CleanMyMac vs Pearcleaner
We give CleanMyMac a 2.4 GPA and Pearcleaner a 3.2, out of 4.0. Pearcleaner grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
CleanMyMac
Mac cleanup, malware removal and maintenance in one app
How we grade them
| 2.4GPACleanMyMacFair | 3.2GPAPearcleanerVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BBasic is $39.99 a year on the US Mac App Store, which MacPaw's site puts at $3.33 a month. That's about the going rate for a paid utility. Don't pay monthly, though, as that's $9.99 a month. Plus is $65.99 a year. | AFree, from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew. The license, Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause, stops anyone selling it or a modified version. |
| Free plan and trial | DThere's no free plan. The 7-day trial has full functionality, but on the App Store you're charged for the plan you picked when it ends. A week isn't long to judge a cleaner you'd only run now and then. | AEvery feature is free and there's no paid tier. Nothing is held back for an upgrade. |
| Features | ASmart Care runs junk cleanup, a threat check, performance tasks, software updates and a storage declutter in one scan. There's also Space Lens to map your drive, an uninstaller, a duplicate finder, and clean-up for iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and a Gmail inbox. That covers the lot. | AUninstalls with related files, an orphaned file search, and a small monitor that cleans up when an app hits the Trash. Then there are managers for Homebrew, PKG installers and services, an Update All button, and tools that strip unused languages from apps. For an uninstaller, that's a lot. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating is on record to go by, so a B. One Smart Care scan does five jobs, so you don't need to know what a cache file is. One catch: the App Store edition leaves out some system junk and maintenance tasks that the MacPaw Store and Setapp editions have. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Drag an app in or pick it from a list, and a Finder extension adds uninstalling to the right-click menu. It does need Full Disk Access, plus a privileged helper for system folders. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, on macOS 11 or later. It reaches into iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and Gmail to tidy those, and it's included in Setapp. But that's one operating system. | DMac only. The support table lists macOS 13 Ventura through 26 Tahoe, and macOS 27 doesn't appear in it. It works with Homebrew and Steam, and has a command line and deep links for automation. |
| Best for | all-in-one clean-up and malware checks on a Mac | free Mac uninstalls that take the leftovers too |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: CleanMyMac and Pearcleaner. How we grade
Where they differ
- CleanMyMac starts at $39.99 / year on the US Mac App Store (MacPaw's site: from $3.33 / month). Pearcleaner is free.
- Pearcleaner has a free plan. CleanMyMac does not, though it has a free trial.
- CleanMyMac can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- CleanMyMac also covers menu bar app and system monitor.
At a glance
| CleanMyMac | Pearcleaner | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $39.99 / year on the US Mac App Store (MacPaw's site: from $3.33 / month) | Free |
| Free plan | None | The whole app is free, from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew. Its license, Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause, prohibits anyone from selling it or a modified version. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial with full functionality | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | MacPaw Way Ltd. | Alin Lupascu |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | github.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
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
Worth knowing
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.
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.
Key features
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.
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.
Plans
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.
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.
Ways to pay less
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.
Pearcleaner
No public discounts listed.
