AppZapper vs Pearcleaner (2026): which should you pick?

Pick AppZapper if

• Fits if you want to remove Mac apps and their leftover files in one drag
• Works for people who want a one-time price

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if your Mac runs older than macOS 15.6, as the page lists no earlier builds
• Too light for you if you want disk cleanup beyond uninstalling
• Tight if you want to try it properly, since the trial is 3 zaps
• Watch out: it is Mac only, so Windows or Linux needs another tool

Pick Pearcleaner if

• Fits if you want leftover files removed when you uninstall a Mac app
• Works for Homebrew users who want packages and app updates in one window

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want an app that's still being worked on, as releases and issue replies are paused indefinitely
• Not for you if you're on macOS 27 or older than macOS 13, neither of which is in its support table
• Tight if you're wary of permissions, since it needs Full Disk Access and a privileged helper for system folders
• Not for you if you need open source: the Commons Clause license is source-available and bars selling it
• Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, as it's macOS only

AppZapper

• The trial allows 3 zaps, after which a license key is required.
• Requires macOS 15.6 or later; the home page lists no builds for older systems.
• It is an uninstaller only; the vendor's pages describe no other cleanup features.

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.

AppZapper

Drag-and-drop uninstalling

Drag any app into the window and it finds the extra files the app installed, including caches, preferences and support files.

Zap All

Delete everything found for an app in one action, or pick files one at a time with the on-screen zapper.

Themes

The classic look is kept, and the vendor says new blaster themes can be applied in its place.

Apple Silicon and Intel

The vendor's help page says it runs on macOS 15 or later on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

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.

AppZapper

• Single User$18

  one-time, for 1 Mac

  One license for one Mac.

• Family Pack$29

  one-time, for up to 5 Macs

  One license covering up to 5 Macs.

• Enterprise$99

  one-time, for up to 25 Macs

  One license covering up to 25 Macs.

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.