Best free option: Pearcleaner (Situational). Switching saves about $40 USD a year.
$39.95 USDa year
$58.11 CAD
Every pick below has a free version.
2 alternatives
Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
Best for open-source app removal with extra Mac tools
Source-available under Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause, so not OSI open source. Its README says development is on hold since the end of 2025. Latest release is 5.4.3 (Nov 2025).
Best for removing apps and their leftovers only
Free and closed source. Drag an app in and it lists the related files. Version 3.7 needs macOS 15; older macOS versions have older builds.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
How each alternative covers what people use CleanMyMac for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | Pearcleaner | AppCleaner |
|---|---|---|
| Cleanup | ||
| System junk and cache cleanup | PartialNote 1Orphaned file search finds leftovers from apps that were already removed | NoNote 2Only removes files that belong to an app you delete |
| Apps | ||
| App uninstaller with leftover files | Yes | Yes |
| App updates in one place | PartialNote 3An apps updater is part of the tool set | No |
| Protection | ||
| Malware scan and removal | No | No |
| Storage | ||
| Disk space visualizer | No | No |
| Performance | ||
| Login items and background process control | PartialNote 4A services manager covers launch agents and daemons | No |
| Parity score | 42% | 17% |
Not covered by any free alternative yet: System junk and cache cleanup, Malware scan and removal, Disk space visualizer, Login items and background process control, App updates in one place. See all feature gaps
Switching saves about $40 USD / $58 CAD a year. Prices checked .
Based on CleanMyMac, 1 Mac, annual plan. Price source.
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
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CleanMyMac is a product of MacPaw, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for CleanMyMac: macOS.