CleanMyMac against MacKeeper, with both prices checked
Two subscription suites aimed at the same person. What each includes, what they cost, and the free alternatives for each part.
These two are the products most people are choosing between, and they are more similar than either would like. Both are subscription suites bundling cleanup with security features, and the honest comparison starts by separating the bundle.
What each one bundles
| Feature | CleanMyMac | MacKeeper | Free alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junk and cache cleaning | Yes | Yes | A du command, or a disk map |
| App uninstaller | Yes | Yes | AppCleaner |
| Malware scanning | Yes | Yes | XProtect, built into macOS |
| Duplicate finder | Yes | Yes | shasum, or Photos duplicates |
| VPN | No | Yes | A standalone VPN |
| Performance monitoring | Yes | Partly | Activity Monitor |
The difference that matters
MacKeeper leans further into security and includes a VPN, which is a meaningful part of its price. CleanMyMac leans further into maintenance and presentation. If you want a VPN you should price it against VPN subscriptions rather than against cleaners, and if you do not, you are paying for it either way.
What neither can do
Neither makes a Mac faster in any way that a Mac with reasonable free space would notice, and neither creates space that is not there. What they do is find the same folders a free tool finds and remove them with a nicer interface and more confidence than the evidence supports.
When a subscription is reasonable
- You want one interface for uninstalling, cleaning and scanning, and you value not thinking about it.
- You genuinely want a malware scanner and would otherwise buy one.
- You are supporting a family member's Mac remotely and want something they can run.
- The VPN in the bundle replaces one you already pay for.
When it is not
If your problem is a full disk, the money is better spent on an external drive, and the free routes cover the finding. The order to free 100 GB is what either product is doing behind its progress bars, and are Mac cleaner apps safe covers the claims to be sceptical of in both.
Common questions
Which is better, CleanMyMac or MacKeeper?
They bundle nearly the same features, so the deciding factor is whether you want the VPN MacKeeper includes and how each interface suits you. Both find the same folders a free tool finds.
How much do they cost?
MacKeeper was $71.40 a year for one Mac, $89.40 for three, or $10.95 monthly, checked in September 2026. CleanMyMac's pricing varies by region and offer, so check the current page in your own currency.
Do either of them make a Mac faster?
Not meaningfully. Freeing disk space only affects speed when a drive was almost full. Both are storage and maintenance tools regardless of how the marketing frames it.
Is there a free alternative to both?
For each part, yes: AppCleaner for uninstalling, built in XProtect for malware, a du command or a disk map for finding space, and Photos' own duplicates album for images.