OnyX vs Pearcleaner
We give OnyX and Pearcleaner the same GPA: 3.2 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAOnyXVery good | 3.2GPAPearcleanerVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt's free. Titanium Software says all its applications are free and fully usable for as long as you want. It calls them donationware, and the PayPal donation is optional. | 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 | AThe complete utility is free, with no registration and no license key. There's no paid edition, so there's no limit to hit. | AEvery feature is free and there's no paid tier. Nothing is held back for an upgrade. |
| Features | ADisk and system file checks, maintenance tasks, cache cleaning, hidden settings for the Finder, Dock and Safari, and an app uninstaller. It includes what the vendor ships separately as Maintenance and Deeper. For Mac housekeeping, that's the whole job. | 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 store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It replaces Terminal commands with buttons, which is the point. But each major macOS version needs its own build, and the vendor warns against running one made for an earlier system. | 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, with no integrations listed. Version 5.1.0 needs Apple silicon on macOS 27, and Intel Macs stop at OnyX 5.0.6 for macOS Tahoe 26. Older builds go back as far as Mac OS X 10.2. | 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 | free Mac maintenance without Terminal commands | 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: OnyX and Pearcleaner. How we grade
Where they differ
- OnyX is free. Pearcleaner is free.
In commonFree planmacOSWorks offlineDisk cleanup
At a glance
| OnyX | Pearcleaner | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The vendor says all its applications are free and fully usable for as long as you want, with no registration. It calls them donationware; a PayPal donation is optional. | 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 | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Titanium Software | Alin Lupascu |
| Price read from | titanium-software.fr | github.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
OnyX
OnyX$0
The complete utility, including the functions of the vendor's Maintenance, Deeper, CalHash and Schedulizer apps. No registration or license key.
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.
