At a look
Professional’s Ranking
Professionals
- Improved interface and ease of use
- Wide selection of cleansing instruments
- Subscription or one-time buy out there
Cons
- Dearer than some rivals
- Restricted malware options
- Some technical information nonetheless wanted
Our Verdict
CleanMacMac is an effective multi-purpose utility for the macOS working system, and its shiny, pleasant person interface lends quick access to a number of useful utilities to clear up disk house, shield person privateness, optimize efficiency, replace purposes, uninstall software program, and assist forestall malware and adware.
Value When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Greatest Pricing At the moment
MacPaw (first yr, 1 machine)
$47.40
MacPaw (one time buy)
$117.95
Value When Reviewed
$47.40/a yr for 1 Mac, $119.95 for 1 Mac (one time buy)
Greatest Costs At the moment:
MacPaw (first yr, 1 machine)
$47.40
MacPaw (one time buy)
$117.95
There are many cleanup apps out there that declare to hurry up your Mac by eliminating previous information that is likely to be clogging up your Mac’s drive, deleting duplicate pictures, or uninstalling apps and software program fully in order that they don’t go away behind any previous information which are not wanted. Nonetheless, few of these cleanup apps are as complete as CleanMyMac from MacPaw, which was up to date to model 5.0 (and dropped the ‘X’ from its identify, as model 4 was referred to as CleanMyMac X) again in 2024.
On this assessment we’ll run by what you are able to do with CleanMyMac, what we hyperlink about it, and what we aren’t so eager on, and we’ll clarify what’s within the newest replace. See how CleanMyMac compares to different Mac Cleaners in our Greatest Mac Cleaner software program round-up.
What CleanMyMac can do
It’s not the most affordable cleanup app out there for the Mac, however CleanMyMac supplies dozens of various instruments for deleting previous information and knowledge. It teams all these instruments into 5 fundamental classes that concentrate on totally different duties – Cleanup, Safety, Efficiency, Functions and My Muddle. It’s price exploring every set of instruments to see how this system works however, for comfort, there’s additionally a Good Care characteristic that offers your Mac drive a fast check-up and summarises the results of its scans for all 5 classes.
The Cleanup instruments give attention to deleting junk: previous information and paperwork which are taking on worthwhile house, or previous system information which are not wanted.
Foundry
The Safety instruments dig a bit deeper and may scan for malware that may trigger a menace to your Mac. Whereas the app works nicely with macOS’ Gatekeeper operate in working to forestall malware set up in your Mac, it’s nonetheless potential to put in quantity of questionable software program. Sure, the Malware Elimination module was capable of detect and quarantine a number of threats (reminiscent of OSX.EvilEgg, DazzleSpy, and elements of the AdWind malware), however it left segments of AdWind put in in exams, in addition to missed the questionable WaveBrowser, a mock model of Adobe Flash Participant Set up Supervisor, Adobe album and the notorious MacSecurity app, which needed to be eliminated with one other software.
This was disappointing contemplating MacPaw’s well-marketed and hyped use of the Moonlock Engine for this objective. CleanMyMac isn’t a devoted anti-virus program so it doesn’t present the identical stage of safety because the packages featured in our Greatest Antivirus for Mac round-up. Additionally learn: CleanMyMac presents virus elimination, however is it any good?
The Efficiency instruments assist with routine upkeep, clearing out the DNS cache that’s used for internet looking, re-indexing Highlight and Mail to hurry up search outcomes, and protecting monitor of your Login and Background objects (which you can too do utilizing System Settings in your Mac).
A standard job that many individuals ask about is the way to fully delete purposes from their Mac, as many purposes go away behind previous information and bits of information even after you delete the appliance itself. The Functions instruments in CleanMyMac can assist with that job, deleting app leftovers and set up information, and in addition reminding you of any previous purposes that you could be not have used just lately.
Lastly, there’s My Muddle, which might scan both particular person folders or your total Mac drive to find previous information that you just haven’t used for a very long time, or notably massive information that take up a number of house. This newest model features some new options right here, together with the power to establish duplicate information, or pictures that look very related to be able to delete them if you wish to. There are additionally some diagnostic instruments, together with the power to establish apps which are utilizing a number of battery energy in your laptop computer.
Foundry
Utilizing CleanMyMac
Crucial change that arrived with model 5.0 was the redesigned interface. Earlier variations of CleanMyMac might use every set of instruments to scan your Mac mechanically, however would then throw lengthy lists of information and knowledge onto the display screen and go away you to determine which information you wished to maintain or delete – which may very well be complicated for a lot of customers who don’t have the required stage of technical information.
CleanMyMac 5.0 simplified issues by displaying the outcomes of its scans as a collection of tiles that offer you a fast abstract of every scan. So the Utility instruments will show tiles that break the outcomes down into app leftovers which are left behind once you delete purposes, or set up information which are used once you first set up a brand new app.
Different tiles will let you know about apps which are ready for updates, or previous apps that haven’t been used for a very long time. If you would like extra data then every tile has a Evaluate button that may show all the listing of related information, or you may merely hit the Take away button and permit CleanMyMac to mechanically delete every part for you.
CleanMyMac Updates
There have been various updates to CleanMyMac since our assessment of model 5.0 in 2024, a few of which have been merely upkeep updates that handled bugs and different issues. Nonetheless, there have additionally been what MacPaw refers to as ‘main updates’ that launched new options.
Model 5.0.5 up to date the app’s Efficiency module, with a brand new choice Purgeable Area, which scans your total laborious drive for previous information, cache information, or short-term information and downloads which you could delete to save lots of house.
Some new accessibility options arrived with model 5.0.7, with the power to make use of the VoiceOver characteristic within the macOS to learn out data throughout the app for individuals who have visible impairments. There’s additionally an choice referred to as Scale back Movement that does precisely what it says, lowering the animation and different visible results throughout scans to scale back discomfort or distraction.
An older characteristic bought an replace in model 5.1, when the Area Lens was revamped to offer a visible information to using storage in your Mac. This characteristic (which is barely out there within the Plus model of the app) shows all of the folders in your Mac as a collection of ‘bubbles’ of various sizes, indicating the quantity of cupboard space taken up by every folder. You’ll be able to then click on on every bubble to discover the assorted information and sub-folders that it accommodates and determine which of them it’s possible you’ll wish to delete with a view to save house.
Foundry
CleanMyMac prolonged its space-saving options onto the cloud with a brand new Cloud Cleanup characteristic in model 5.2.1 (solely out there with the Plus model). This lets you use CleanMyMac to scan your cloud storage on iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. The app can scan these on-line drives simply as it could actually scan your Mac’s native drive and lets you rapidly delete information that you just don’t want, or maybe delete information out of your Mac and simply go away a backup in your cloud drive as a substitute.
Foundry
Some individuals might not really feel comfy giving a third-party app entry to their non-public cloud accounts, although, wherein case it can save you some cash by choosing the Fundamental model of CleanMyMac that doesn’t embody this specific characteristic.
Find out how to purchase CleanMyMac
Maybe probably the most important change is the brand new pricing construction that was launched in July of 2025 that features separate ‘Fundamental’ and ‘Plus’ variations of the app. The Fundamental model presents a restricted set of options for much less technically inclined customers, whereas the Plus model presents the total vary of options, together with a number of the newest characteristic updates from 2025 (you may evaluate the 2 variations right here).
The Fundamental model of CleanMyMac prices $9.95/£8.95 monthly, which, to be trustworthy, appears somewhat steep for an app that you could be solely use each few weeks. Nonetheless, there’s additionally an annual subscription out there that appears much more affordable, costing $47.50/£27.00 per yr. And, when you don’t like paying subscriptions for software program, then you can too purchase the Fundamental model for a single ‘One Time’ price of $119.95/£101.95.
As you’d anticipate, the Plus model of the app is costlier, costing $15.95/£14.95 monthly, or $71.40/£45.00 yearly, whereas the One Time buy choice prices $195.95/£165.95. There’s some small print to look out for although, as these costs solely help you run CleanMyMac on a single Mac. There are further pricing plans for 2 or 5 Macs additionally out there, in addition to a Enterprise version that provides reductions for quantity licensing (with full particulars out there on MacPaw’s web site).
It’s additionally price noting that the One Time buy choice lets you use the app for so long as you need – with no recurring subscription charges – however that worth might not embody further ‘main updates’ and options which are launched sooner or later, so you should still must pay further to maintain updated with all the most recent options. And, as we’ve point out previously, there’s a model of CleanMyMac additionally out there on the Mac App Retailer, though Apple’s technical restrictions imply that it might not have the total vary of options which are out there once you purchase CleanMy Mac straight from MacPaw.
You should buy CleanMyMac both from MacPaw’s personal web site, or from the Mac App Retailer, though the model bought on the Mac App Retailer omits a couple of options (as a result of technical restrictions imposed by Apple). However, as at all times, there’s nonetheless a seven day free trial out there to be able to strive the app out earlier than paying for the total model.
Ought to You Purchase CleanMyMac?
Some individuals argue that utilities reminiscent of this are fully pointless, and it’s definitely potential to carry out most of those Mac upkeep duties your self – so long as you’ve got an affordable quantity of technical information. However, when you don’t know your DNS cache out of your common binaries, then a well-designed app reminiscent of CleanMacMac can simplify these duties for you, and assist to maintain your Mac combating match.
