MacCleaner Pro review: Clear the junk from your Mac

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating
ProsImpressive array of tools builds on previous versions of Mac Cleaner Pro.Makes customization and getting under the hood of the macOS simple.Decently priced for what you get.ConsOccasionally awkward user interface (occasionally asked permission to access macOS operating system after a function had begun).Drive space warning issued needlessly.Our VerdictHere are easy options for reclaiming drive space, clearing out system detritus, and getting under the hood of the macOS and customizing it. That and a good level of support make it worth your consideration.


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There’s no shortage of cleaning and optimization utilities for the Mac these days and Ukranian developer Nektony presents a handy, powerful selection of such tools in MacCleaner Pro.

There are times when a good utility sticks to its roots, yet gets that much better in the subsequent version.

There are also times when the developers leave an irritating reminder in the user interface that shouldn’t be there, making you wonder exactly what they were thinking as this version passed through developer Nektony’s QA department and went out across the internet and into the marketplace.

This is a mix of the two (albeit the better elements win out in the long run).

MacCleaner Pro (version 3.3 at the time of this review) is divided into a core app and several module apps, namely App Cleaner & Uninstaller, Disk Space Analyzer, Duplicate File Finder, Memory Cleaner, and Funter. The core app, which can perform an overall disk cleaning and help free up storage space by eliminating extraneous files, diverts to the modules as needed, par for the course for this genre of utility.




MacCleaner Pro 3.3’s main screen, complete with overview scan options.



MacCleaner Pro 3.3’s main screen, complete with overview scan options.Foundry

MacCleaner Pro 3.3’s main screen, complete with overview scan options.Foundry


Foundry

As expected, MacCleaner Pro is easy to install, and you just grant it access to areas of your operating system such as your Desktop, Documents, Photos, etc. The App Cleaner & Uninstaller module works well, and allows you to see the app you’re removing as well as its support files. This module has been improved compared to version 3, and now offers you easier access to startup programs and extension files, allowing you to enable, disable, or remove them. A Remaining Files feature allows you to chase down loose files, while an Open With feature lets you assign applications to open certain file types.

The Disk Analyzer module is interesting and features a good layout, but also scanned my M2 MacBook Pro’s SSD for more than 30 minutes before I paused it, then asked me to grant it full access to my hard drive as well as my Documents folder and iCloud Drive folder, which seemed to be a backward approach to the entire process.




MacCleaner Pro 3.3’s Disk Analyzer module, complete with graphic layout of your hard drive and folder architecture.



MacCleaner Pro 3.3’s Disk Analyzer module, complete with graphic layout of your hard drive and folder architecture.Foundry

MacCleaner Pro 3.3’s Disk Analyzer module, complete with graphic layout of your hard drive and folder architecture.Foundry


Foundry

Once again, the Duplicate File Finder is a good module and it’s easy to specify file types to look for, such as audio and photo files. There’s also an impressive level of precise control via the Select Duplicates in Folders feature, and it’s satisfying to hunt down duplicates and get some of your drive space back.

Similar to its previous version, the Memory Cleaner module offers an easy interface to show which applications and processes are consuming the most RAM. The module, which resides in the macOS Menu Bar, comes in handy and offers an Automatically Free Up option with which to optimize RAM usage to the best of its ability. Still, this is one of the peculiar instances in which a reminder pops up advising the user to clear disk space for a macOS Sonoma install, even though I was already running macOS Sonoma.

Perhaps the understated jewel of MacCleaner Pro is the Funter module, which has been improved on since the previous version. Funter works as an outstanding tool for finding hidden files within your operating system. The search feature has been updated, and while it could take a considerable amount of time to index everything, this is still a powerful search tool for rooting through the inner workings of the macOS.

Where the main MacCleaner Pro module was concerned, the Fast Cleanup option was able to clear up 11.45 gigabytes of drive space, most of these being application cache files, while the Deep Cleanup feature helped reclaim 65.4 gigabytes of drive space. The Speed Up module offers a good level of control over startup applications, heavy applications, RAM optimizations, and other tasks, making it easy to decide what to load within the macOS.

There’s a lot that’s going right with MacCleaner Pro, and the software runs well, has a good feature base, builds well on previous elements and modules, offers good in-app guides and help, and doesn’t overreach by also offering to provide security services, such as antiviral and VPN protection, even though those are also products Nektony sells. The software is priced decently at $21.95/month (usually $29.80) for a 2 Mac license, $44.95/year (usually $59.90) with a 2 Mac license, or a one-time purchase fee of $119.95 (usually $150.90) for a 2 Mac license as of this writing, which feels reasonable. Download it here.








Foundry

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Foundry

As mentioned before, there are a few user interface elements that might make you shake your head, but they’re not deal breakers. A few of the modules displayed the macOS Sonoma drive space warning I mentioned earlier, even though I was already running macOS Sonoma. This seems a bit redundant.

There were also times when the modules asked for permission to access certain areas of the operating system after a cycle has begun, as opposed to asking for full permission for everything upfront. This can feel a bit awkward, and while most of these decisions are one-time choices that stay after the first time, it feels like something that could be streamlined in a future update.

Should I buy MacCleaner Pro?

There’s a good utility to be found in MacCleaner Pro 3.3. Nektony has done a good job building out previous versions of the software, putting forth some easy options for both reclaiming drive space, clearing out system detritus, and getting under the hood of the macOS and customizing it without having to dive into the Terminal application and the command line. That and a good level of support and updates make it worth your consideration, despite a few user interface quirks. If you have doubts, the software is available to download and try out with no hassle, which is worth its weight in gold.

Cleaning and Data Recovery Software, MacOS