CleanMyMac X Reviews

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Editor's Rating
Features
Overall
Price
Customer Service

Positives

• User-friendly, logical client
• Deep, effective scanning and cleaning options
• Versatility of maintenance tools
• Built-in malware remover and software updater
• Various discounts
• Free version with 500MB junk removal

Negatives

• Increased CPU usage during cleaning
• No restore points
• Limited updates for lifetime users

Since its foundation in 2009, MacPaw has become one of the leaders of the computer optimization market – and it has done so for very good reasons. The prime reason for its success is CleanMyMac, which is so much more than just a simple and straightforward Mac optimizer. With this software you can delve deep into your computer, searching for and removing those pesky junk files, unwanted pictures, lurking mail attachments and so on in just a matter of seconds. CleanMyMac X is equipped with a wide variety of extras that includes privacy management, a tool for malware removal, and many other maintenance options to wipe away anything you don’t want on your Mac anymore and even improve your computer’s overall performance. All of this is available for very reasonable prices, that can even be reduced further during bulk purchases.

Video Introduction

Features

As is the case for a lot of modern software, CleanMyMac X is very simple and easy to use. For starters, all features are properly categorized, meaning the five cleanup or eight maintenance tools are all quick to find and access. Then there is the most important feature, Smart Scan, which is the default option and performs all cleaning options alongside minor maintenance tasks all at once. However, regardless of whether you use Smart Scan or any of the software’s 13 features, the program properly guides you through the various steps, ensuring that no required item is deleted by accident.

Additionally, CleanMyMac comes with a built-in virtual assistant, though it does nothing aside from providing shortcuts to certain features, reminding users about regular cleanups, and acting as the platform for product feedback. What’s more useful, however, is the menu that shows the computer’s current ‘health’.

Cleaning

The scanning process is very reliable, both in terms of speed and its thoroughness. In fact, CleanMyMac X only needs seconds to find junk data, whether through separate cleanup tasks or the complete Smart Scan option, which searches through system folders, photos, the iTunes folder, mail attachments, and the Trash all at once.

But particularly impressive is how unlike its well-loved predecessor, the software is intelligent enough to overlook files kept in cloud storage apps. Unfortunately, there are two major issues: first, during scans and especially the cleaning process, the computer’s CPU usage can increase up to 30-40%; the other issue is the fact that the free version of CleanMyMac only allows for 500MB of data to be removed.

The cleaning process isn’t without its flaws either, proven by the fact that there are no restore points to go back to should something go wrong. Still, CleanMyMac does its job well when it comes to cleaning since it takes no time at all – less than a minute in fact, even with important app Helper installed – and gives users the choice over how scanned files are dealt with, helping to prevent accidental deletions.

Utilities

CleanMyMac comes with so many non-cleaning features that it’s impossible to do justice to them all. Some notable extras are the ability to remove malicious files from the system and the fact that the software can be used to update apps installed on your Mac with a single click. However, with CleanMyMac X’s slew of related functions – particularly uninstaller, shredder, and a large file remover – completely destroying anything that you no longer want on your Mac is effortless, leaving behind no traces. CleanMyMac is capable of further improving the computer’s performance by wiping the Mac’s search history to a clean slate and dealing with slow, hanging, or unnecessary apps.

Still, the most complete feature is Maintenance, where you’ll find scripts for flushing your DNS cache, improving your email inbox performance, reindexing Spotlight, repairing disk permissions, and verifying the startup disk. Maintenance also houses the memory optimization feature, though this particular tool is available from the CleanMyMac X menu, too. This separate screen may sound unnecessary, but it isn’t because through this the user can monitor free disk space, the status of your Mac’s battery and CPU usage, and also test the network’s speed.

Pricing

Since the free version of CleanMyMac is heavily limited, buying an annually renewed license for $39.95 is pretty much a must. Customers can opt for a lifetime license for $89.95, but they won’t receive major software updates like annual subscribers unless additional fees are paid. However, there are various discounts available including a bulk offer through which you can purchase up to five CleanMyMac X licenses with 55% off.

What’s more important, however, is that the company values its customers’ loyalty, providing a 30% discount to those who purchased a MacPaw product before and halving the price of CleanMyMac X for those who upgrade from a previous CleanMyMac version.

It’s worth adding that even though CleanMyMac X comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, the terms of getting a full refund are rather strict since it only includes those who purchase the product via MacPaw’s online store or have installed the software onto the wrong platform. Downloading the free version, therefore, will give a clear picture of whether or not this Mac optimizer is the best choice for you, despite the demo’s limitations.

Customer Service

Although the choice of direct contact methods is limited to an email form, MacPaw pays great attention to customer feedback however it is received, whether via a dedicated web page or the software’s built-in virtual assistant. However, this isn’t the only way that MacPaw aids its customers: the company provides a knowledge base and an FAQ that answer the most important questions related to CleanMyMac X, while users can also turn to a how-to page that is basically a blog with tips and tricks detailing how to make a Mac run better. It’s also worth mentioning that the company maintains constantly updated Facebook and Twitter channels, but they are mostly used for advertising and more lighthearted posts.

Bottom Line

CleanMyMac X is the ultimate proof of why MacPaw and its other solutions, especially CleanMyPC, are true market leaders. For a relatively affordable price, which can be further reduced by buying more licenses or opting for MacPaw bundles, you'll get access to a very simple, straightforward Mac optimization tool capable of performing all the tasks that users would expect from such programs – and much more besides.

Although the software doesn’t include restore points and its built-in virtual assistant doesn’t seem to be too helpful in its current state, these negatives are easily compensated by everything else that it achieves. CleanMyMac can search deep inside your hard drives and wipe away everything that might slow down your computer, regardless of the type of file you need to deal with. This program can also aid you in a faster and safer web surfing experience, making CleanMyMac a must for devoted Mac users.