Written by
Connie YangSummary: This post lists 8 CleanMyMac free alternatives and paid ones. It compares them with CleanMyMac in effectiveness, price, use, performance, etc.
Maybe you have already tried CleanMyMac X (or CleanMyMac) but find it boasts, or its high pricing makes you hesitate and back away. Whatever the cause is, if you want to choose a CleanMyMac free alternative, we can help you.
In this post, we'll introduce the best 8 CleanMyMac alternatives, highlighting their features, differences with CleanMyMac, pros and cons, user experience, and expert review to help you choose the best one for your needs.
Note: All the Mac cleaners we recommend have been carefully tested, compared, and reviewed. The total tests cost us about half a month.
To keep the accuracy of the results, we make 8 clones of a 3-year-old Intel-based MacBook Air running macOS Sequoia and run each software on them to check and compare the cleaning level, performance optimization level, and malware protection effectiveness.
Thus, be relaxed to choose the one that suits you best! Want to clean a Mac without CleanaMyMac or any other cleaning tool? read: How to clean junk files on Mac
Overall summary of the 8 CleanMyMac alternatives
| CleanMyMac Alternatives | Overall Rating | Junk File Cleanup Level | Performance optimization Level | Virus & Malware Protection | Price |
| OnyX | Moderate | Moderate | ✖️ | 100% Free | |
| CleanMyJunk | Deep | High | ✖️ | $9.99 Lifetime | |
| iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac | Deep | High | ✅ | $39.95/year | |
| Avast Cleanup Premium | Moderate | High | ✅ | $99.99/year | |
| MacKeeper | Deep | High | ✅ | $95.40/year | |
| CCleaner | Deep | High | ✖️ | $39.95/year | |
| MacCleaner Pro | Moderate | Moderate | ✖️ | $59.90/year | |
| MacBooster 8 | Moderate | High | ✅ | $129.95/year |
If you're looking for a free CleanMyMac X alternative or a more affordable one, OnyX and CleanMyJunk are your best options.
If you want to try a more powerful tool than CleanMyMac without minding the price, try MacKeeper, MacCleaner Pro, MacBooster 8, or Avast Cleanup Premium.
iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac and CCleaner Pro have the same price as CleanMyMac but the two have additional features. iBoysoft DiskGeeker can also help analyze storage space and manage all connected disks. CCleaner can search for duplicate files and control startup items.
Go to help others make a judgment on these best CleanMyMac alternatives.
1. OnyX
OnyX is a 100% CleanMyMac free alternative developed by Titanium Software. It supports Mac cleaning and maintenance by clearing up the system caches and problematic files and verifying the structure of the system files. Moreover, this multi-functional tool can rebuild various databases and indexes and allow you to configure the parameters of some built-in apps on Mac.
- Pros:
- Completely free
- Perform both Mac cleaning and maintenance
- Highly customizable
- Support Mac OS X Jaguar 10.2 - macOS Sequoia 15
- Compatible with both Intel-based and Apple silicon Macs
- Cons:
- Not a special cleaning tool
- Lack of visual appeal
- Complex interface for beginners
- Can't clean up junk files on Mac deeply
How it differs from CleanMyMac
OnyX is a free Mac cleaning software while CleanMyMac is not. Unlike CleanMyMac, this freeware doesn't have a concise interface. It is harder to use than CleanMyMac, but it is a nice choice for tech-savvy users.
Overall use experience
We find that OnyX has various functionalities and is categorized by maintenance, utilities, files, security, find, and parameters. It is not a dedicated cleaning software but an all-in-one solution for system cleaning, maintenance, configuration, and protection.
This CleanMyMac free alternative can only help clean up part of the junk files on your Mac. Junk files like duplicate files, unwanted downloads, trash, etc. will remain on your Mac after using this tool. If you prefer freeware, you can try it.
Editor's Review: OnyX is an advanced utility for sorting out accumulated macOS gunk and errors. It is featured with a high level of customization for system acceleration, bug fixes, and software updates. - Macworld
2. CleanMyJunk
CleanMyJunk is a lightweight and convenient Mac cleaner. This CleanMyMac alternative is Apple-supported and stable. It can quickly find almost all junk files on your Mac, including app junk, system log, system junk, trash, Xcode cache, cache and logs from Chat tools, browser cache, and useless and outdated downloads.
- Pros:
- Quick junk file searching
- Deep and thorough junk file cleaning
- Simple UI and easy to use
- Smooth and secure
- Cost-effective
- Cons:
- No malware protection
How it differs from CleanMyMac
CleanMyJunk only takes 4.4 MB of the Mac storage while CleanMyMac eats 347.1 MB. It is a dedicated Mac cleaner for all types of junk file cleaning. Differently, CleanMyMac also contains system performance maintenance and malware protection. Of course, CleanMyMac is much more expensive and consumes more resources.
Overall use experience
This CleanMyMac alternative is easy to use. After we click the Quick scan on the app's interface, it immediately begins to find the junk files. The time CleanMyJunk uses to search for junk files is very short, even though the test Mac we've used for years and accumulated a huge amount of data.
It automatically chooses those junk files that are safe to delete. Unlike some other Mac cleaning software, this tool won't run in the background.
Editor's Review: CleanMyJunk is a well-designed Mac junk file cleaning app that allows you to scan and delete junk files with only one click. It can deeply find and delete system logs, Xcode cache, system temporary files, browser cache, etc. - Mac App Store
3. iBoysoft DiskGeeker
iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac is a multi-functional disk management tool. It helps scan diverse junk files on your Mac for one-click deletion, including user cache, user log files, spam mail, trash, unwanted downloads, app cache files, etc. With it, you can optimize your Mac within seconds.
Moreover, this utility also features space analysis and disk monitoring functions.
- Pros:
- Specialize in deep junk file cleaning
- Quick junk file scanning
- One-click junk file deletion
- All-in-one Mac management tool
- Modern UI
- Easy to operate
- Cons:
- No phone support
How it differs from CleanMyMac
iBoysoft DiskGeeker specializes not only in system junk file cleaning and Mac storage optimization but also in disk management and fixing. While CleanMyMac focuses on system cleaning only. If you need to both optimize your Mac and external drives, iBoysoft DiskGeeker is better for you.
Overall use experience
iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac has a simple UI and is easy to use. After the quick scan, we simply click the Clean button to clear up different types of junk files from the Mac. The space that those junk files consume is immediately released.
We also tried some other functions of this Mac cleaner, and all of them work stable and smooth. This tool has the same price as CleanMyMac but covers more functionalities.
Editor's Review: iBoysoft DiskGeeker is a multi-functional disk management utility tailor-made for Mac users. It aims to help all Mac users enhance data security, optimize system performance, and improve work efficiency. - g2.com
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4. Avast Cleanup Premium
Avast Cleanup Premium is a powerful Mac cleaner that includes performance optimization, storage cleaning, and system monitoring. It is developed by Avast, a well-known cybersecurity company, which means its security-related optimization features are outstanding.
- Pros:
- Automatic Mac cleanup and optimization
- Reliable performance
- Clear up duplicates
- Similar and bad photo removal
- System Monitor
- Cons:
- Not cost-effective
How it differs from CleanMyMac
Both tools offer comprehensive cleaning, but Avast Cleanup integrates with the advanced security features, providing real-time memory and disk usage monitoring and additional security-related system optimizations.
Overall use experience
Avast Cleanup regularly scans the Mac for unnecessary file cleaning, including old caches, cookies, log files, duplicate photos, etc. Its automated maintenance features ensure the system runs smoothly all the time. This CleanMyMac alternative also supports us manage browsers and startup items for a better experience with our Mac.
Editor's Review: Avast Cleanup Premium brings you a Mac maximum performance by cleaning up system junk files, undergoing automatic system maintenance and updates, and protecting against virus and malware attacks. It's a nice choice for Mac users. - techradar.com
5. MacKeeper
MacKeeper is an all-in-one security and optimization software for macOS. It offers a range of features to keep Mac in top shape, including antivirus protection, junk file deletion, privacy protection, and performance optimization.
- Pros:
- Junk searching and cleaning
- Duplicate file finding
- Login item management
- Adware and virus protection
- Cons:
- Running in the background even quit it
- Resource-intensive cleaner
How it differs from CleanMyMac
MacKeeper is equipped with duplicate finding, login item management, and a memory cleaner that CleanMyMac doesn't have. It has more features for optimizing Mac performance when compared with CleanMyMac.
Overall use experience
MacKeeper takes a relatively long time to scan junk files on the Mac when compared with other Mac optimizers like CleanMyJunk and iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Mac. Running it slows down our Mac performance as this program is resource-intensive.
Editor's Review: MacKeeper is integrated with diverse security, privacy, performance, and cleaning features. It is an all-inclusive Mac cleaning and protection tool to help Mac users work better with their devices. - PC MAG
6. CCleaner
CCleaner is another comprehensive CleanMyMac alternative. Similar to Avast Cleanup Premium, it supports cleaning duplicates, bad or duplicate photos, useless apps, and managing startup items.
- Pros:
- Clean duplicate files and photos
- Manage startup items
- Remove junk files
- Cons:
- The free version only supports junk file searching
- No advanced features
How it differs from CleanMyMac
CCleaner supports a browser, duplicate, and bad photo cleaning and startup item management while CleanMyMac does not. This CleanMyMac alternative for Mac is designed with more features for Mac optimization.
Overall use experience
This Mac cleaner can help find app cache files, log files, trash, cookies, and web caches for one-click removal. It can search for most junk files but not all. In general, it is easy to use and quick to clean junk files.
Editor's Review: CCleaner has been a popular performance optimizer since 2004. With the real-time junk monitoring and automatic app update functionalities, this software can keep your Mac in the optimum state. - cybernews
7. MacCleaner Pro
MacCleaner Pro features Mac speed boost, file management and cleaning, duplicate file checking, unwanted app uninstallation, and space analysis. It is an all-in-one Mac optimizer with modern and clear user interface.
- Pros:
- Fast Mac optimization
- Comprehensive junk file removal
- Intuitive storage usage presentation
- Cons:
- No system monitoring
- No virus and malware protection
- Bundle with unnecessary programs
How it differs from CleanMyMac
MacCleaner Pro offers intuitive Mac storage usage for us. We can clearly find how much storage each type of junk file occupies while CleanMyMac doesn't have. However, MacCleaner Pro doesn't have any security protection function as CleanMyMac.
Overall use experience
MacCleaner Pro has a friendly UI. From its main interface, we can see the storage condition of our Mac. Its auto-scan design relieves our fingers to manually start a junk file finding. Both scanning speed and overall performance are well.
Editor's Review: MacCleaner Pro is an excellent Mac optimizer and cleaner. It keeps your Mac's SSD always having enough space, rendering the system performance fast and stable in rountine. - AppleInsider
8. MacBooster 8
MacBooster 8 is another comprehensive Mac maintenance and optimization software. It is also highly recommended as one of the best CleanMyMac alternatives. This utility is designed to boost system performance via effective junk file cleaning. In addition to system cleanup, this cleaning software for Mac provides malware removal and privacy protection, ensuring a secure work environment on Mac.
- Pros:
- Thorough system cleanup
- Featured with malware and virus protection
- Effective in system performance optimization
- Cons:
- Bundled with other applications
How it differs from CleanMyMac
MacBooster 8 covers additional features that CleanMyMac doesn't have, including memory cleaning, startup item management, large and old file finding, and duplicate file and photo finding.
Overall use experience
As one of the best alternatives to CleanMyMac, MacBooster 8 makes it easy to clean up junk files, protect your Mac from viruses and malware, and optimize your Mac all-round. However, we notice that unknown programs will also be installed along with this tool. This raises our concerns about the app's trustworthiness.
Editor's Review: MacBooster 8 has the malware scan and protection and junk file cleaning features like most other Mac cleaners. It is featured with its system status assesment feature and simple UI. - Best Reviews
Whether you prefer any CleanMyMac alternative, each tool has its strengths. Choose the one that best fits your needs and keep your Mac running smoothly!
