Is OnyX better than CleanMyMac?

Neither is better overall — they do different jobs. OnyX is free and powerful for maintenance tasks but technical; CleanMyMac is easier and broader but paid.

Is OnyX safe for Mac?

Yes, when downloaded from Titanium Software and used as intended. Install the version made for your macOS release, and read what a task does before running it.

Is CleanMyMac worth it?

It can be if you’ll use its wide feature set, including malware scanning, and are happy with a subscription. If you only want to free storage, cheaper one-time tools cover that.

Is CleanMyMac X the same as CleanMyMac?

CleanMyMac X was the previous generation. MacPaw relaunched it as simply “CleanMyMac” in 2024; existing CleanMyMac X licences keep working for that version.

What’s a good alternative to both?

MacDiskCleaner: a guided storage cleaner with a free tier (scan everything, clean up to 2 GB) and a one-time $12.99 Pro upgrade — no subscription.

CleanMyMac vs OnyX (2026): Which Mac Cleaner Should You Use?

CleanMyMac vs OnyX compared on price, features, safety and ease of use — plus a one-time-price alternative if you mainly want disk space back.

CleanMyMac and OnyX are the two names that come up most when people ask how to clean a Mac. They’re both well established — and almost opposite in approach.

At a glance

	CleanMyMac	OnyX
Developer	MacPaw	Titanium Software
Price	Subscription (from about $39.95/year) or a pricier one-time licence	Free
Trial / free use	7-day free trial	Completely free
Junk and cache cleanup	Yes, guided	Yes, manual
Duplicate finder	Yes	No
Large and old file finder	Yes	No
App uninstaller	Yes	No
Malware scanning	Yes	No
Maintenance scripts, index rebuilds	Some	Yes, extensive
Hidden macOS settings	No	Yes
Learning curve	Low	High

Prices are approximate list prices and vary by region; check MacPaw’s site for current offers.

CleanMyMac: the polished all-rounder

CleanMyMac (formerly CleanMyMac X) is MacPaw’s all-in-one Mac utility. A single Smart Care scan combines junk cleanup, malware checks and performance suggestions, and separate modules handle duplicates and similar photos, large and old files, uninstalling and updating apps.

Strengths: very easy to use, wide feature set, malware detection, attractive interface. Trade-offs: sold mainly as a yearly subscription; the one-time licence covers only the current major version. The trial lasts 7 days.

OnyX: the free maintenance toolbox

OnyX has been around for many years and is free. It runs macOS maintenance scripts, clears system, user and browser caches, rebuilds Spotlight and Launch Services databases and lets you change hidden settings. Titanium Software publishes a separate build for each major macOS release.

Strengths: free, powerful, respected by experienced users. Trade-offs: no duplicate or large-file finder, no uninstaller, and little explanation — it assumes you know what each option does.

Do it in one scan with MacDiskCleaner

Finds junk, duplicates and large files across your Mac, shows everything for free, and moves what you choose to the Trash first — so nothing is lost by mistake.

Version 1.1.2 · 4.8 MB · macOS 14 or later · Apple Silicon & Intel

Download Free

Which should you choose?

Choose CleanMyMac if you want one app that does nearly everything, with malware scanning, and you’re fine with a subscription.
Choose OnyX if you’re comfortable with technical tools and want free maintenance and customisation.
Choose neither if what you really need is storage space back without a subscription.

The alternative: MacDiskCleaner

MacDiskCleaner sits between the two. Like CleanMyMac, it’s guided: one scan shows junk, duplicates, large and old files, old downloads and developer caches, with sizes, and everything goes to the Trash first. Like OnyX, you can use it free — the scan is always free and so is up to 2 GB of cleanup. Pro is a one-time $12.99 and adds an uninstaller, privacy cleaner, startup manager and scheduled scans. It doesn’t do malware scanning or system tweaks.

Full feature tables: MacDiskCleaner vs CleanMyMac and MacDiskCleaner vs OnyX.

Can you use them together?

Yes. A common setup is OnyX for occasional maintenance scripts plus a guided cleaner for finding and removing the files that actually take up space. Avoid running two cleaners at the same time on the same folders.