10 Best Mac Cleaner Software for macOS Monterey 2024

mac cleaner monterey

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Mac cleaner software helps free up storage space on your computer by organizing and optimizing your disk space usage. This is especially helpful when your MacBook Pro is running slow after updating to the latest macOS Monterey.

You could have duplicate files clogging your hard drive, a full startup disk, or simply too much bloat slowing down your machine. Mac cleaner apps are a way to ensure your Mac has enough storage to run at its optimal capacity.

There are too many Mac cleaner choices out there, and not all of them are reputable or safe. That’s why we’ve scoured through them all and come up with the top ten best Mac cleaning software you can get this year.

Quick Summary

  • If you are looking for an easy-to-use, quick, and neat Mac cleaning software, then go with CleanMyMac X – we have countless experiences with them, and never a time have we been disappointed by the results. 
  • If you are on a budget and want to test water before touching your wallet, then try out CCleaner – it’s free for the lite version and you can upgrade to Pro if you decide it is right for your Mac. 
  • For advanced Mac users, consider checking out MacBooster – it has advanced cleaning capability to remove deep-seated junk files that normal cleaning software would miss.

Top 10 Best Mac Cleaner Apps in 2024

Below is a list of our recommended Mac cleaner apps that support macOS Monterey. Read the quick review of each of them to get an idea about which one fits you the best.

1. CleanMyMac X (Best Overall)

CleanMyMac X
Main dashboard of CleanMyMac X, running on macOS Monterey

One of the primary features many users look for in a good cleaning software is simplicity. If the cleaner itself is too complicated to use, what’s the point?

CleanMyMac X not only has a straightforward layout, but it has all the tools you’ll need in one neat and tidy package. You’ll get the cleaner, a malware remover, a performance monitor, and more.

You’ll have the option to remove temporary files, trim down bloated applications, and remove any bits of software left after uninstalls.

You’ll also be able to sort through your Mail, Music, and Photos to clean up files that could be slowing your machine down. All in all, CleanMyMac X gives everything you need in one complete package.

Price: starting at $34.95 per Mac per year for subscription or $89.95 one-time purchase per Mac.

2. CCleaner (Best Free Option)

cleaner for Mac
The main interface of CCleaner for Mac, on macOS Monterey

CCleaner is one of the best free Mac cleaner options. It’s free software (though a Pro version is available) that will remove the clutter in your recycle bin, temporary files and folders, and even broken permissions.

However, it also offers you safer browsing by deleting your search history and cookies, so your information and identity stay confidential.

You’ll have full control over what gets deleted at all times. You can exclude custom files, folders, even cookies, and pick what you want to erase from your machine.

Here’s the difference between the Free version and the Pro version.

CCleaner FreeCCleaner Professional
Analyze Photosyes
Clean unwanted clutteryesyes
Find duplicate filesyesyes
Uninstall redundant appsyesyes
Clean browsers automaticallyyes
Import browser bookmarksyes
Empty Trash automaticallyyes

Price: Free version is free, Pro version $29.95 per Mac per year.

3. MacBooster (for Power Users)

macbooster 8
MacBooster 8 main interface, running on macOS Monterey

MacBooster is a solid app for those who have more experience with cleaner software. It gives you the basic clean-up features, which include pairing down duplicates, cleaning backup memory, and scanning for bulky files.

Plus, you’ll also get the ability to scan for malware and viruses to protect your machine from harmful code.

However, this isn’t the most intuitive cleaner out there. If you’re not used to using heavy-duty software like this, it may not be the best starter.

Price: starting $39.95 per Mac (one-time purchase)

4. DaisyDisk

DaisyDisk

Some of us are more visual than others, and if you need to see things laid out in an image to get a good understanding of something, then DaisyDisk is likely your best bet.

This app lays out all the areas of your drive in an interactive graph, colored to make sure it’s easy to read. Each bar shows how much space that particular aspect of your drive takes up.

When you want to see specifics, you can click on an area to bring up a new graph of the contents therein. You can then drag and drop the items that you don’t want into the trash.

Price: $9.99

5. Nektony MacCleaner Pro

Nektony MacCleaner Pro

MacCleaner Pro has a nice simplicity to it. It has an optimization tool that allows you to reindex both mail and spotlight, but it will also disable startup apps that take up precious power, all while freeing up RAM. Further, it clears your caches, installation files, unused language files, and your old downloads. Plus, the Pro version gives you three extra tools.

For the pro version, you’ll get a duplicate finder, which even helps identify similar photos. There’s also the app cleaner and uninstaller feature, but also the disk analyzer. This gives you a graph similar to DaisyDisk. It analyzes your startup disk space usage, removes unused files that you don’t need, and finds your largest files and folders.

Price: $44.95

6. Parallels Toolbox

Parallels Toolbox

Parallels has a toolbox that is perfect for doing a cleanup of your Mac. It’s got all the basics, including Free Memory, Uninstall Apps, Find Duplicates, and, of course, Clean Drive.

It’s got a pretty simple interface. It scans your drive, then allows you to choose which categories you want to delete.

However, this model is pretty basic. It does its job but doesn’t give any bells or whistles to really make it stand out from the crowd. Nevertheless, if all you want to do is free up space with limited effort on your part, Parallels Toolbox is a great option.

Price: 7-day Free Trial ($19.99 per year)

7. Gemini 2

Gemini 2

Gemini 2 specializes in finding duplicate files. It scans every bit of your computer and identifies any duplicates by their file type. You’re then given the option to review the scan’s results or to delete using its “Smart Cleanup” feature.

If you’re worried about inadvertently deleting an important file, don’t be. Gemini 2 comes with the ability to easily restore a file. As an added precaution, Gemini 2 gives you the option to exempt chosen folders or files to avoid any accidental deletions in the future.

Price: $19.95 per Mac (Subscription) or $44.95 per Mac (One-time Purchase)

8. OnyX

OnyX

OnyX is both a cleaning app and a disk manager. It’s powerful and heavy-duty, and it lacks automated features. Because of that, it may not be the best option for people looking for something simple.

However, it gives you total control over your disk space and can free up a lot of space.

OnyX has four tabs: Maintenance, Utilities, Files, and Parameters. Each feature needs a lot of oversight, but it can be worth the time and effort for the payoff.

If you want total control over how your computer functions, then this is the tool for you.

Price: free

9. Sensei

Sensei

If you’re looking for heavy insight into how your Mac is performing, then Sensei could be your solution.

The dashboard will give you a detailed look into how your computer is performing, even including the temperature of your Mac and the speed of your fan. It also gives you other information, like how much RAM is being used.

The cleaning function does what most cleaner software do: gets rid of logs and caches, points out large files that may be too bulky, etc. Of course, it lets you delete which files you want, but it won’t list the apps that came on your Mac, like Safari.

Price: $29 per year (Subscription) or $59 (one-time purchase)

10. Drive Genius

 Drive Genius

Drive Genius is well known as “Mac monitoring software.” It delivers a range of comprehensive disk diagnostic tools. These include the ability to scan for malware, detect duplicate files, and find large files.

Other quality of life options, such as the ability to defragment and speed up your system, can help keep your Mac in good condition.

One unique feature is Drive Genius’s ability to repair any damage to your hard drive. It can search for issues like driver inconsistencies and corrupted files and then try to repair them.

Price: starting at $79 per year (subscription)

Mac Cleaning App You Should Watch Out (Scams & Malware)

Cleaning App is one of the things on the internet that are filled with unethical sellers and scams. Keep a lookout on the following signs as they are often marketing techniques that the scammers use: 

  • “Your computer is infected by malware!” popup message
  • A random Mac clearer appears and redirects your web browser  
  • An App webpage showing you “233445 viruses found on your Mac” 

Do not go along with those apps, use any one of the above apps we recommend, and run a scan and you may even find that those are malware in and of itself. 

FAQs

Do Macs Need Cleaning Software?

Normally people do not look for cleaning software unless they are experiencing slowness on their MacBook – probably one of the reasons you are here. Not all cleaning software are created equal, some are better than others – and CleanMyMac X is one that we highly recommend that works seamlessly with macOS Monterey.   

Apple does not have recommended cleaning software and if you go with the wrong one you will risk conflicting with Mac’s own built-in security. We have used CleanMyMac for all our MacBooks, and we have seen great results. At one time it helped to detect a huge video file that was accidentally recorded for the whole day. 

So have you ever tried using a cleaner software or app on your Mac? What’s your experience using it? Are there any other good free tools out there that we didn’t list here but work great with macOS Monterey? Leave a comment and let us know.

About Eric
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Eric currently uses a 15-inch MacBook Pro for both work and personal errands. He did all the research and testing to make sure all the fixes and optimization tips shared on the blog are relevant to Apple’s latest macOS updates as well as fact-checking.

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