Are apps like Clean My Mac ever needed?

[Xystence]

I know that Mac's are far different then Windows when it comes to just about everything. However I do know that Windows would run like crap if it was not cleaned up every now and then. Does Mac OS X need anything to this degree?

I do not have a space issue or anything and have not noticed any issues, I am just wondering.

Thank in advance!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

No need.

One app that I would not recommend, based on the number of complaints that have been posted in this forum and elsewhere, is CleanMyMac. As an example: CleanMyMac cleaned too much.

 

[Xystence]

Cool, thanks for the fast answer!

 

[old-wiz]

Xystence, simsaladimbamba,

Hi, my name is Max and I'm with MacPaw. Let me explain you a few things regarding CleanMyMac.

Considering that the poster works for MacPaw, he is certainly doing is best to hide possible flaws in the program. Even if they knew of issues, they are not going to admit it.

CleanMyMac is not a safe thing to put on your computer. Figure out how to clean the caches yourself and be safe.

 

[GGJstudios]

Hi, my name is Max and I'm with MacPaw.

First problem. Your motivation is to sell your software. Our motivation is to guide Mac users to the best solutions for their problems.

1. Is CleanMyMac necessary to have your Mac running fast and in stable condition?
No, it is not necessary. You can even perform cleaning your Mac on your own, by moving unnecessary apps to Trash and cleaning browser cache via its inbuilt functionality, for instance.

Performing such tasks manually is less problematic and more effective than using any 3rd party app, and eliminates the associated issues of cost, updates, compatibility, system performance, etc.

2. Is CleanMyMac harmful for a Mac?

The original post that simsaladimbamba linked to is almost 2,5 years old.

The most recent complaint in that thread is from June, 2011. Don't just look at when the thread was started. As long as any users are reporting problems with the app, I will continue to recommend against it, especially when there are better, safer and less expensive alternatives.

Representatives of your company pop up in this forum from time to time, trying to justify your app, such as in the referenced thread. I encourage you to read that discussion in detail.

Does Mac OS X need anything to this degree?

You really don't need "cleaner" or "maintenance" apps to keep your Mac running well, and some of these apps can do more harm than good. Most only remove files/folders or unused languages or architectures, which does nothing more than free up some drive space. It will not make your Mac run faster or more efficiently, since having stuff stored on a drive does not impact performance, unless you're running out of drive space.

Many have successfully used Monolingual to remove unwanted languages and architectures to free up drive space, but even that will not make your Mac run faster. Monolingual doesn't share the same complaint history that CleanMyMac does, so I would recommend it as a free alternative that's also likely less problematic.

Be aware that extreme caution should be exercised when using such apps, as deleting certain languages or architectures can create significant problems. At best, deleting these things may buy you 1-2GB of drive space, but will not improve your system's performance. If you're not certain about what you're doing, don't delete anything. The small drive space savings are not worth the risk of potential problems.

If saving disk space is important to you when it comes to app deletion, the only effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program​

In most cases, app removal software doesn't do a thorough job of finding and removing files/folders related to deleted apps. For more information, read this.