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The best free CleanMyMac alternatives
CleanMyMac has no free tier, only a 7-day trial, then about $40 a year for one Mac. If you mainly need to clear caches, uninstall apps cleanly and get disk space back, free options cover it: Tidymint (free, open source, all-in-one cleaner), AppCleaner and Pearcleaner (uninstallers), OnyX (maintenance for power users) and macOS's own Storage settings. None of them replace CleanMyMac's malware scanner.
What CleanMyMac costs
CleanMyMac by MacPaw offers a 7-day free trial with full features. After that, pricing seen in August 2026 was:
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mac | about $40/year ($3.33/mo) | $9.95/mo |
| 2 Macs | about $64/year | $15.95/mo |
| 5 Macs | about $128/year | $32.95/mo |
A one-time purchase is also sold, but it does not include the next major version. Prices vary by country and tax.
Skip "free" cracked copies. A cleaner asks for Full Disk Access and your admin password, and Jamf Threat Labs has documented pirated Mac apps carrying backdoors.
What do you actually need?
| Task | macOS built-in | Tidymint | CleanMyMac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear caches, logs, temp files | Manual | Yes | Yes |
| Explain what System Data contains | No | Yes (Space Lens) | Yes |
| Uninstall apps with leftovers | Leaves leftovers | Yes | Yes |
| Find duplicates and large files | Large files only | Yes | Yes |
| Malware protection | Built in: XProtect, Gatekeeper | Relies on macOS's built-in layers, no scanner of its own | Own scanner |
| Performance tools, app updates | No | No | Yes |
| Undo after cleaning | No | Yes, everything goes to the Trash first | Some items |
5 free alternatives
1. Tidymint: free, open-source all-in-one cleaner
Tidymint covers cleanup, clean-by-app pages for browsers and messengers, duplicates, large files, an uninstaller with undo, a bubble map of your disk and a menu bar indicator. Its defining rule: everything goes to the Trash, nothing is deleted permanently until you empty it. It is MIT-licensed, works offline and is available in English and Vietnamese. Built with AI and developer workflows in mind, it also knows folders like .ollama and project drafts.
2. AppCleaner: the classic uninstaller
Free. Drag an app onto its window and it lists the related files to remove. Does one thing well.
3. Pearcleaner: open-source uninstaller
Free and open source. A modern uninstaller that also finds orphaned files from apps you already removed.
4. OnyX: maintenance for power users
Free and long-running. Many cleaning and system options, but the interface assumes you know macOS well.
5. macOS Storage settings
System Settings › General › Storage offers Optimize Storage, Empty Trash Automatically and lists of large documents. Completely safe, but it doesn't touch caches or explain System Data.
Clean your Mac for free
Tidymint is free and open source. Everything always goes to the Trash first, so you stay in control.
Tidymint vs CleanMyMac
To be clear: Tidymint does not replace all of CleanMyMac. It focuses on cleaning and disk space.
| Tidymint | CleanMyMac | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no account | About $40/year per Mac |
| Source code | Open (MIT) | Closed |
| When cleaning | Moves to Trash, you empty it | Follows the app's own settings |
| Malware protection | Relies on XProtect and Gatekeeper built into macOS | Own scanner |
| Performance tools, app updates | No | Yes |
| Usage data collection | None, no account needed | Yes (device info, usage statistics, cleanup logs), per MacPaw's privacy policy |
| Languages | English, Vietnamese | 12 languages |
| Apple notarization | Not yet, needs "Open Anyway" once | Yes |
| Support | Email and GitHub | Dedicated support team |
Pick CleanMyMac if you want an all-in-one suite with malware protection and are happy to pay. Pick Tidymint if you want a clean Mac, free disk space and to see exactly what gets removed.
FAQ
Is there a free version of CleanMyMac?
No. There is a 7-day free trial with full features, available from the MacPaw Store, the App Store and Setapp. After that you need a subscription or a one-time purchase.
Is CleanMyMac worth it?
It is a polished suite with a malware scanner and support. If you only need cleanup and uninstalling, free tools do those jobs.
Is Tidymint safe?
Tidymint only moves items to the Trash, so anything can be put back. It never touches Photos, Mail, keychains, cloud storage roots or Apple system caches, and its source code is public.
Why does macOS block Tidymint the first time?
It is not notarized by Apple yet, which requires a paid developer account. Open it once via System Settings › Privacy & Security › Open Anyway, as Apple describes.
Does Tidymint work on Intel Macs?
Yes. It runs on macOS 14 or later on both Apple silicon and Intel.
Clean your Mac for free
Tidymint is free and open source. Everything always goes to the Trash first, so you stay in control.
Sources
- MacPaw: CleanMyMac editions and trial
- MacPaw: languages CleanMyMac supports
- MacPaw: CleanMyMac privacy policy
- PricingSaaS: CleanMyMac pricing (seen Aug 2026)
- Jamf Threat Labs: malware in pirated macOS apps
- Apple: Safely open apps on your Mac
