The best free Mac cleaners you should try in 2025
If you ever feel like your Mac is overwhelmed with apps, downloads, and file clutter, a Mac cleaner can help you get things back on track. While plenty of tools promise to tidy up your Mac, we’ve narrowed your search to the ones that are reliable, efficient, and worth your time. We’ll walk you through what to look for in a trustworthy Mac cleaner and help you spot the red flags of apps that might do more harm than good.
What is a MacBook cleaner?
Mac storage cleaners are third-party tools that help safely clear the clutter on your device — forgotten folders, temporary or broken files, cache, or system junk. Over time, these items build up, causing Mac overload and speed issues.
Mac cleaner tools can seriously free up that valuable storage you’re constantly lacking and improve your Mac’s overall performance. The main benefit of using a dedicated tool is removing the hard-to-reach digital clutter, like app leftovers, broken files, and logs that manual maintenance just can’t do.
If your Mac needs to be decluttered, these are the signs to look for:
- Frequent stalling or freezing
- Mac is too slow
- RAM is too low
If these symptoms sound familiar, keep reading.
What to look for in a Mac cleaner?
When it comes to choosing the right Mac cleaning tool, it can feel overwhelming with so many options out there. So here are some critical questions to ask yourself:
- Is it a trusted and reputable tool?
- Is it safe to download?
- What cleaning features are included?
- Does it offer a free trial?
- One-off payment or subscription?
- Are there additional bonus features?
To make your life easier, I’ve taken the time to review ten trusted Mac disk cleaners for you. Let’s get started, shall we?
Top 10 free Mac cleaners
1. CleanMyMac
When it comes to the best free Mac cleaner, at the top of my list is undoubtedly CleanMyMac.
This tool is intuitive and straightforward to use, with a beautiful interface. CleanMyMac offers an array of powerful features to optimize and boost your Mac performance. Its Cleanup and My Clutter tools are all you need to clean up your macOS once and for all. Let’s take a closer look at the functionality of these features.
Cleanup:
In-depth system scan that resolves multiple errors while safely clearing up unneeded system log files, system cache, user logs, and language files.
My Clutter:
This tool also scans your Mac, allowing you to quickly sort through items by file type, size, or last opened and safely remove them within moments. It finds large and old files and app downloads as well as duplicates and similar photos.
What I really like about this app is that you can upgrade it for a reasonable price, getting an impressive array of other optimization features, such as:
- Real-time malware protection
- CPU load and memory pressure monitor
- Applications tool for uninstalling and updating apps with a click
- Privacy feature for your online and offline data protection
Pricing plans start from $39.95 a year, but you can get your free trial here to understand if this option will work for you. The company also offers great discounts for multiple-device coverage.
Tip: Looking for more ways to optimize and clean your Mac? Make sure it's malware-free, and the best way to do it is to invest in an antimalware app. Check out this article to learn more about the best malware cleaners on the market.
2. Avast Cleanup Premium
Avast Cleanup Premium is a smart app uninstaller and junk files cleaner. It helps get rid of different categories of unneeded files and data: duplicate files, browser data, and system files that can be safely removed. At the same time, it has a tool for removing apps.
You can download it from the official website. The app comes with a 30-day free trial version. Afterward, you can purchase a subscription, which will cost you $65.99 per year.
3. DaisyDisk
DaisyDisk is solely dedicated to cleaning up Macs. It does feel sparse compared to some of the previously mentioned tools, but don’t underestimate its cleaning power. If you’re only interested in Mac cleanup and nothing more, then this option is for you.
DaisyDisk is available to purchase from the App Store for $11.99 and has excellent reviews. You can download a free trial via the website, but the downside is you need to register your email address to use it.
For me personally, the visual graphics make this tool worth the money. It’s a great way to visualize your data and external drives. Simply scan the drive you want to clean up, preview the content, and remove what is no longer required. That’s it! No extra features, no fuss, no add-ons.
4. OnyX
Another free Mac cleaner app is OnyX. It allows you to create a set of rules that will clean up your Mac without the need to use Terminal or dig deep into the system.
It is absolutely free to download and use. So, you can go directly to the developer's website and download the version of the app designed for your macOS.
The only downside is that you will need to have some tech expertise in order to create appropriate rules, so if you're looking for a one-click decision, keep on reading because OnyX is not such an app.
Tip: How to choose a trustworthy Mac cleaner
Not all tools you stumble upon on the internet are safe or effective. Here's how to spot a trustworthy app and the red flags that may signal a potentially unwanted application (PUA):
- Choose trusted or well-known developers: Look for a solid online presence, clear company name, verified domain, and accessible support.
- Read real user reviews: Check verified testimonials on platforms like Trustpilot, Reddit, or the App Store.
- Avoid pushy pop-ups or scare tactics: Legitimate cleaners don’t use fake virus alerts or scare tactics.
- Beware of “free” tools that hide costs: PUAs often appear free at first but require payment before they can do anything useful.
- Skip apps with missing company info: No company name, support, or contact page? It’s better to skip this one.
5. Disk Drill
Another one on my list of the best Mac cleaning software is Disk Drill for Mac. It is actually a data recovery app, but it comes with a module designed specifically for cleaning up files. It scans the folder you choose and builds a map of files based on their size so that you can choose to delete the largest ones first.
It also comes with other features like duplicate cleaner, data shredder, and free space eraser. Disk Drill can help you get the most out of your Mac for $19.95 per year.
This is one of the most affordable options on the market, especially considering that you can use it to recover any lost files. However, it is not a one-click solution like other apps on the list and requires some effort on your part.
Tip: Wondering if there is anything you can do to free up disk space on Mac while you haven't found a Mac cleaner app that best suits your needs? Check out this handy guide with quick cleaning tips.
6. MacCleaner Pro
MacCleaner Pro is a tool from the Nektony creators. This one also offers a free Mac cleaning software trial that allows you to speed up, clean up, and manage your disk space using three straightforward tools. You can later upgrade to the powered-up paid version, which offers additional features like disk space analyzer, duplicate file removal, and application uninstaller. 
I like the fact that the system overview is straightforward to understand. It’s been visually modeled on Apple’s built-in storage management tab, so it instantly feels familiar. You get a clear breakdown of system clutter and other performance issues. In addition to clearing junk files, the Speedup tool can help optimize your Mac by rebuilding your Spotlight index, freeing up RAM, and disabling startup applications.
The paid version is a one-off payment of $74.95, and for that, you get the complete bundle of six PRO cleanup tools; this is a great tool, but it doesn’t provide any antivirus or other security features.
7. Mac Washing Machine X9
It is not a standalone app, but a part of the premium bundle of Intego apps. Washing Machine is designed to reclaim space, find and delete duplicate files, and help you organize your desktop and folders. These are three separate cycles of this Mac cleaner app that are named respectively: Reclaim, Duplicates, and Organize.
Intego offers a 14-day free trial for any of their software bundles. The regular price of the annual Mac Washing Machine subsciption is $49.99.
8. Piriform Software CCleaner
CCleaner might not be as visually appealing as other tools mentioned in this review article, but don’t let that put you off. Its free version comes with three robust, reliable tools that quickly clear clutter and reclaim space. Let’s take a closer look.
- Clean unwanted clutter
This feature performs an in-depth scan, uncovers system junk, and makes it easy for you to select items for removal.
- Find duplicate files
Detects duplicate files on your hard drive, allowing you to review and select items for deletion.
- Uninstall redundant apps
This feature locates unused applications and uninstalls them safely.
The simplicity of this tool is what I like about it. Despite not being packed with millions of options and additional features, the app does what it claims. Its top menu bar icon allows you to run quick system scans easily.
CCleaner offers several subscription plans, ranging from the Pro version to the Premium Bundle, with prices starting at $39.95 per year.
9. App Cleaner & Uninstaller
Another tool from Nektony is App Cleaner & Uninstaller. It’s a lightweight application that comes with the exact features you need to clear up your Mac.
Unlike its sister application, MacCleaner Pro, you get just five simple cleaning tools. This set of tools helps remove apps and their traces, manage startup programs and browser extensions, clear up remaining digital debris, and manage default applications.
The downside to the free version is you only get 2 days to test it, which is a shame. I hope in the nearest future, they extend this to give users a chance to get to know the tool first.
After trial, you can either pay $14.95 per year or make a one-time purchase for $34.95.
10. Cleaner One: Disk Clean
The last on my list of free Mac cleaner apps is Cleaner One: Disk Clean by Trend Micro. You can download it for free from the App Store. It can find and remove old junk files and large files as well as clean up memory, meaning that it offers very basic cleaning.
One thing that makes this app stand out is its feature named Disk Map that visualizes what takes up the most space and lets you quickly delete it. However, this app is somehow slower than other applications on the list and it is less easy to use given its sophisticated design.
If you decide that you want more cleaning tools, it will cost you $19.99/year, and you will be upgraded to Cleaner One Pro. But be ready to install another app.
How to clean your Mac manually?
If you’re still not entirely sure about having a Mac cleaner, here are a few things you can do to clean your Mac manually.
Clean up your Desktop
If you have Stacks enabled, you might not see all the useless clutter built up. Take a moment to disable Stacks and review what’s hanging around on your Desktop. Then, move any unwanted items to Trash. To enable back the Stacks, right-click anywhere on your Desktop and click Use Stacks.
Check your Downloads folder
The Downloads folder is another place forgotten files hide. Take time to run a deep checkup and remove anything you no longer need.
Uninstall unneeded Apps
If you haven’t used a specific app for a while, ask yourself, do I really need it? If the answer is no, then don’t think twice - remove it to save yourself valuable storage space.
- Open the Finder, then select Applications.
- Review your apps and drag any unrequired apps to the Trash.
- Empty your Trash.
Use Apple’s built-in storage optimization tool
Another way to help save space and tidy up clutter is by using Apple’s built-in storage optimization tool. Many people forget that this tool exists. But it’s a simple way to offload Mac to iCloud and automate your Trash removal. Here’s how to use it: 
- Select the main Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info > Storage Settings.
- Check Recommendations under the Storage bar.
- Enable the three options by following the on-screen instructions.
Manual options will help, but as I mentioned previously, it’s impossible to get rid of all the debris this way, and that’s why cleaners have become so popular.
Hopefully, you found this review helpful. However, if you still decide to continue your own research for Mac cleaners, make sure to download from trustworthy sources. Too often, malware and other types of viruses can disguise themselves as cleaning tools.
Warning! Don’t be tempted to buy Dr. Cleanup. This application has been proven to gather and steal data from Macs. Happy cleaning!