CleanMyMac X Review: Is It the Best Mac Cleaner?
Everyone hates a slow computer. However, do you know that junk files and occupied RAM are usually responsible for a slow computer system? Hence, when you clear junk files and free up the RAM of your computer, your computer works optimally. This is what CleanMyMac X promises.
Currently, CleanMyMac X is one of the most popular Mac Cleaners out there, but is it the best Mac Cleaner? In this CleanMyMac X review, I will cover everything about CleanMyMac X, including features, pros&cons, pricing, support, and more. Let’s get started!
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. You can read my full affiliate disclaimer in the footer.
CleanMyMac X Reviews Overview
CleanMyMac X Key Summary
Developer: | MacPaw |
Website: | macpaw.com/cleanmymac |
System Requirements: | macOS 10.10 and higher |
Disk Space: | 145 MB |
Compatible with macOS Big Sur: | Yes |
Pricing: | Starting at $34.95 |
Support: | 24/7 Technical and Sales Support |
Coupons: | None |
Refund Policy: | 30-day money back guarantee |
CleanMyMac X Pros & Cons
Pros
- One-click smart cleanup to prevent accidental file deletion operations
- Friendly user experience, compatible with the latest macOS system
- Deep system trash scan to remove large and obsolete files
- Mac security protection to prevent malware intrusion
- iPhoto, iTunes and Mail junk cleaning, optimize space
- Application uninstallation with one click, no residue
- Provides file lens and shredder functions to quickly find and clean files
- Mac computer top menu bar shortcut window, real-time monitoring system junk
Cons
- Free version has limited usage
- Price is a bit expensive
What Is CleanMyMac X?
CleanMyMac X is a cleaning tool developed by MacPaw, a tech company with its head office in Kyiv, Ukraine. The company also has another office in Santa Barbara, CA. CleanMyMac X is one of the digital products from the company and reiterates its position as an industry leader.
The major aim of the CleanMyMac X software is to declutter your computer. Having realized that junk files are one of the major reasons why computers hang and slow down, MacPaw designed the cleaning tool to identify the location of the junk files on the computer and delete them.
Apart from deleting junk files, CleanMyMac X has other features that help optimize your computer operations. These features include malware removal, smart scan, and many more. In this CleanMyMac review, we will discuss these features and many more.
- Has a malware removal
- Fast smart scan feature
- Also has a file shredder
- No adware protection
CleanMyMac X Detailed Review
The hallmark of CleanMyMac X’s efficiency is its features. These features allow the software to effect a thorough cleaning and system optimization on a computer. In this CleanMyMac X review, we will discuss these features and their benefits. Also, CleanMyMac X is compatible with macOS Big Sur.
Clean Up Your Mac to Free Up Storage Space
One of the primary benefits of the CleanMyMac X software is its ability to free up the storage space for your Mac computer. The cleaning tool has many features that allow it to carry out this operation. These features locate and delete these unneeded files, thus clearing the space and allowing your Mac computer to run efficiently. Some of these features include
System Junk
When installed apps and the operating system on your Mac computer runs, they leave a large chunk of files behind. These files are not needed and useless. When these files accumulate to a certain point, they start to weigh down the performance of your system. This is when you notice that your Mac computer is running slowly.
With CleanMyMac, this problem gets solved. The software searches your computer to locate these system junk files (with your permission). You then get the location, size, and other necessary details about the system junk files.
Apart from the details of the system junk, you also get additional information regarding the efficiency of your Mac computer. While reviewing CleanMyMac on my Mac computer, I discovered that the software provides information about any looming threats to my computer.
Also, you get the details of background apps that are slowing down your computer. After all of these reports, the software requires your permission to clear the files. When you grant this permission, CleanMyMac asks you to close some apps as they may crash during the cleanup process.
The software then clears the files, deleting junk and malicious files on your Mac computer. It also closes down the background apps slowing down your computer. CleanMyMac X will then provide you with the new status of your computer after the cleanup exercise. Not only will your computer have more free space, but it will also run fast and optimally.
Mail Attachments
Originally, mail attachments do not occupy a lot of space by themselves. However, when left to pile up, they tend to occupy sizable spaces on your Mac computer. Thus, deleting them is another way of freeing up the storage space on your computer.
CleanMyMac X helps you do this. The software scans your computer for these mail attachments and gives you an overview of the files, including its size. It then proceeds to delete the files, freeing up your Mac computer’s drive.
Trash Bins
Trash bins also occupy large portions of your computer’s storage space. When you delete files manually on your computer, it goes to the trash bin. The trash bin gives you a second chance to recover these files before permanently deleting them. Hence, the trash bin occupies a lot of space as it holds all the files deleted manually.
So instead of going to delete these files permanently in the trash bin, CleanMyMac X allows you to delete them easily. You get to do this through its ‘Scan’ option which provides an overview of the size of the files in the trash bin.
And after getting the details of the files in the trash bin, you can go ahead to delete them permanently, thus freeing up your Mac computer.
Protect Your Mac to Keep It Free From Malware
Apart from helping you clean up your Mac computer, CleanMyMac X offers other benefits. Paramount among these benefits is its ability to protect your computer from danger. Danger occurs to a computer system through malware, virus, phishing attacks, and many more.
CleanMyMac X has features that protect your computer from these dangers. Let us examine some of these features below:
Malware Removal
Malware is one of the likely dangers that a computer faces. The other one is a virus. While Mac computers are safe from viruses and malware by virtue of their setup, you cannot be too cautious. Regularly scanning your computer for the presence of malware helps you keep your computer and personal data safe and secure. CleanMyMac X helps you do that.
CleanMyMac X has a malware removal module with the ability to scan, detect, and remove malware from your files and emails. The software will scan and notify you of any detected malware. It removes it with your permission. This feature makes CleanMyMac stand out among other Mac cleaning tools.
Privacy
CleanMyMac helps make your Mac computer a bit safer through its privacy feature. The feature locates and deletes sensitive information about you. Deleting these pieces of information leaves you safe and secure even if your computer gets hacked. Examples of these pieces of information include browsing history, autofill logins, browser cookies, and many more.
The software runs a scan on your Mac computer and locates these pieces of information. It then presents the pieces of information, showing the nature of the information and its location. You get to decide which of the information you want to delete and the ones you want to keep. After making your choice, CleanMyMac deletes the ones you want to delete.
Moreover, deleting these pieces of information helps your Mac computer run faster as they hold some space in the computer storage.
Speed Up Your Mac Computer
The major selling point in this CleanMyMac X review is its ability to make your Mac computer spacious and fast. The cleaning tool achieves this in many ways. One of the means of achieving this feat is its Speed Up feature.
CleanMyMac X speeds up your Mac computer in two ways; System Optimization and System Maintenance.
System Optimization
The components responsible for the speed of your Mac computer is its RAM and processor. These components handle the running of programs and applications on your computer. When these components get occupied, your computer slows down. In this case, optimizing these components helps.
CleanMyMac X helps to optimize the operation of these two components. It frees up the RAM and processor by shutting down some background apps.
There are some apps on your Mac computer that start running immediately when you put on your computer. You may not use or need these apps, but by virtue of their settings, they run whenever you start using your computer. CleanMYMac X helps you shut down these apps.
There are also some apps that never really stop running. You probably used them and closed them after use, but rather than stop, they keep running in the background. CleanMyMac X also ends these apps (for real).
Shutting down these apps helps to free up the RAM and your processor, allowing them to concentrate on the programs and applications that are currently in use. This makes your computer work faster and efficiently.
System Maintenance
CleanMyMac X also helps maintain your Mac computer. It does this through a set of inbuilt scripts designed to help your computer work efficiently. These scripts does a lot of work, including
- Repairing permissions
- Re-indexing Spotlight database, ensuring that your apps work perfectly
- Run a check on your hard drive
- Make suggestions that help the computer work efficiently.
Application Cleanup
The operations of the applications create a lot of messy and unneeded files. Thus, you need a tool that helps you monitor and streamline the operation of the applications. CleanMyMac X helps you achieve this through the following features
App Uninstaller
CleanMyMac X uninstalls apps that you don’t use frequently (with your permission, of course). The tool runs a scan and identifies all the apps installed on your Mac computer. It then groups these apps based on the frequency and extent of usage. This grouping helps it identify the ones that you use and the ones that you don’t use.
The apps that you don’t use frequently fall under the ‘Leftover’ category which gets deleted with your permission.
App Updater
CleanMyMac helps to ensure that your apps work efficiently by updating them. The software saves you the stress of updating your apps one after the other. All you need to do is select the apps through the console and the software will look for updates automatically.
App Extensions
The tool also helps you find necessary extensions for your apps and programs, It also deletes unnecessary extensions found on the Mac computer.
File Cleanup
CleanMyMac X helps you keep the files on your computer in order through its different file cleanup features. These features include
Large and Old Files
You get to delete old files that occupy a large portion of the storage space on your Mac computer through this feature.
File Shredder
When you delete files manually on your computer, there are traces of the files left in different places on the computer. The File Shredder feature on CleanMyMac X helps you gather these file pieces and delete them permanently.
Space Lens
This feature is a new one from CleanMyMac X. It allows you to get a fast and optic view of your computer storage. You get to see the constituents of your computer and the files taking the largest portion of the space.
CleanMyMac X Customer Support
CleanMyMac X provides a 24/7 technical and sales support, it has a very informative support center for its all softwares, CleanMyMac X is no exception. There is FAQ, Knowledge Base, License Management, Subscription Management, Suggest a Feature, and Contact Support. And the MacPaw website supports the following 13 languages.
- English
- German
- Spanish
- French
- Ukrainian
- Russian
- Italian
- Polish
- Portugese
- Dutch
- Chinese-Traditional
- Japanese
- Korean
If you really get in trouble with CleanMyMac X, you can directly contact MacPaw support via email or live chat. We have to say the live chat service is not very responsive, you may need to wait in line. However, CleanMyMac X is one of the most popular Mac Cleaners today, there is so much info about it when you do have issues.
Or you can get assistance from the support team via Email, the support member usually responds within 24 hours. Surprisingly, it also supports multiple languages:
- English
- German
- French
- Ukrainian
- Russian
- Chinese-Traditional
- Japanese
CleanMyMac X Pricing Plan
CleanMyMac X offers two different types of payment models, one-year subscription and one-time purchase, those two models have their own pros and cons.
One-Year Subscription | One-Time Purchase | |
---|---|---|
Pricing | Starting at $34.95 | Starting at $89.95 |
Upgrade cost | No | Yes |
Premium support | Yes | Yes |
30-day money back guarantee | Yes | Yes |
Get It Now | Get It Now |
You can have major upgrades at no additional cost, premium support, and long-term savings if you subscribe to CleanMyMac X. For one-time purchase, you can use CleanMyMac X forever. But you will pay an additional upgrade cost once CleanMyMac X releases a new version or new features.
However, CleanMyMac X is launched in SetApp which is a subscription-based service for macOS and iOS applications by MacPaw. If you decide to choose a one-year subscription, SetApp is worth your consideration.
Payment & Refund Policy
CleanMyMac X accepts many popular payments such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, and Union Pay.
Also, CleanMyMac X offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with CleanMyMac X, you can contact the customer support team via email for a full refund.
Nevertheless, there is a free limited version to try before you buy.
CleanMyMac X FAQs
Is CleanMyMac Free?
No, you cannot use CleanMyMac for free. However, there is a trial version that allows you to enjoy some core benefits of the tool before buying. You can buy CleanMyMac X through a one-time purchase or yearly subscription.
Is CleanMyMac X malware?
No, CleanMyMac X is not a malware. Apple notarized the cleaning tool, meaning that it is safe to use it as it contains no malicious files. This is a stamp of safety from the makers of Mac computers.
Is CleanMyMac X safe?
Yes, CleanMyMac X is safe. It has a notarization stamp from Apple. However, you may mistakenly delete some useful files. Thus, you need to go through the scan report before deleting or removing any file.
How Much Does CleanMyMac X cost?
The price you pay for CleanMyMac X depends on the plan you wish to get, and the number of Mac computers you intend to use the software with. The price for a one-time purchase ranges from $89.95 (for 1 Mac computer) to $199.95 (for 5 Mac computers). When you opt for a yearly subscription, you pay a lot less.
Apple recommends CleanMyMac X?
Apple does not recommend CleanMyMac X. Rather, Apple notarized it, meaning that Apple confirms that the software is safe for your Mac computer.
CleanMyMac X Alternatives
CleanMymac X is not the only Mac cleaning tool available on the internet. There are many cleaning software that serve as alternatives to CleanMyMac X. Some of these alternatives includes
CleanMyMac X VS MacBooster
This tool is an effective software for cleaning and freeing up space on your Mac computer. Nonetheless, it doesn’t measure up to the efficiency of CleanMyMac X in some features. CleanMyMac X also has many features that you will not find on MacBooster. You can click here to Read MacBooster Full Review.
CleanMyMac X VS CCleaner
CCleaner is another reputable substitute for CleanMyMac X. Being an efficient cleaning tool, it allows you to affect some privacy measures even in its free version; a feature that is not available on CleanMyMac X.
On the other hand, CleanMyMac has a wide range of features and functionalities which CCleaner doesn’t have. You can click here to Read CCleaner Full Review.
CleanMyMac X VS DaisyDisk
DaisyDisk also offers effective cleaning features for your Mac computer. However, while it focuses mainly on cleaning and decongesting your Mac computer, CleanMyMac X offers a lot more, including malware removal and many others.
Conclusion
CleanMyMac X Review Summary
Summary
CleanMyMac X ranks as one of the most efficient Mac cleaning tools on the internet. The app has numerous features that help to keep your Mac computer clean and free. It also ensures that you have a malware-free computer with its malware removal module. These features and many more are things you enjoy with CleanMyMac X.
If you have used CleanMyMac X, please share your honest review (good or bad).