CleanMyMac alternatives: 4 open-source picks
CleanMyMac costs $3.33/mo — $39.96 a year. These 4 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Mole, Stirling PDF and Flameshot. All 4 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
CleanMyMac in a terminal; previews, history, and zero pretty gauges.
Web app with 50+ PDF operations — merge, split, sign, OCR, redact — all processed locally on your server.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Powerful cross-platform screenshot tool with annotations and pin-to-screen.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
AirDrop for every device — share files across platforms in the browser, peer-to-peer.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Stirling PDF · Flameshot · PairDrop
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
PearcleanerPopular answer, but development is on hold indefinitely and the Commons Clause is not open source.
how to choose a CleanMyMac alternative
Easiest to get running
Mole — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Mole, with 61,646 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 4, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
what you give up by leaving CleanMyMac
- OS-specific cleanup knowledge, malware scanning, updater integrations, and support
- years of OS-version edge cases
- large extension ecosystem
- cross-device sync
- commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
CleanMyMac alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mole | open source | one-click install | macos, cli | 61,646 | 2026-08 |
| Stirling PDF | MIT | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 60,000 | 2026-08 |
| Flameshot | GPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 27,000 | 2026-08 |
| PairDrop | GPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 6,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for CleanMyMac
People still pay for CleanMyMac because small utilities are technically reproducible, but customers pay for polish and immediate fixes when an OS update breaks a daily habit. The recurring cost buys permissions, accessibility APIs, sandboxing, signing, notarization, OS regressions, updates, backups, and support, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $39.96 a year.
questions about switching from CleanMyMac
Is there an open-source alternative to CleanMyMac?
Yes: Mole, Stirling PDF, Flameshot and 1 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace CleanMyMac?
Our verdict is YES. Mole (62k stars), Stirling PDF (60k stars), Flameshot (27k stars) are mature open-source replacements for CleanMyMac — self-host in one command and stop paying $3.33/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/cleanmymac.
What is the easiest open-source CleanMyMac alternative to set up?
Mole — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source CleanMyMac alternative?
By GitHub stars, Mole (61,646). Stirling PDF is next with 60,000.
