This is not a review per se, it is a discussion of the class of software to which this program belongs. As a public service to the MacUpdate community, I've found as many of these "cleaner" apps on this website as I could and listed them them below. (I did a search for 'cleaner'.) If MacUpdate will let me, I intend to post this every time a new or updated version of one of these things shows up on this site. There are 38 in the list, and it seems like new entries in the 'Mac cleaner' market space pop up every day, metastasizing like a cancer. Unfortunately, more is not better. They are all of dubious value. Many have no reviews at all. Many have what look to be essentially fake 5-star reviews with no useful commentary. Many -- probably the most accurate and honest -- have negative reviews, by users who have been burned by them. Most of the developers' descriptions boast about what a great job they do, but the truth is, there are no good, comprehensive, head-to-head reviews of these programs by impartial 3rd parties. True experts in macOS maintenance advise against using any of them, because in general they serve little useful purpose and they can easily do more harm than good. Macs simply do not need "cleaning." (See for example: https://www.thesafemac.com/the-myth-of-the-dirty-mac/) Some of these programs are notorious for being little more than malware. The user is well-advised to read any program documentation and make a RELIABLE BACKUP before attempting any changes. If I have missed any programs that should be on the list, please leave a comment and let me know. I will rate all these programs with one star, probably one more than they deserve. And I would appreciate comments. If you disagree, please speak up. But if all you can come up with is 5 stars and a sentence or two saying that program X is great and I don't know what I'm talking about, please save your breath. No one here will take you seriously. And I apologize for the almost unreadable formatting, a severe limitation of MacUpdate itself, which compresses maximum text into minimum space, leaving no whitespace for readability. :: BEGIN LIST: : Aooro : App Cleaner & Uninstaller : AutoTrash : AweCleaner : CleanGeeker : Clean Me : Cleaner One Pro : CleanMyMac X : Combo Cleaner : Disk Aid : Disk Cleaner : Disk Cleaner Pro : Disk Expert : Disk Health : DiskKeeper Advanced Cleaner : DiskKeeper Cleaner - Modern : DiskKeeper Pro : Disk Xray : Doctor Disk Cleaner : HD Cleaner : iMac Cleaner : MacBooster : Mac Cleaner : MacClean : MacClean360 : MacCleaner Pro : MacCleanse : MacEnizer : Mojave Cleaner : PowerMyMac : Pro Disk Cleaner : Quick Cleaner : Sensei : Stellar SpeedUpMac : TrashMe 3 : Washing Machine : WeCleanse : Wise Mac Care :: END LIST : :: The only system maintenance tools I recommend are 1) TinkerTool System, a true bargain priced at only $14 for a single license. TinkerTool System is a an exceptional piece of quality engineering, safe when used properly, and superbly documented, with in-depth tutorials for every option. 2) OnyX, from Titanium Software, another excellent developer. 3) I have used Northern Softworks' "Cache Cleaners" in the past (the latest being "Catalina Cache Cleaner," which I have not used) and their products are first rate. As for the rest, listed above, it is safe to say that nobody who really knows what they're doing with Macs and macOS will touch them. Don't get sucked in by a pretty interface. You may very well regret it. -SB
I second the enthusiastic reviews of others. This app scans very quickly, works thoroughly, and has very responsive customer support. I don't know of anything better. P.S. I'm a real person
This app is superb at what is does. Not many apps like this on the market. Was very happy to hear it is compatible with MacOS Catalina. Great support, great response, I have this on all my computers. THANK YOU!
This program saved me so many times; this and App Uninstaller from the same developer, found years of deadwood files, that almost caused me to have either a kernel panic or a progress bar which stops halfway. The culprit was files not removed; this program removed ALL. I would give it 10 if I could!
I have been using this app for years, and have been able to get nearly instant support from the devs any time I've had an issue... mostly related to re-entering my license key. The first time was a major app update that required re-entering my key, and the second time my laptop was stolen, so I had to contact the devs again for my key. Thankfully, they made that very easy for me and I'm back to using the app again. One-click uninstall removes all the crap, and provides the easiest way I've found to keep my mac clean.
Like others have said, this app is really essential for making sure you delete all the crap left by lazy uninstallers. It's worth every penny and there is always great support from the developer.
I'm not a computer wizzard. When I delete an app I want to be sure everything is deleted, so I trust App Cleaner and Uninstaller to ensure that when an app is removed, everything is removed. It's fast and easy!
One of the most essential apps for Mac. It is common for apps, especially those ported from Window, to violate the principle of self contained application principle that Apple uses for Mac OS. Because of that, junk gets scattered across the system and it is pretty much impossible to get rid of it without a specialized app.
I've tried a few other apps, and this is by far the best. The free version is tremendously helpful, but I still recommend getting the full version. Ten bucks is not a lot when you consider the value of your machine and how much more you can get out of it.
This app also makes it easy to control which applications run when you restart - providing an even greater performance gain.
First of all, I'm mad because I just paid $39 for this app and here it is for $10. Grrr! However, I'm glad I found this place for future purchases, so I'm mad and glad at the same time. Secondly, some of you have decided reviews for this product are all paid because they are first time reviews. I'm going to accurately describe how this app works, so it doesn't matter if I'm paid or not. The fact is, I bought this directly from the Nektony website and wrote back to them saying how happy I was with it. They replied and asked me to leave my review here. Maybe that's why you have so many first time reviewers for this product.
I just upgraded to Catalina and had a bunch of apps that no longer worked. I know how to manually delete apps, but just my scanner software took me over two hours to delete, and that method doesn't get some little sneaky files they hide here and there. I've read reviews about other cleaners and uninstallers where you push a button, stuff gets deleted, and then you find out programs don't work or all your music is gone. This app is great because you see every file before you delete it.
When deleting apps, it shows you a list of apps in the left panel. Click on an app in the left panel and it shows you all the files and their paths in the right panel, already checked for deletion. You can uncheck any file you think you need to keep, or just hit the Remove button and it's done.
Deleting files with duplicate names is brilliant. The file name appears once in the left panel, and it and all the duplicates appear in the right panel along with their paths. You decide which one to delete. It will NOT let you delete all of them. It forces you to leave at least one copy, so you can't screw up. If two files have the same name but are not the same file, it says "Not Duplicates" and doesn't allow you to delete. There's other operations, all designed for safety of your data.
For the past year or more, every time I turn on my laptop, this popup says so and so wants to have control: Y/N. I finally found that stinking file with this app and got rid of it! I also got rid of some bad browser add-ons I didn't even know I had.
For $10, this is a steal. Get it.
This is a great app. I have used it for over a year with no issues. Does exactly what it claims to do and very easy to use. Customer service is also excellent. Highly recommended.
Purchased the app in the Mac App Store years ago. Due Apple restrictions the app had to be limited by the developer. But developer offers to downgrade to a non App Store version and converts the App Store purchase to a normal license code. Very customer friendly and outstanding support. I like the app to cleanup the remains from time to time and it allows convenient review of all the launch items in one place. Great app, Great support. Most recommended.
Great tool and superior support. Today I had some trouble deleting files during uninstall, Netkony support solved my problem within minutes. It works like a charme again.
Amazing application. Very helpful application when uninstalling the app and managing extension at one place.
Emailed Netkony support and amazing fast response to resolve the issue.
Great piece of software! Removed all the 'junk' left behind by 3 iMac upgrades. All 3 iMac upgrades were migrated over to my new iMac. What a mess... This software caught tons of files from the upgrades and removed them with no problem. All of 32 bit software was removed and cleaned up. Support is awesome! Can't say enough good things about the software and support!
I had a very positive experience with the software and the customer service. The software enable me to remove unwanted app in a few clicks, real convenient. I purchased the license long before it was removed from the Mac Apple Store. It's great to know that the company still provide licenses for those who brought an in-app upgrade. I currently use the software with macOS 10.14.5 and it's working without problem so far.
I've been using this for more than a year now, and its great at finding the extra hidden files that installers and apps leave behind, I also use CleanMyMac which is quite good, but this app finds even more than CMM, so I'm quite happy with this purchase.
On top of that, the support team are friendly helpful and incredibly fast with responses when needed (rare!)
Would recommend.
Sorry @timi I've been using this for two years. It's simply the best. It finds the embedded preferences, plugins, frameworks and assets, that get buried in your system.
Have you even tried it? You should.
Useful app. I've tried several and chose this one due to its simplicity and effectiveness. The UI is exactly how my mind would approach uninstalling and cleaning of the apps and its leftovers.
Support is top-notch! I bought the Mac Appstore version via an in-app purchase without realizing that the app has been removed from the appstore due to Apple's change in its policy. I've emailed Nektony support since I just bought the app 3 days ago and I got a reply within 5 minutes and a license key immediately thereafter! This is so far the best support and the fastest resolution I've had from anyone. The experience left me with a great impression of the Nektony team. Thanks!!!
This is a great app - and I have tried quite a few alternatives. It cleans out all the crap secreted in hidden places by applications as well as the application itself. It's intelligent too. Where you may have shared resources lurking in libraries etc, it will ask whether you want to delete or leave the shared aspects.
The price is right and the support I have received has been brilliant. Just make sure you download the latest version from https://nektony.com/mac-app-cleaner
Excellent customer service and I think it’s quite nifty how it manages to find remains of old deleted applications. I’m not a very technical person but I hope this software won’t give access to my files to hackers
I spent hours today trying to find the remnants of McAfee Endpoint Security's files on my Mac and try as I might, I couldn't find or delete them all, even while using Terminal.
In frustration, I searched the 'net for a file uninstaller and found App Cleaner & Uninstaller. On a lark, I downloaded it and with it, I started poking around looking for my prey--it found all of McAfee's files! *ZZZZAP!* Out they went into the bit bucket; it was a great joy to revert those files into scattered electrons in my Mac's SSD. : D
Thanks for solving my very aggravating problem--App Cleaner and Uninstaller Pro is the best ten bucks I've spent in a very long time.
My go to for uninstalling apps and getting all the messy bits that get left behind. They had a TimeMachine glitch a while back that was causing me a ton of grief, because I had no idea that this is what was causing the problem, but now that that's all fixed this is an app I can't live without.
Completely uninstalling apps isn't easy. There's a lot of files scattered in hidden Library folders and App Cleaner makes it so easy! I've been using it for years and it always comes in handy. Interface is simple to use and self-explanatory.
Just used and then purchased for the first time today and was amazed by how fast this works. I have been upgrading a lot of software lately and this really helped clear out things I missed with a "drag & drop to the trash" uninstall. Very happy with this and can clearly see I will be using it in the future. I only wish that there were more of a description about use, about what all the categories mean and about the apps in question themselves, as some of this stuff is so old and unused that I have no idea what it was for in the first place or if some part of it is still vital to the working of something I do currently use. Anyway, I think I can figure out most of it and have already freed up many GBs of space.
Also very happy with the prompt answer to some initial questions. Thank you!
As a long time user of iTrash I have been less than happy with its performance under Mojave. When faced with deleting a tremendous number of apps I sought an alternative. App Cleaner & Uninstaller is wonderful. It is thorough. Mostly it is blazingly fast. It was finding the related files for an app in at least half the time, often even much quicker. It's day-to-day "under the hood" operation is perfect.
It has a generous trial period in which I could have simply done what I needed then moseyed along with iTrash. But I was so satisfied I happily purchased.
Most helpful
How would you rate App Cleaner & Uninstaller app?
Read 92 App Cleaner & Uninstaller User Reviews
to which this program belongs. As a public service to the MacUpdate
community, I've found as many of these "cleaner" apps on this website as
I could and listed them them below. (I did a search for 'cleaner'.) If
MacUpdate will let me, I intend to post this every time a new or updated
version of one of these things shows up on this site. There are 38 in
the list, and it seems like new entries in the 'Mac cleaner' market
space pop up every day, metastasizing like a cancer. Unfortunately, more
is not better. They are all of dubious value. Many have no reviews at
all. Many have what look to be essentially fake 5-star reviews with no
useful commentary. Many -- probably the most accurate and honest -- have
negative reviews, by users who have been burned by them. Most of the
developers' descriptions boast about what a great job they do, but the
truth is, there are no good, comprehensive, head-to-head reviews of
these programs by impartial 3rd parties. True experts in macOS
maintenance advise against using any of them, because in general they
serve little useful purpose and they can easily do more harm than good.
Macs simply do not need "cleaning." (See for example:
https://www.thesafemac.com/the-myth-of-the-dirty-mac/) Some of these
programs are notorious for being little more than malware. The user is
well-advised to read any program documentation and make a RELIABLE
BACKUP before attempting any changes. If I have missed any programs that
should be on the list, please leave a comment and let me know. I will
rate all these programs with one star, probably one more than they
deserve. And I would appreciate comments. If you disagree, please speak
up. But if all you can come up with is 5 stars and a sentence or two
saying that program X is great and I don't know what I'm talking about,
please save your breath. No one here will take you seriously. And I
apologize for the almost unreadable formatting, a severe limitation of
MacUpdate itself, which compresses maximum text into minimum space,
leaving no whitespace for readability. :: BEGIN LIST: : Aooro : App
Cleaner & Uninstaller : AutoTrash : AweCleaner : CleanGeeker : Clean Me
: Cleaner One Pro : CleanMyMac X : Combo Cleaner : Disk Aid : Disk
Cleaner : Disk Cleaner Pro : Disk Expert : Disk Health : DiskKeeper Advanced Cleaner :
DiskKeeper Cleaner - Modern : DiskKeeper Pro : Disk Xray : Doctor Disk
Cleaner : HD Cleaner : iMac Cleaner : MacBooster : Mac Cleaner :
MacClean : MacClean360 : MacCleaner Pro : MacCleanse : MacEnizer :
Mojave Cleaner : PowerMyMac : Pro Disk Cleaner : Quick Cleaner : Sensei
: Stellar SpeedUpMac : TrashMe 3 : Washing Machine : WeCleanse : Wise
Mac Care :: END LIST : :: The only system maintenance tools I recommend
are 1) TinkerTool System, a true bargain priced at only $14 for a single
license. TinkerTool System is a an exceptional piece of quality
engineering, safe when used properly, and superbly documented, with
in-depth tutorials for every option. 2) OnyX, from Titanium
Software, another excellent developer. 3) I have used Northern Softworks' "Cache Cleaners" in the past (the latest being "Catalina Cache Cleaner," which I have not used) and their products are first rate. As for the rest, listed above, it is safe
to say that nobody who really knows what they're doing with Macs and
macOS will touch them. Don't get sucked in by a pretty interface. You
may very well regret it. -SB
Support is top-notch! I bought the Mac Appstore version via an in-app purchase without realizing that the app has been removed from the appstore due to Apple's change in its policy. I've emailed Nektony support since I just bought the app 3 days ago and I got a reply within 5 minutes and a license key immediately thereafter! This is so far the best support and the fastest resolution I've had from anyone. The experience left me with a great impression of the Nektony team. Thanks!!!
The price is right and the support I have received has been brilliant. Just make sure you download the latest version from https://nektony.com/mac-app-cleaner
It has a generous trial period in which I could have simply done what I needed then moseyed along with iTrash. But I was so satisfied I happily purchased.
Its support is prompt and complete.