AppCleaner vs Pearcleaner

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

Pearcleaner

• Mac users who want leftover files removed when they uninstall an app
• Homebrew users who want packages and app updates in one window
• People who want a free cleaner whose source code they can read

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.

Pearcleaner

• Development is on hold: the README says work stopped at the end of 2025 and that issue replies, pull request reviews and new releases are paused indefinitely.
• macOS only. The support table lists macOS 13 Ventura through 26 Tahoe; earlier versions are unsupported and macOS 27 does not appear in it.
• It needs Full Disk Access to search for files and a privileged helper to act on system folders.
• The developer calls the license source-available and fair-code rather than open source: the Commons Clause bars selling the app.

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.

Pearcleaner

App uninstall with related files

Apps are dragged in or picked from a list or grid view, with badges for web and iOS apps, and a Finder extension adds uninstalling to the right-click menu.

Orphaned file search

A separate search looks for orphaned files. Search sensitivity is adjustable, and directories can be included in or excluded from searching.

Sentinel Monitor

A small background monitor, listed at about 2 MB of RAM, starts a cleanup automatically when an app is moved to the Trash.

Homebrew, PKG and services managers

Built-in views manage Homebrew packages, PKG installers, plugins and services, and an apps updater has an Update All button with progress shown in the toolbar.

Slimming installed apps

Prunes unused app translations, keeping only preferred languages, and strips unneeded architectures from universal apps without the lipo binary from Xcode tools.

Command line and deep links

The app has command-line support, including a command that lists orphaned files, plus deep links for automation, and it can export app bundles and file lists.

AppCleaner

• AppCleaner$0

  The full uninstaller, downloaded directly from the vendor's page. No price is listed, and donations are optional.

Pearcleaner

• Pearcleaner$0

  Every feature, with no paid tier. It needs Full Disk Access to search for files and a privileged helper for actions on system folders.