CleanMyMac X Review 2024: Make Your Mac Like New

If you’re an Apple user looking for a product specific to your Mac, CleanMyMac X has some benefits and drawbacks you may want to consider. MacPaw’s CleanMyMac X includes plenty of tools to keep your Mac in tip-top shape, but it's not the best antivirus software we've seen. Not only do you get a malware removal tool, but you also get optimization tools, a file shredder, a mail attachment remover, and more. 

We should note that CleanMyMac X is specifically designed for macOS, so it doesn’t have an iOS app and doesn’t work on PC. Overall, we like CleanMyMac X for a few reasons, but we also have some criticisms. Please read this before you buy; some features and functions may not be what you're looking for in an antivirus.

Pros and cons

CleanMyMac X overview

Price	$39.95-$127.95/yr
Free plan	Yes, or 7-day free trial for paid version
# of devices protected	1, 2, or 5 Macs
Malware scans	Manual
Real-time malware protection	Yes
Junk cleaner	Yes
Drive space visualizer	Yes
Device optimization	Yes
Browser history eraser	Yes
EICAR test results	Fail
Compatibility	macOS
Extras	File shredder, device optimization tools
24/7 Customer support	No
Learn more	Get CleanMyMac X

Our Experience

We tested CleanMyMac X on our Macbook Air M1, running Big Sur 11.3. We tested all the features to see how they worked and what they could do for our machine. Admittedly, CleanMyMac X did seem to make our device run faster, and there was no lag, even with numerous browser tabs open.

The Smart Scan and Malware Removal scans were fast, but we can’t verify how many files either one checked because it didn’t show us those details at the end of the scan. CleanMyMac X simply let us know our Mac was free of possible vulnerabilities.

However, it shows how many files have been scanned the entire time you’ve used the product. Ours totaled over a million files within two days.

The optimization tools are useful when you want to improve your Mac’s performance. We flushed our DNS cache, as this can clear IP addresses and records, improving online security and internet connectivity.

We were a bit bummed when running the EICAR test, as CleanMyMac X didn’t flag the test file as malware. We ran two malware scans to be sure, but neither detected potential issues.

On the plus side, none of the features were difficult to use. The CleanMyMac X interface is incredibly intuitive and fun to explore.

Who is it best for?

• Recommended for Mac users who want software designed for their device that also includes extra tools to optimize macOS efficiency

While CleanMyMac X is missing a few standard features you’d normally find in an antivirus, like scheduled scanning and dark web monitoring, it packs a powerful punch for many Apple enthusiasts.

If you’ve ever joined the Mac versus Windows debate, you know more antivirus products are built for PC use. Thankfully, CleanMyMac X evens things out with a full lineup of malware removal, cleanup, and speed-optimizing features that help free up your disk space and make your Mac run more efficiently. MacPaw even claims the software works so well that your Mac will work like new.

CleanMyMac X looks deep into your machine to find files that stayed behind without you knowing. For less than $40 per year, the performance boost is worth it to many Mac users. The accompanying Mac cleaning tools and malware removal are the icing on the cake.

Pricing

CleanMyMac X offers two paid versions of its antivirus. You can purchase an annual plan or the product at a one-time purchase price. However, you'll have to pay for any significant upgrades.

The yearly plan costs $39.95/yr and covers one Mac, which is cheap compared to MacKeeper, another Mac-specific antivirus. There's also the option to cover multiple devices with annual or one-time pricing, including two or five Macs.

Features

CleanMyMac X isn’t just another antivirus program; it’s an enhancement package for your Mac. With features like real-time protection, junk cleaner, and Space Lens, you get many options you might not find with other products.

Let’s look at how CleanMyMac X’s features can help your Mac run better.

Malware and antivirus scan

When you look at the CleanMyMac X interface, you’ll see the Smart Scan option in the upper left corner. We expected to find quick and deep scan options, but this program seems to work a bit differently.

The Smart Scan is where the magic happens. You’ll watch as it flies through your files, looking for anything suspicious.

It’s also considered the starting point for optimizing your Mac. When you run a Smart Scan, you’ll get a list of files that could be unnecessary junk or, worse, malware. The malware scan looks at potential threats and suggests optimization tasks to increase your device speed, like emptying the trash bin.

The Malware Removal feature is the deep scan that checks every nook and cranny, looking for bugs that may be hiding. The best antivirus software scans the entire machine to ensure your device is clean, and CleanMyMac X found remnants of old EICAR testing on our system that we didn't realize was still there. 

We would’ve liked to have seen a scheduled scan option because it helps to keep everything on track, but we guess you can’t have it all.

Real-time protection

If you want a real-time monitor, download the software from the MacPaw store. Different versions of CleanMyMac X are available on the App Store and Setapp as well, but these versions may differ slightly due to Apple not permitting some features.

The real-time protection looks for adware and may reduce the number of pop-ups you see. Our real-time monitor ran in the background while we tested CleanMyMac X, but it didn't work to stop EICAR files when tested. It failed every single time. 

While the scans caught things other antivirus programs didn't, we didn't love how poorly the real-time protection performed. Since there CleanMyMac X doesn't come with the ability to schedule scans, you'll need to be diligent about running regular scans to catch malware.

We liked the dashboard that shows when you click the CleanMyMac X icon at the top-right corner of your desktop. It tells you when the malware database was last updated and allows you to check for newer updates.

Ransomware Protection

While we were disappointed with the lack of scheduled scans and the real-time protection, which didn't seem to work well, the ransomware protection is useful. It caught pieces of old EICAR tests that were still on our system from other antiviruses we've tested. 

This surprised us considering it failed its own EICAR tests. What this means for you is that CleanMyMac X may not stop viruses and malware in real-time, but it will be able to clean them from your system if they make their way there. 

Junk cleaner

CleanMyMac X comes with cleanup tools that can make your Mac pristine by removing junk files, cache files, and even large and old files.

• System Junk: This tool removes temporary files and broken items that you may not know were left behind. You can also search for and remove duplicate files with CleanMyMac X using the System Junk tool.
• Mail Attachments: This program cleans up the local copies of your email attachments and downloads (it removes any images stored on your device from emails).
• Trash Bins: If you’re like us, you probably moved items to the Trash and then forgot to empty them, like a teenager who forgot to take the garbage out after dinner. This tool scans and removes those unwanted items still hanging around.

Drive space visualization

One of the most interesting aspects of CleanMyMac X is the hard drive space visualization tool, Space Lens. This feature takes a microscopic view of your storage space and builds a detailed map for you to explore.

Doing this makes cleaning easier because it gives you a visual representation of your folders and files. If you want to know what clutters your drive and needs cleaning, this is your tool to help create more space.

Device optimization

One of the more prominent selling points for the CleanMyMac X software is how much you can do with device optimization. Sometimes, we have so much weighing down our Macs that we aren’t aware of, and some housekeeping can make a huge difference in how smoothly your device runs.

Free up RAM

If you wonder what’s taking up so much space on your Mac, you can free up your RAM using the Maintenance feature.

You can also click on Optimization to show any heavy consumers maxing out your CPU. Alternatively, if you open the CleanMyMac X menu from the top of your Mac screen, you can also view the Memory sections and select Free Up to see what’s using the most memory.

Uninstall apps

You'll see the Uninstaller option under the Applications section of the CleanMyMac X dashboard. When you use this feature, the program shows you all the applications installed on your Mac, displays how much space they occupy on your device, and lets you choose any apps you want to uninstall.

You may wonder why you need this feature when you can always move an app to the trash bin. Well, you might not realize that when you move something to the Trash, remnants of the file are often left in your library. CleanMyMac X found several of these remnants on our system and cleaned them for us.

It’s not only time-consuming to clean these remnants manually, but if you forget to look in any area, part of the app is still there, taking up space. CleanMyMac X removes the entire application for you.

Automatic app updater

Updating your apps can be a headache sometimes because you may not get all of them from the same place. For example, the App Store is the location for many Mac apps, but you can also download applications directly from websites.

Updating apps means remembering to go to the vendor or App Store to check for updates. CleanMyMac X removes this hassle.

You simply click on the Updater option to see the apps that need to be updated. Click the Update button, and you’ll have the latest version of your apps in no time.

Browser history eraser

The Privacy tool scans your browsing history and chat data and allows you to delete browser cookies, messenger chats, and browser history.

This is an essential tool because most browsers keep a trail of your searches and leave cookies on your device. These small files take up room and help inform advertisers and marketing companies about your browsing preferences.

Clearing your browser history, cookies, and cache regularly is good practice for leaving fewer online footprints and freeing up space. If you don’t want to clear cookies manually, CleanMyMac X’s Privacy tool saves time.

Antivirus test results

CleanMyMac X has no published third-party results available, but that doesn’t mean the performance enhancement software isn’t good. We found the real-time scanning lacking, but the malware detection and removal on the deep scan were thorough.

Antivirus companies must pay for independent testing, so some may forego it. To see how good CleanMyMac X is at detecting and removing malware, we ran tests using European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR) test files. These aren’t malicious files but were designed to be detected as malware by antivirus products so you can test the software's functionality.

We could open the file under the Text Editor application when we downloaded it. We ran the malware scan twice, but CleanMyMac X didn’t flag it.

CleanMyMac X test results

We review every antivirus program in three testing categories:

• Scan speeds: Measure duration of scans and if they impact device performance
  
• EICAR tests: Use cyberthreat test files to confirm the program's efficacy
  
• Third-party tests: Review antivirus test results to check the program's claims
  

The scan speeds were fast and didn't slow down our computer at all. CleanMyMac X failed all three EICAR tests and has no third-party testing. However, it efficiently cleaned our Mac and executed performance optimization features.

EICAR Test Results

Test	Clean Master score
Malware detection	Fail
Drive-by malware downloads	Fail
Phishing pages detection	Fail

Compatibility

CleanMyMac X is one of the few antivirus programs made for macOS only. If you use macOS 10.13 or higher, you’re fully supported and compatible with CleanMyMac X.

The following systems can run the new version of CleanMyMac X:

• Sonoma (14)
• Ventura (13)
• Monterey (12)
• Big Sur (11)
• Catalina (10.5)
• Mojave (10.14)
• High Sierra (10.13)

The following systems can only support earlier versions of CleanMyMac X:

• Sierra (10.12)
• Capitan (10.11)
• Yosemite (10.10)

Customer support

There's a support center on the MacPaw website where you can select the CleanMyMac X product and choose from the help options. This includes a Knowledge Base with a library of resources to check for assistance with an issue. You also have the MacPaw 24/7 Customer Care Live Chat feature if you need more help.

Top Alternatives

CleanMyMac X FAQs

Bottom line: Is CleanMyMac X good?

CleanMyMac X has some definite benefits for Mac users and some significant drawbacks.

You can optimize your device by freeing up RAM, uninstalling apps, and updating applications. Space Lens also adds a great visualization tool, so you can see a map of what folders are used for your Mac’s valuable real estate. Unfortunately, you'll need to be diligent about running scans as the real-time protection isn't robust, and there are no scheduled scan options.

For those features, CleanMyMac X is excellent. But if you need an antivirus that you can customize to schedule scans and catch the latest malware, we can’t promise you’ll be in the best hands with this pick. CleanMyMac X lacks third-party test results and failed our in-house test. So we recommend you look at our best antivirus software guide for alternatives.