At a look
Skilled’s Score
Professionals
- Improved interface and ease of use
- Big selection of cleansing instruments
- Subscription or one-time buy obtainable
Cons
- Costlier 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 brilliant, pleasant consumer interface lends easy accessibility to a number of helpful utilities to clear up disk area, shield consumer 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 As we speak
MacPaw (first 12 months, 1 machine)
£35.40
MacPaw (one time buy)
£101.95
Value When Reviewed
£35.40/a 12 months for 1 Mac, £101.95 for 1 Mac (one time buy)
Greatest Costs As we speak:
MacPaw (first 12 months, 1 machine)
£35.40
MacPaw (one time buy)
£101.95
There are many cleanup apps obtainable that declare to hurry up your Mac by eliminating previous information that is perhaps clogging up your Mac’s drive, deleting duplicate images, or uninstalling apps and software program utterly in order that they don’t depart behind any previous information which can be 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 overview we’ll run via 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 cost effective cleanup app obtainable for the Mac, however CleanMyMac supplies dozens of various instruments for deleting previous information and information. It teams all these instruments into 5 predominant classes that target completely different duties – Cleanup, Safety, Efficiency, Purposes and My Litter. It’s value exploring every set of instruments to see how this system works however, for comfort, there’s additionally a Sensible Care function that provides your Mac drive a fast check-up and summarises the results of its scans for all 5 classes.
The Cleanup instruments deal with deleting junk: previous information and paperwork which can be taking over invaluable area, or previous system information which can be not wanted.
Foundry
The Safety instruments dig a bit deeper and may scan for malware which may trigger a menace to your Mac. Whereas the app works effectively 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 Removing module was in a position to detect and quarantine a number of threats (corresponding to OSX.EvilEgg, DazzleSpy, and components of the AdWind malware), however it left segments of AdWind put in in checks, 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 degree of safety because the applications featured in our Greatest Antivirus for Mac round-up. Additionally learn: CleanMyMac affords virus elimination, however is it any good?
The Efficiency instruments assist with routine upkeep, clearing out the DNS cache that’s used for net shopping, re-indexing Highlight and Mail to hurry up search outcomes, and retaining monitor of your Login and Background gadgets (which you too can do utilizing System Settings in your Mac).
A typical activity that many individuals ask about is learn how to utterly delete purposes from their Mac, as many purposes depart behind previous information and bits of knowledge even after you delete the appliance itself. The Purposes instruments in CleanMyMac may also help with that activity, deleting app leftovers and set up information, and likewise reminding you of any previous purposes that you could be not have used just lately.
Lastly, there’s My Litter, which might scan both particular person folders or your whole Mac drive to find previous information that you just haven’t used for a very long time, or significantly giant information that take up plenty of area. This newest model beneficial properties some new options right here, together with the power to determine duplicate information, or images that look very comparable to be able to delete them if you wish to. There are additionally some diagnostic instruments, together with the power to determine apps which can be utilizing plenty of battery energy in your laptop computer.
Foundry
Utilizing CleanMyMac
A very powerful 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 information onto the display screen and depart you to resolve which information you needed to maintain or delete – which may very well be complicated for a lot of customers who don’t have the required degree of technical information.
CleanMyMac 5.0 simplified issues by displaying the outcomes of its scans as a sequence of tiles that offer you a fast abstract of every scan. So the Software instruments will show tiles that break the outcomes down into app leftovers which can be left behind while you delete purposes, or set up information which can be used while you first set up a brand new app.
Different tiles will let you know about apps which can be ready for updates, or previous apps that haven’t been used for a very long time. In order for you extra info then every tile has a Overview button that may show all the record 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 numerous updates to CleanMyMac since our overview of model 5.0 in 2024, a few of which had 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 House, which scans your whole exhausting drive for previous information, cache information, or short-term information and downloads that you would be able to delete to avoid wasting area.
Some new accessibility options arrived with model 5.0.7, with the power to make use of the VoiceOver function within the macOS to learn out info 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, decreasing the animation and different visible results throughout scans to cut back discomfort or distraction.
An older function obtained an replace in model 5.1, when the House Lens was revamped to offer a visible information to the usage of storage in your Mac. This function (which is simply obtainable within the Plus model of the app) shows all of the folders in your Mac as a sequence of ‘bubbles’ of various sizes, indicating the quantity of space for storing taken up by every folder. You may then click on on every bubble to discover the assorted information and sub-folders that it comprises and resolve which of them you could wish to delete with a purpose to save area.
Foundry
CleanMyMac prolonged its space-saving options onto the cloud with a brand new Cloud Cleanup function in model 5.2.1 (solely obtainable 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 scan your Mac’s native drive and lets you shortly delete information that you just don’t want, or maybe delete information out of your Mac and simply depart a backup in your cloud drive as an alternative.
Foundry
Some individuals could not really feel comfy giving a third-party app entry to their non-public cloud accounts, although, through which case it can save you some cash by choosing the Primary model of CleanMyMac that doesn’t embrace this specific function.
How one can purchase CleanMyMac
Maybe probably the most important change is the brand new pricing construction that was launched in July of 2025 that features separate ‘Primary’ and ‘Plus’ variations of the app. The Primary model affords a restricted set of options for much less technically inclined customers, whereas the Plus model affords the complete vary of options, together with among the newest function updates from 2025 (you may examine the 2 variations right here).
The Primary model of CleanMyMac prices $9.95/£8.95 per thirty days, which, to be trustworthy, appears a bit steep for an app that you could be solely use each few weeks. Nonetheless, there’s additionally an annual subscription obtainable that appears much more cheap, costing $47.50/£27.00 per 12 months. And, in case you don’t like paying subscriptions for software program, then you too can purchase the Primary model for a single ‘One Time’ charge of $119.95/£101.95.
As you’d anticipate, the Plus model of the app is costlier, costing $15.95/£14.95 per thirty days, 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 permit you to run CleanMyMac on a single Mac. There are further pricing plans for 2 or 5 Macs additionally obtainable, in addition to a Enterprise version that provides reductions for quantity licensing (with full particulars obtainable on MacPaw’s web site).
It’s additionally value 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 could not embrace further ‘main updates’ and options which can be launched sooner or later, so you should still should pay further to maintain updated with all the newest options. And, as we’ve point out prior to now, there’s a model of CleanMyMac additionally obtainable on the Mac App Retailer, though Apple’s technical restrictions imply that it could not have the complete vary of options which can be obtainable while you purchase CleanMy Mac immediately from MacPaw.
You should purchase 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 (resulting from technical restrictions imposed by Apple). However, as all the time, there’s nonetheless a seven day free trial obtainable to be able to attempt the app out earlier than paying for the complete model.
Ought to You Purchase CleanMyMac?
Some individuals argue that utilities corresponding to this are utterly pointless, and it’s actually potential to carry out most of those Mac upkeep duties your self – so long as you’ve gotten an affordable quantity of technical information. However, in case you don’t know your DNS cache out of your common binaries, then a well-designed app corresponding to CleanMacMac can simplify these duties for you, and assist to maintain your Mac preventing match.