Comparisons
CLEANUAI VS PEARCLEANER
Short answer
Pearcleaner is a free uninstaller with its code on GitHub. It finds app leftovers, including those of deleted apps, updates apps and moves what it deletes to the Trash. According to its README, development has basically stopped since the end of 2025. CleanUai does the same uninstall and update work and adds junk cleaning, a disk map, large files and a menu bar monitor, with active updates, for a one-time payment.
CleanUai and Pearcleaner, feature by feature
| Feature | CleanUai | Pearcleaner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | US$ 9.99 or R$ 34.90, once | Free, with donations |
| How you pay | Lifetime license, 1 Mac, with 1 year of new versions | Free; source-available (Apache 2.0 with Commons Clause) |
| Free trial | Yes · 7 days, all unlocked, no card; scanning free forever | Yes · Not needed: it’s free |
| App in Brazilian Portuguese | Yes | Not verified · “Portuguese” listed; variant not verified |
| Cleans junk and caches | Yes · System Junk | Not verified |
| Visual disk map | Yes · Space Lens | Not verified |
| Large and old files | Yes · Large & Old | Not verified |
| Uninstalls with leftovers | Yes · Uninstaller | Yes · Also from the Finder and the command line |
| Leftovers of deleted apps | Yes · Leftovers | Yes |
| Updates other apps | Yes · Sparkle, App Store and Homebrew | Yes · App Store, Homebrew and Sparkle |
| Menu bar monitor | Yes · CPU, memory, disk, network, battery | No |
| Malware scanning | No | No |
| Cleanup goes to the Trash | Yes · Always; delete for good only by holding | Yes · With an undo history; permanent delete is optional |
| Works without an account | Yes | Yes |
● yes · ◐ partly · ○ no · ? not verified. Prices are list prices in US dollars, without promotions.
Where Pearcleaner is better
- It’s free and the code is on GitHub.
- For Terminal users: it has a command line (
pear) and a Finder extension to uninstall with a right-click. - Automatic monitor: it can clean leftovers on its own when you drag an app to the Trash.
- Extra tools, like stripping unneeded architectures from universal apps.
- It runs on macOS 13 or later.
Where CleanUai is different
- Active development. Pearcleaner’s README says work on new features, fixes and releases is on hold indefinitely (the author says it isn’t abandoned entirely). CleanUai is sold with 1 year of new versions included.
- Cleaning beyond apps: system junk, Space Lens and large files.
- The menu bar with CPU, memory, disk, network and battery.
- Email support.
Which to choose
If you want a free uninstaller and like the command line, Pearcleaner. If you want one app to clean, see your disk, uninstall and update, with new versions coming, CleanUai.
Questions
Is Pearcleaner still updated?
According to the project’s README, development has basically stopped since the end of 2025, and new releases are on hold indefinitely. The author says it isn’t abandoned entirely.
Is Pearcleaner open source?
Its code is on GitHub under Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause, which forbids selling the app or modified versions. That’s why it’s called source-available.
Do both move files to the Trash?
Yes. Pearcleaner moves files to the Trash and keeps an undo history; deleting permanently is an option. In CleanUai, deleting for good needs a held button.
Sources
Prices and features checked on the official sites on October 29, 2026. Prices change: check each app’s site before you buy.
Pearcleaner is a trademark of alienator88. CleanUai is an independent app with no connection to alienator88, and this page is not sponsored or endorsed by them.
Other comparisons
Updated