CleanMyMac vs OnyX

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

OnyX

• Mac users who want maintenance and cache cleaning without Terminal commands
• People who want to change hidden Finder, Dock and Safari settings
• Owners of older Macs, since builds exist for many past macOS versions

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.

OnyX

• macOS only. Each major macOS version needs its own OnyX build, and the vendor warns against running a build made for an earlier system.
• The current version, 5.1.0, requires a Mac with Apple silicon on macOS Golden Gate 27; Intel Macs stop at OnyX 5.0.6 for macOS Tahoe 26.
• Builds for earlier macOS versions are discontinued and will not be updated, although they can still be downloaded.
• It is freeware, not open source: the license allows copying and sharing it but not modifying it for distribution.

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.

OnyX

System file verification

Checks the startup disk and the structure of its system files, a job that otherwise means typing commands in Terminal.

Maintenance tasks

Runs miscellaneous maintenance jobs and rebuilds various databases and indexes. The vendor's separate Maintenance app is a subset of this part of OnyX.

Cache and file cleaning

Deletes application, font and system caches and removes certain folders and files that are known to cause problems.

Hidden settings

Turns hidden options on or off in the Finder, Dock, Safari and other Apple applications, the same controls the vendor ships separately as Deeper.

Application uninstaller

Removes an application together with its related files and folders. The 5.1.1 release in progress lists an improved uninstaller.

A build for each macOS version

Version 5.1.0, released on September 15, 2026, targets macOS Golden Gate 27, and older builds stay downloadable for systems back to Mac OS X 10.2.

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.

OnyX

• OnyX$0

  The complete utility, including the functions of the vendor's Maintenance, Deeper, CalHash and Schedulizer apps. No registration or license key.

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.

OnyX

No public discounts listed.