# Pearcleaner

> Free, source-available app uninstaller and cleaner for Mac

Pearcleaner is a free Mac app cleaner that uninstalls applications together with their leftover files and searches for orphaned files. It also bundles managers for Homebrew packages, PKG installers, plugins and background services, an app updater, and tools that strip unused languages and architectures from apps. The source is public under Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause. Its developer has put the project on hold, with version 5.4.3 the latest release.

- **Category:** Desktop Utilities
- **Made by:** Alin Lupascu
- **Website:** https://itsalin.com/appInfo/?id=pearcleaner
- **Runs on:** macOS
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

Pearcleaner is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** Free
- **Free plan:** 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.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. |

Read from https://github.com/alienator88/Pearcleaner on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Pearcleaner before buying.

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- 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

- 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.

## Works with

Homebrew, Steam

**Tags:** Disk cleanup, Works offline

## Alternatives

- [AppCleaner](https://toolgpa.com/tools/appcleaner): Small Mac utility that uninstalls apps and their leftover files. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/appcleaner-vs-pearcleaner)
- [CleanMyMac](https://toolgpa.com/tools/cleanmymac): Mac cleanup, malware removal and maintenance in one app. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/cleanmymac-vs-pearcleaner)
- [OnyX](https://toolgpa.com/tools/onyx): Free maintenance, cleaning and tweaking utility for macOS. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/onyx-vs-pearcleaner)
- [DaisyDisk](https://toolgpa.com/tools/daisydisk): Visual disk space analyzer and cleanup tool for Mac. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/daisydisk-vs-pearcleaner)
- [CCleaner](https://toolgpa.com/tools/ccleaner): Junk cleaner and PC optimizer for Windows, Mac and mobile. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/ccleaner-vs-pearcleaner)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://itsalin.com/appInfo/?id=pearcleaner
- https://itsalin.com/appslist.json
- https://github.com/alienator88/Pearcleaner
- https://github.com/alienator88/Pearcleaner/releases/tag/5.4.3
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alienator88/Pearcleaner/main/LICENSE.md

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/pearcleaner
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).