At a glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

• Improved interface and ease of use





• Wide range of cleaning tools





• Subscription or one-time purchase available

Cons

• More expensive than some rivals





• Limited malware features





• Some technical knowledge still needed

Our Verdict

CleanMacMac is a good multi-purpose utility for the macOS operating system, and its bright, friendly user interface lends easy access to several handy utilities to clear up disk space, protect user privacy, optimize performance, update applications, uninstall software, and help prevent malware and adware.

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MacPaw (first year, 1 device)

$47.40

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Best Prices Today: CleanMyMac

There are lots of cleanup apps available that claim to speed up your Mac by getting rid of old files that might be clogging up your Mac’s drive, deleting duplicate photos, or uninstalling apps and software completely so that they don’t leave behind any old files that are no longer needed. However, few of those cleanup apps are as comprehensive as CleanMyMac from MacPaw, which was updated to version 5.0 (and dropped the ‘X’ from its name, as version 4 was called CleanMyMac X) back in 2024.

In this review we’ll run through what you can do with CleanMyMac, what we link about it, and what we aren’t so keen on, and we’ll explain what’s in the latest update. See how CleanMyMac compares to other Mac Cleaners in our Best Mac Cleaner software round-up.

What CleanMyMac can do

It’s not the cheapest cleanup app available for the Mac, but CleanMyMac provides dozens of different tools for deleting old files and data. It groups all those tools into five main categories that focus on different tasks – Cleanup, Protection, Performance, Applications and My Clutter. It’s worth exploring each set of tools to see how the program works but, for convenience, there’s also a Smart Care feature that gives your Mac drive a quick check-up and summarises the result of its scans for all five categories.

The Cleanup tools focus on deleting junk: old files and documents that are taking up valuable space, or old system files that are no longer needed.

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Foundry

The Protection tools dig a bit deeper and can scan for malware that might cause a threat to your Mac. While the app works well with macOS’ Gatekeeper function in working to prevent malware installation on your Mac, it’s still possible to install a good amount of questionable software. Yes, the Malware Removal module was able to detect and quarantine several threats (such as OSX.EvilEgg, DazzleSpy, and parts of the AdWind malware), but it left segments of AdWind installed in tests, as well as missed the questionable WaveBrowser, a mock version of Adobe Flash Player Install Manager, Adobe album and the infamous MacSecurity app, which had to be removed with another application.

This was disappointing considering MacPaw’s well-marketed and hyped use of the Moonlock Engine for this purpose. CleanMyMac isn’t a dedicated anti-virus program so it doesn’t provide the same level of protection as the programs featured in our Best Antivirus for Mac round-up. Also read: CleanMyMac offers virus removal, but is it any good?

The Performance tools help with routine maintenance, clearing out the DNS cache that is used for web browsing, re-indexing Spotlight and Mail to speed up search results, and keeping track of your Login and Background items (which you can also do using System Settings on your Mac).

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