CleanMyMac vs Ninite

CleanMyMac

• Mac owners who want cleanup, malware scanning and app removal in one app
• People running low on disk space who want guided cleanup
• Setapp subscribers, since CleanMyMac is included in that subscription

Ninite

• Setting up a new Windows PC with the usual free apps in one pass
• IT teams and MSPs patching third-party apps across many Windows machines
• Intune admins who want app updates without packaging each app themselves

CleanMyMac

• macOS 11 or later only. The App Store edition omits some tools found in the MacPaw Store and Setapp editions, such as several system junk and maintenance tasks.
• There is no free plan: after the 7-day trial a subscription or a one-time purchase is required.
• A one-time purchase covers only the current major version; moving to a later major version is a paid upgrade.
• Plan prices here are from the US Mac App Store. MacPaw Store plans cover 1, 2 or 5 Macs, and its price list was not readable when checked.

Ninite

• Windows only: Ninite works on Windows 11, 10, 8.x and 7 and the equivalent Server versions.
• The free website is licensed for personal use only; anyone paid to run Ninite is asked to subscribe to Ninite Pro.
• Only apps in Ninite's own catalog are covered, and Ninite Pro has no built-in support for custom applications.
• The $1 per machine per year Nintune plan requires Microsoft Intune and does not include Ninite Pro or the Ninite Agent.

CleanMyMac

Smart Care

One scan that runs five routines together: junk cleanup, a check for threats, performance tasks, software updates and a storage declutter.

Cleanup and Space Lens

Removes system junk such as cache and log files, mail attachments and trash. Space Lens maps the drive as an interactive view of folders sorted by size.

Malware protection

Malware scans run on MacPaw's Moonlock Engine, with real-time monitoring and background scanning. Privacy tools clear browsing traces and review app permissions.

App uninstaller and updater

Uninstalls apps completely, clearing their leftover data and old installers, and updates installed software from inside CleanMyMac.

Clutter, cloud and email cleanup

Finds duplicates, similar images and large or old files, reviews files in iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox, and from version 5.7 scans a Gmail inbox for mail to remove.

Menu bar monitors

The CleanMyMac Menu stays in the menu bar with monitors for Mac health, protection status, storage, memory, battery, CPU, network and connected devices.

Ninite

One installer for many apps

Pick apps on the website and download a single installer that sets them up in the background in their default locations, with no choices to click through and no toolbars or extras.

Run again to update

A Ninite installer always installs the latest stable versions, so running the same file later updates those apps and skips any that are already current.

Official, verified downloads

Apps are downloaded from each publisher's official site, and Ninite verifies digital signatures or hashes before running anything.

Ninite Pro web console

An agent on each Windows PC reports to a live grid in the browser, one row per machine and one column per app, for bulk installs, updates, uninstalls and auto-update policies.

Nintune for Microsoft Intune

Publishes Ninite's catalog plus thousands of WinGet apps as Intune apps, with Required, Available, Update Only and Uninstall assignments and custom install scripts.

Pro Classic command line

Included with every Pro account: a scriptable silent mode, fully offline installers, download caching and command-line switches for use with scripts and RMM tools.

CleanMyMac

• Basic (yearly)$39.99

  per year (US Mac App Store price)

  Yearly subscription to the Basic plan in the App Store edition, charged after a 7-day free trial.

• Monthly$9.99

  per month (US Mac App Store price)

  Month-to-month subscription, listed as CleanMyMac Monthly with a 7-day free trial. The listing does not name its feature plan.

• Plus (yearly)$65.99

  per year (US Mac App Store price)

  Yearly subscription to the Plus plan in the App Store edition, charged after a 7-day free trial.

• Plus (monthly)$15.99

  per month (US Mac App Store price)

  The Plus plan paid month to month in the App Store edition.

Ninite

• Ninite$0

  The website's custom installer and updater for home use. Licensed for personal use only.

• Nintune$1

  per machine / year, no minimum machine count

  Ninite's catalog plus WinGet apps managed through Microsoft Intune, for unlimited technicians. Does not include Ninite Pro or the Ninite Agent.

• Ninite Pro$1

  per machine / month for the first 20 machines

  Tiered: $1.00 each for the first 20 machines, $0.50 for the next 400 and $0.25 after that, so 50 machines cost $35 a month. Includes Pro Classic.

CleanMyMac

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing costs about a third of monthly

  On the US Mac App Store, Plus is $65.99 a year or $15.99 a month, so twelve monthly payments ($191.88) cost almost three times the yearly price.

• Education

  30% off for students and teachers

  MacPaw gives teachers and students a 30% discount on CleanMyMac. Submitting a .edu email address returns a discount code.

• Lifetime license

  One-time purchase with no expiration date

  Sold at the MacPaw Store and the App Store. It includes updates and fixes for the current major version only; later major versions are offered at a special price.

• Other savings

  30% loyalty discount for MacPaw customers

  Anyone who has bought any MacPaw product gets 30% off purchases at the MacPaw Store. It does not apply to App Store or Setapp purchases.

• Other savings

  40% off a one-year plan for switchers

  Users of another Mac cleaning or protection app can request 40% off a one-year CleanMyMac subscription by submitting proof of purchase.

• Other savings

  Up to 50% off upgrades from older versions

  Owners of a paid earlier version, such as CleanMyMac X, can move to the current version at up to 50% off through the MacPaw Store.

Ninite

No public discounts listed.