MacPaw Launches CleanMyMac X With Smarter, Faster Mac Scanning and Cleaning

[Ken Linger]

I think programs like this target the Windows-to-Mac switcher simply because they're used to NEEDING to run this kind of stuff on a daily basis. Windows with its constant registry issues, leftovers in 20 different places (files and registry) and temp files where "temp" means "keep it until the drive fills up and even then, only remove it if the user specifically deletes it."

With that said, I have also recommended this program to others. When you find a friend/co-worker with a 5-year old machine that's sluggish and out of space and you simply don't want to be the one combing through all their files deleting remnants of half-a-decade of deletions, it does do what it claims. It just doesn't need to be run weekly.

For those asking about what it corrupts: I know that earlier versions had issues with programs (I believe Adobe) where thinning the apps of foreign language or code that runs on other processors would make those apps either stop working or refuse to be upgraded (failed checksums) but I have no experience with recent issues like that.

 

[TMRJIJ]

isnt this essentially a virus app or something? I remember seeing an app that disguise itself as a cleaning app but really its just a nag-ware spyware combo? macrumours is promoting this kind of app because they paid them or something? time to move to a different forum now

You’re thinking of MacKeeper.
CleanMyMac is an actual cleaning app.... but it not worth that price point.

 

[BillyBobBongo]

I remember a time, it feels like a long time ago now, when MacRumors was actually a reputable site. I've sent countless people here to get advice about their Macs, I'm starting to reconsider that.

I get that you folks need to make money to keep the lights on, but at least have some class!

 

[JDW]

All the negativity is pretty crazy. I’ve used Clean My Mac for years without problem AND yes I am aware of alternatives. But the laughable part of people suggesting these “cheaper or free alternatives” is that you have to have multiple apps to accomplish what CMM does. CMM is a single app, which I think is nicer than using multiple free or cheap apps. MacPaw regularly updates CMM too. And I would not say CMM is in any way, shape or form like MacKeeper.

With that said, MacRumors would do us all a world of good by doing a full product REVIEW rather than just regurgitate the press release.

 

[Moakesy]

What I don't get is exactly what problems these apps have solved for people? When they say they've used them fine for years, that's great, but what issues have they actually fixed?

My partner still uses her 2008 iMac and my step daughter a 2012 MB-Air, neither have ever had any sort of disk cleaner or other app on them. Both work perfectly fine, have not slowed down and nor do they crash, despite being 10 and 6 years old respectively. The MB-Air in particular gets hammered, all sorts of rubbish on it, and it gets covered in nail polish and other such stuff a teenage girl can throw at it....it's never missed a beat.

So whilst you can pay a subscription, run the software every day etc.....it doesn't mean that this software is the reason your Mac is still working fine. It could just be because it's a Mac and it would work fine without it anyway.

If you switched the software off for a month, I'd be interested to know what problems started to appear?

 

[Release]

I use it mainly for uninstalling apps. I like to check out trial versions of software that I hear about and it does a great job of cleaning all the bits and pieces if I don't use the software. Of course I use the other features every few months as well but I don't know if it's "cured" anything and I'd be perfectly fine if it wasn't on the machine. I just like running a clean machine and this is easy and effective for what I use it for.

I totally understand how some people might not like it or trust it, and that's cool, I just don't like being criticized for using something that this guys really have little or no experience with in recent years.

 

[JDW]

I just don't like being criticized for using something that this guys really have little or no experience with in recent years.

exactly.

I remember the days when people either used software or they didn’t. They didn’t go around bashing software that they didn’t use simply because they couldn’t figure out why someone would want to use it. The way some people act today is just plain awful. If you don’t like the software or if you use a dozen other apps that accomplish the same thing, more power to you. The people who do use a piece of software and enjoy it do not deserve to be as harshly criticized as some of you have done this for him.

Now I’d like to appeal to MacRumors again to write a complete review of the software to put an end to all the criticism, once and for all.

 

[Moakesy]

I totally understand how some people might not like it or trust it, and that's cool, I just don't like being criticized for using something that this guys really have little or no experience with in recent years.

Fair comment. I guess (for me at least) it's more about feeling that some people are being misled into paying money for something that is just polished wrapper around something that exists already or isn't really needed. If anyone should be criticised, it should be the software house, not the user.

Now I’d like to appeal to MacRumors again to write a complete review of the software to put an end to all the criticism, once and for all.

Agree with that statement too. MacRumors would better serve its user base to provide fair and impartial reviews, than re-hashing of marketing material. I understand MR need to make money, but just recently I feel they've crossed the line. I've no idea which articles are 'sponsored' (paid for) and which are genuine, but it certainly feels like many are paid reviews, therefore eroding the trust I have in MR overall.

 

[nebojsak]

exactly.

I remember the days when people either used software or they didn’t. They didn’t go around bashing software that they didn’t use simply because they couldn’t figure out why someone would want to use it. The way some people act today is just plain awful. If you don’t like the software or if you use a dozen other apps that accomplish the same thing, more power to you. The people who do use a piece of software and enjoy it do not deserve to be as harshly criticized as some of you have done this for him.

Now I’d like to appeal to MacRumors again to write a complete review of the software to put an end to all the criticism, once and for all.

Absolutely agree with that. It's funny to see those self-proclaimed experienced users, Mac gurus and tough Apple boys who in fact are too shallow even to distinguish between two apps with similar name, not to mention there is no ANY evidence that CMM does any harm to the system. And at the end it always goes down to a personal choices, whether to use this or that paid or free app, and with the sole argument being "maybe you should consider buying a pc lol".

Oh, and maybe I should mention that I'm Mac user from the day 1 of OS X, using Onyx and CMM once in a blue moon to perform tasks for which I do not have time to do manually, like completely uninstalling apps, cleaning font and other caches, mail attachments and stuff. And that I deeply disagree with any subscription model for paying for software, but this is completely different story.

 

[GGJstudios]

It's funny to see those self-proclaimed experienced users, Mac gurus and tough Apple boys who in fact are too shallow even to distinguish between two apps with similar name, not to mention there is no ANY evidence that CMM does any harm to the system.

Like many others who have posted, I'm not confused at all about which app is which. There is definitely proof that CleanMyMac has caused problems for users. Just read the threads that have been posted over the last several years. The fact remains that CleanMyMac (in all its variations), MacKeeper, CCleaner and others of this ilk are at best, unnecessary to keep a Mac running well, and they can potentially cause problems and actually degrade performance.

I remember the days when people either used software or they didn’t. They didn’t go around bashing software that they didn’t use simply because they couldn’t figure out why someone would want to use it.

It's not about "bashing" software. Many people come to MacRumors seeking advice from more experienced or knowledgeable Mac users. It's always a good idea to ask in the forum about software you're planning to buy or use, to get feedback from those who may have more information.

The reason for the negative responses from many in this thread is that over the years, CMM has earned a negative reputation for a number of reasons: problems and poor results from those who have used the app, lack of need for the app, lack of value for the money spent, and others. We would be doing a disservice to readers if we failed to warn others about apps that are useless, potentially harmful, or a waste of money.

For anyone considering CleanMyMac or similar apps, read a few of the many threads discussing this app and count the ratio of negative responses to positive ones. Then read a few threads about other apps, such as OnyX or other alternatives mentioned in this thread, and do the same. A pattern will begin to appear, showing enough negative experiences and warnings about this app from a large number of posters to cause any reasonable person to ask if it's worth the risk, especially since there is no need for this app, and there are more trusted, free alternatives. Where there's smoke, there's likely fire.

It's disappointing that MacRumors chose to endorse this app. I would never endorse an app with such a poor reputation, even for money.

 

[nebojsak]

Like many others who have posted, I'm not confused at all about which app is which. There is definitely proof that CleanMyMac has caused problems for users. Just read the threads that have been posted over the last several years. The fact remains that CleanMyMac (in all its variations), MacKeeper, CCleaner and others of this ilk are at best, unnecessary to keep a Mac running well, and they can potentially cause problems and actually degrade performance.

One user's experience doesn't have to have anything in common with other user's experience. I've seen numerous issues with so-called established applications, from the major ones to the one-task small apps, and that's perfectly normal. Also one might have issues with new OS, and you don't call ut useless piece of crap. It depends on so many things.

And there are many different stances on this thread, from "MacOS itself doesn't need any 3rd party maintenance apps" to "use Onyx, Daisy Disk, use this and that". Which one a new user have to adopt? Like I said before, I'm using Onyx for almost a 15 years by now (overly very satisfied, with some minor glitches that started to occur with the few previous versions), in the meantime also started to use CMM here and there for uninstalling apps, and I have no complaints until this new version, but this goes strictly for the subscription model which I personally hate, and has nothing to do with app performance itself. I have Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, Safari and stuff fired up for the most of the time when working, for weeks and months, and I do notice the notable difference in performance when I perform some cleaning tasks with apps mentioned before, once in a few months.

And please don't mix MacKeeper and similar spam and malware generators with real apps. And let other people choose their app of choice by themselves, based on their own experience.

 

[09872738]

(...) to do manually, like completely uninstalling apps, cleaning font and other caches, mail attachments and stuff (...)

Could you kindly explain to me why you assume "cleaning fonts and other caches" might be required? Or why you assume anything "you do not have time for" might be required at all?

Do you understand what a cache is good for (and the consequences of empty caches - or memory, for that matter)?

 

[nebojsak]

Onyx has the option of cleaning font (and other) caches. Professional font managers like Suitcase Fusion and FontExplorer X require cleaning font caches after installing initial bunch of fonts for the first time, and also recommend it once in a while. I'm not that techie kind of user, I just follow common rules and trust my own experience.

Maybe we should write to that companies about that issue, and try to explain that their software could cause harm?

 

[09872738]

(...) I just follow common rules and trust my own experience.

Sorry to burst your bubble: there is no "common rule" that states caches should be emptied. A cache is a quick access memory; the whole purpose of a cache is to speed up things.
Empty caches (analogous to empty RAM) therefor pretty useless and SLOWS THINGS DOWN.
Imagine you got a huuuuuge refrigerator. Would you keep it empty at all times or would you rather fill it up in order to have your milk readily available (and not have to visit your favourite store each time you become thirsty)?
Its the same with caches. Empty caches/memory requires the system to fetch data from elsewhere (usually, the hard disk) which is in general several orders of magnitude SLOWER.
Cleaning caches, freeing memory etc actually usually has the opposite effect than anticipated by so many people: it slows things down.

 

[nebojsak]

There's really no need for that patronizing behavior, I know what cache is. And I'm not talking about obsessively cleaning caches everyday, there's no need to mention it again, I use it only when overall performance become sluggish from months of everyday work, and it works, simple as that.

Again, you're writing to a wrong address. There are numerous major companies that produce software with those functions, and they should be warned about that.

 

[09872738]

(..) overall performance become sluggish from months of everyday work, and it works, simple as that.(...)

Since what you say is just not technically possible... nuff said

and, btw: Patronizing behavior? Sorry, just tried to be helpful.

 

[GGJstudios]

And let other people choose their app of choice by themselves, based on their own experience.

No one is preventing anyone from choosing any app that they choose. You're greatly missing the point. People asked about CMM, precisely because they don't have any personal experience with the app to draw upon. Others are offering their knowledge and opinions in response. You can't stop that, nor should you try. People will read posts, both pros and cons, and make whatever decision they choose. You're doing a disservice by suggesting that those with information or opinions that differ from yours shouldn't state their point of view. The fact remains, many people have had bad experiences with CMM, regardless of what you may have personally experienced. Prospective buyers deserve to hear both sides.

Maybe we should write to that companies about that issue, and try to explain that their software could cause harm?

You can do that if you wish. I don't consider it my responsibility to help software companies clean up their act, and many wouldn't listen, anyway.

 

[09872738]

(...) lack of need for the app (...)

I agree. It appears to me that people's desire to "clean up" things goes back to the old Windows 95/98/XP days, where "registry cleaners" and "optimizers" happened to be common place.
Now, its 2018, a Mac doesn't even have such a thing as a registry; and as a matter of fact, cleaners and optimisers of any kind do not even make sense on Windows (if they ever had).

Kinda hilarious people believe OS manufacturers would "forget" or be unable to implement those things and comparatively tiny companies would be able to deliver what Microsoft and Apple weren't able to achieve.

 

[nebojsak]

No one is preventing anyone from choosing any app that they choose. You're greatly missing the point. People asked about CMM, precisely because they don't have any personal experience with the app to draw upon. Others are offering their knowledge and opinions in response. You can't stop that, nor should you try. People will read posts, both pros and cons, and make whatever decision they choose. You're doing a disservice by suggesting that those with information or opinions that differ from yours shouldn't state their point of view. The fact remains, many people have had bad experiences with CMM, regardless of what you may have personally experienced. Prospective buyers deserve to hear both sides.

But I haven't seen single personal experience on this thread, coming from people who dissaprove using CMM. Even more, half of them are mistooking it for other apps. That's what I'm talking about.

Kinda hilarious people believe OS manufacturers would "forget" or be unable to implement those things and comparatively tiny companies would be able to deliver what Microsoft and Apple weren't able to achieve.

Heh, maybe we should discuss drive indexing efficiency on Windows, for instance. File search that takes minutes and minutes, finishes with message that there is no file, and then I do the manual search and find it myself. And I know people who use third party open source apps (like Everything Search) for that. Maybe we should be convinced that there are perfect minds with superpowers sitting in big software companies, with only goal to fully satisfy the customers.

 

[09872738]

Maybe we should be convinced that there are perfect minds with superpowers sitting in big software companies, with only goal to fully satisfy the customers.

Sure, bugs are a reality. Sure, even geniuses make mistakes.

Still I do not see a single reason to believe some tiny company could deliver - without source code, without thorough insight into sysinternals, without documentation on drivers - where the original manufacturer failed. Its much more likely that if mentioned tiny company messes with system internals they break things. That's exactly what people experience. Go figure.

For some reason you (@nebojsak) seem not affected. Lucky you.

 

[nebojsak]

Well, I don't know. Still there is a whole bunch of third party applications, some praised by community (like Onyx) and some not, who are performing tasks which either are not present in operating systems, or lacks their functionality. You still cannot uninstall a whole application by trashing its .app file only, and there you have AppZapper or AppCleaner for that task.

CMM is just one of those apps, and I really don't want to sound like a fanboy, it's just I'm strongly against that "you don't need any of those apps" attitude.

 

[JDW]

Kinda hilarious people believe OS manufacturers would "forget" or be unable to implement those things and comparatively tiny companies would be able to deliver what Microsoft and Apple weren't able to achieve.

The above statement is an unfounded low blow to any Apple developer. It basically throws great apps like DiskWarrior under the bus. DiskWarrior can do things no Apple app can, which I know from experience.

“Only infallible Apple and Microsoft are able to achieve software greatness because of their size, money and engineers”? Poppycock!

MacRumors, please hurry up with the Clean My Mac REVIEW so the forum negativity can end. And if you conclude the app really is more trouble than it’s worth, then that too will settle the matter.

Some people actually wonder why I still subscribe to Macworld magazine (now in digital form), and have since the 1980s. The answer is because AppleInsider and MacRumors don’t review software for the Mac as often as they should. It’s really quite that simple. Educated Mac users want reviews. And that’s true even today when some argue that “millennials don’t read.“ People can’t read the unwritten word! Please start writing, MacRumors!

 

[GGJstudios]

You still cannot uninstall a whole application by trashing its .app file only, and there you have AppZapper or AppCleaner for that task.

As has been proven repeatedly, those apps don’t do a good job of removing all files associated with apps. Manual removal is far more thorough than any such app.

But I haven't seen single personal experience on this thread, coming from people who dissaprove using CMM.

You’re seeing feedback from people like me, who have participated in dozens of threads like this over many years, helping people resolve problems created by these apps and learning about their experiences. Some of us have even invested time in testing many of these apps, so our opinions aren’t based solely on hearsay. Just because you haven’t taken the time to research this topic as much as some of us have, doesn’t mean that what we’re saying isn’t true.

I really don't want to sound like a fanboy, it's just I'm strongly against that "you don't need any of those apps" attitude.

You can be strongly against gravity, but that doesn’t diminish its affect. The fact is that none of these apps are required to keep a Mac running well.

 

[nebojsak]

As has been proven repeatedly, those apps don’t do a good job of removing all files associated with apps. Manual removal is far more thorough than any such app.

You’re seeing feedback from people like me, who have participated in dozens of threads like this over many years, helping people resolve problems created by these apps and learning about their experiences. Some of us have even invested time in testing many of these apps, so our opinions aren’t based solely on hearsay. Just because you haven’t taken the time to research this topic as much as some of us have, doesn’t mean that what we’re saying isn’t true.

You can be strongly against gravity, but that doesn’t diminish its affect. The fact is that none of these apps are required to keep a Mac running well.

 

[dizash]

You can do all the cleaning on high sierra without any 3rd party app as it is. It’s a complete waste of money.

I agree that for most scenarios there are safer and inexpensive, if not free methods.
However, I personally need a way to clean up parts of my system but am not an expert in Terminal or figuring out exactly which extensions has prevented me from successfully installing Mojave Dev Beta except for doing so on a new apfs volume instead of as an upgrade to HighSierra. I’m fairly certain it’s due to old extension(s) and system level files that I have yet to either ID or are afraid to remove just in case. Btw, this is on a 2018 15” MBP i7 - 16GB RAM - 1TB SSD internal.
Any suggestions besides looking up every extension (already did - but not always clear where related files are stored if not in the usual suspects ie Library/application support or the like.

I’m comfortable in Terminal but far from an expert. Any advice would be most appreciated (I’m trying to avoid a clean install given the large amount of licenses for apps, plugins, etc). I know that’s the best alternative but everything has been and continues to be very stable in 10.13.6. In fact Mojave is the first OSX/MacOS that I could not successfully upgrade to a Dev Beta.

Thanks and +1 on editorial ethics & affiliate reviews - many products reviewed as part of regular posts are not products I’m interested in but MT is an affiliate. Thanks again!!!