AppCleaner vs CCleaner
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
AppCleaner
Small Mac utility that uninstalls apps and their leftover files
CCleaner
Junk cleaner and PC optimizer for Windows, Mac and mobile
Where they differ
- AppCleaner is free. CCleaner starts at $44.95 per year for 1 PC (CCleaner Pro).
- Only CCleaner lists Windows, Android and iOS apps.
- CCleaner also covers system monitor.
At a glance
| AppCleaner | CCleaner | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $44.95 per year for 1 PC (CCleaner Pro) |
| Free plan | The vendor's page offers the app as a direct download with no price or purchase step. The only payment link is an optional PayPal donation. | CCleaner Free: standard cleaning, standard privacy protection and a basic Health Check. Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater and automatic cleaning are paid. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial of CCleaner Professional, with no personal or card details needed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FreeMacSoft | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Price read from | freemacsoft.net | web.archive.org (not the vendor's own page) |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
AppCleaner
- Mac users who want an app's support files removed along with the app
- People who want a single-purpose uninstaller at no cost
- Older Macs: builds are kept for macOS 10.10 and later
CCleaner
- Windows users who want junk cleaning, browser cleanup and startup control in one app
- People who want driver and software updates handled by the same utility
- Households covering several PCs, Macs and Android devices with one plan
Worth knowing
AppCleaner
- macOS only. The current version, 3.7, is for macOS 15 and later; earlier systems need one of the older builds.
- It uninstalls apps and their related files; the vendor's page describes no other cleanup or maintenance functions.
- The vendor's site is a short description with downloads. It shows no documentation, changelog or price list.
CCleaner
- Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater, software updates, automatic cleaning and the complete Health Check all need a paid plan.
- CCleaner Professional is sold as an annual subscription, not a one-time license, and the Pro plan covers a single PC.
- The site prices by visitor location. The US dollar prices here come from a copy of the plans page archived on May 11, 2026.
- The PC app needs Windows 8 or later and excludes S mode and RT editions.
Key features
AppCleaner
- Drag-and-drop uninstalling
- Drop an application onto the AppCleaner window and it searches for the files that belong to that app.
- Related-file search
- Looks for the small files an installation distributes throughout the system, which otherwise keep using disk space after the app is gone.
- Review before deleting
- Found files are shown before anything is removed. A 2015 Macworld walkthrough describes checkmarks beside each file and says removed items go to the Trash.
- SmartDelete
- According to the same Macworld walkthrough, switching on SmartDelete in Preferences makes AppCleaner look for related files whenever an app is dragged to the Trash.
- Builds for older macOS versions
- The vendor lists version 3.7 for macOS 15 and later, 3.6.8 for macOS 10.14 up to 15.6, 3.6 for macOS 10.13 and 3.4 for macOS 10.10 up to 10.12.
CCleaner
- Junk and browser cleaning
- Removes unused files and deletes browsing data, cookies and trackers from the major browsers. Standard cleaning and privacy protection are in the free version.
- Health Check
- Analyzes the PC, recommends quick fixes and then tries to tune and update it. The free version has a basic Health Check and paid plans the complete one.
- Performance Optimizer
- A paid feature aimed at a PC's speed and battery life. The vendor's pages describe temporarily freezing apps while you are not using them.
- Driver Updater and Software Updater
- Paid plans update out-of-date hardware drivers and installed apps, the latter to close security holes in old software.
- Registry Cleaner and startup control
- Clears errors and broken settings from the Windows registry and lets you disable programs that run when the computer starts.
- Cloud Drive Cleaner
- Scans Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive for duplicates and large or old files, shows how much space can be freed and lets you choose what to delete. Paid plans only.
Plans
AppCleaner
AppCleaner$0
The full uninstaller, downloaded directly from the vendor's page. No price is listed, and donations are optional.
CCleaner
Free$0
Standard cleaning and privacy protection with a basic Health Check, for one device.
Pro$44.95
per year for 1 PC, annual subscription
Complete Health Check, Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater, software updates, cloud drive cleaning, automatic cleaning and priority support.
Pro Plus$64.95
per year for up to 3 devices
Everything in Pro for up to 3 devices, plus Recuva Pro and Speccy Pro and the Pro versions of CCleaner for Mac and Android.
Premium Bundle$89.95
per year for up to 5 devices
Everything in Pro Plus for up to 5 devices, plus Kamo and 24/7 premium technical support. Shown discounted to $64.95 for the first year.
Ways to pay less
AppCleaner
No public discounts listed.
CCleaner
- Other savings
Premium Bundle at $64.95 instead of $89.95
The plans page showed the Premium Bundle at $64.95 against a crossed-out $89.95, with no end date. The vendor's checkout lists $89.95 as the yearly fee after the first 12 months.
