Best Mac cleaner apps: Regain precious storage space

Whether it’s your home, car, or your Mac, no one really likes cleaning (unless you’re Felix Unger). While there are other sites that are better versed in cleaning your house and car, we’ve done some research to find out which apps are the best for cleaning up the files and folders that have accumulated on your Mac’s storage.

On this page, you’ll find quick summaries of the Mac cleaning utilities we’ve reviewed, with links to get product information from the developer and how to get the software. There’s also a link to read our full review to help you make a decision on which app to get.

Why should you use any of these apps, to begin with? Recent versions of macOS include Optimize Storage, which has several functions to help get rid of necessary files, and it does enough for most people. But it works only with your Mac’s internal storage and if you have external drives you’d like to manage, you need a third-party tool. Also, other apps may have more features to help you analyze what’s on your drive and help you decide what you should keep and what you can dump. Any veteran Mac user will tell you that a good cleaner app is an indispensable tool for keeping your Mac running smoothly for years to come.

1. Software Ambience Daisy Disk 4

No one ever said tracking down and eliminating all the stuff that was devouring space on your Mac would be pleasant, but DaisyDisk succeeds in making it pretty simple and actually somewhat fun. DaisyDisk is focused on file management, presenting what’s taking up invaluable disk space, and allowing you to work with it. 

Read our full
Daisy Disk 4 review

2. Titanium Software Onyx 3.9.7

There’s a reason Onyx has been among the tools of choice for Mac techies for such a long time. It offers a great set of tools and an incredible level of customization. Onyx also combines a unique, bare-bones approach to its user interface while offering an incredible level of customization as to what files are affected during a repair.

Read our full
Onyx 3.9.7 review

3. Piriform Software CCleaner 1.18.30

MSRP:

Free; $29.99 Pro version

CCleaner achieves what it sets out to do: help clean up gigabytes of cache files, internet history files, and locate and purge large files on your Mac, all with an impressive level of control. CCleaner may not be as flashy as its competitors but it gets the job done. 

Read our full
CCleaner 1.18.30 review

4. MacPaw CleanMyMac X 4.8.6

MSRP:

$34.95 per year subscription ($149.95 one-time purchase)

CleanMyMac X performs most of its functions admirably and provides an excellent means of clearing gigabytes of unused system detritus/gunk off your Mac, it needs to catch up and perform equally well where each of its modules is concerned. 

Read our full
CleanMyMac X 4.8.6 review