no longer needed, this software helps you uninstall them.

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Cleaner for your Mac?

The following are considerations that you should make when buying a Mac cleaner for your computer.

Does it have a cleaner feature?

This seems like a no-brainer, as the main feature of a mac cleaner should be its cleaner feature. However, it should not surprise you to discover some software such as AppCleaner doesn’t have a cleaning feature. Thus, you should check for cleaner features in a Mac cleaner before buying it.

Is it easy to use?

Another important factor you should consider is the ease of using the software. Except you have the technical knowledge and are familiar with different Mac cleaners, you must pay adequate attention to this factor. You must get Mac cleaners that are easy to use to avoid the stress of using a complex cleaner.

Is it affordable?

In a world where there are free mac cleaners, you don’t want to spend all your money purchasing a mac cleaner. Thus, you should consider the purchase or subscription cost of the Mac cleaner before buying it.

Is it compatible with your macOS version?

Enough emphasis is usually not placed on this factor. Some cleaners are not well updated, meaning that they do not work well or at all, with the most recent macOS. Thus, you must check for the compatibility of your Mac cleaner with your macOS before buying.

What about customer support?

Customer support is key in enjoying the offerings of a Mac cleaner. Customer support determines the type of response you get from the developer of the Mac cleaner app whenever you encounter an issue during its usage. Ensure that the developer of the Mac cleaner you are buying has numerous channels for contacting in case of an issue. Also, check if they respond to these contacts early enough.

FAQs

🙋 Why do I need a Mac cleaner?

There are many reasons for needing a Mac cleaner. However, the underlying and most important factor is to remove unneeded files from your Mac computer and optimize its performance. The Mac cleaner keeps your computer in shape and ensures that you get the most out of it.

Best Mac Cleaner

🙋 Is a Mac cleaner virus?

Best Free Mac Cleaner 2020

In most cases, a mac cleaner is not a virus. Mac cleaners are usually free of viruses or any other harmful content that can damage the performance of your computer. However, there have been reports of some Mac cleaners being malware or siphoning users’ data.

🙋 What is the best Mac cleaner free?

According to the products reviewed in this article, the best free mac cleaner is Onyx. This software has impressive features and functions that some paid mac cleaners do not possess. This software is effective and powerful, despite being freeware.

🙋 Is it safe to use a Mac cleaner?

By using a Mac cleaner, you get to optimize your Mac computer and keep it functioning at the best conditions. However, you may not need a Mac cleaner if you can manually scan and delete junk and unneeded files from your computer.

Conclusion

There you have them. The reviewed cleaners are the best paid and free mac cleaners in 2021. These applications have useful and effective features that allow them to remove unneeded files from your computer and optimize its performance.

Free Mac Cleaning Software

With the buying guide provided in this article, you should consider the important factors and questions when getting a mac cleaner for your computer. Bearing these factors in mind will help you select the best mac cleaner software.