MacDiskCleaner vs DaisyDisk
DaisyDisk draws a beautiful map of your disk, then you decide what to delete. MacDiskCleaner goes looking for junk, duplicates and large files for you — and has a genuinely free tier.
| MacDiskCleaner | DaisyDisk | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier + $12.99 one-time Pro | $9.99 one-time |
| Free option | Scan everything + clean up to 2 GB | Trial scans but can’t delete |
| Interactive visual disk map | ||
| Folder-size browser | Space Lens | |
| Junk & cache cleanup | ||
| Duplicate file finder | ||
| Large & old file finder | Manually, via the map | |
| App uninstaller (removes leftovers) | Pro | |
| Developer cleanup (Xcode, node_modules…) | ||
| Files reviewed before deletion |
DaisyDisk pricing from the developer’s site; one licence covers up to five personal Macs.
The key differences
Exploring vs finding
DaisyDisk is the best way to see where space went: its sunburst map lets you drill into any folder. MacDiskCleaner instead searches for specific kinds of waste — duplicates, caches, old downloads, developer data — and lists them for you.
Cleaning
With DaisyDisk you collect items and delete them yourself. MacDiskCleaner suggests what is safe, marks anything risky as Review first, and moves everything to the Trash.
Free use
DaisyDisk’s trial can scan but not delete. MacDiskCleaner’s free tier scans everything and cleans up to 2 GB in total, with no time limit.
Which one should you choose?
MacDiskCleaner
Best if you want the app to find the waste for you — duplicates, junk, developer caches — and remove it safely.
DaisyDisk
Best if you enjoy exploring your disk visually and prefer to decide everything manually.
Frequently asked questions
What does DaisyDisk do differently?
DaisyDisk’s strength is its interactive sunburst map of your disk: you explore folders visually and delete manually. It doesn’t automatically search for duplicates, junk files or app leftovers.
Can I use both?
Sure. Some people explore storage with DaisyDisk and use MacDiskCleaner for automatic duplicate and junk detection plus safe, Trash-first removal.
Does MacDiskCleaner have a visual breakdown?
Yes: the Storage view shows usage by category and Space Lens lists folders by size so you can drill down. It isn’t a sunburst map like DaisyDisk’s.
Is DaisyDisk free?
DaisyDisk has a free trial that can scan your disk, but deleting files requires the $9.99 licence.
Let MacDiskCleaner find the waste for you
Free download — duplicates, junk and large files in one scan.
Version 1.1.2 · 4.8 MB · macOS 14 or later · Apple Silicon & Intel