DaisyDisk vs CleanMyMac: Which Is Better for Storage Space Cleanup on Mac?

13Jan

Given how expensive Apple’s storage upgrade plans are, it essentially pays to know what consumes storage space on your Mac. Though macOS ships with a built-in storage manager utility, it isn’t enough in many cases.

Fortunately, you can find some better third-party tools that help you analyze, manage, and clean up space on your Mac. DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac are two options you may have come across. Choosing one between these two, however, can be a bit confusing.

Fret not, though; we can help. We have used both these tools for a while, and here’s a comparison that can help you make the right choice.

Our Quick Suggestion

Choose DaisyDisk if:

You want an affordable tool to understand and visualize Mac storage usage.
You prefer granular control over disk scanning.
You are using a low-end or older Mac and want better performance efficiency.
You are comfortable with a short learning curve.

Choose CleanMyMac if:

You want an all-in-one maintenance and cleanup suite.
You value a highly polished, beginner-friendly interface.
You need bundled features such as malware protection.
You are willing to pay a higher subscription fee or a costly one-time license.

A Quick Overview

Let’s first cover the basics of DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac.

DaisyDisk: Visual Disk Space Analysis Tool

DaisyDisk is a dedicated utility that lets you understand what takes up your storage space and helps clean it up. According to the definitions, the app meets the description of disk space visualization and disk cleanup. Designed to offer transparency and user control, this utility is designed for advanced Mac users. It is available for Macs running macOS High Sierra or later. It works great on Intel and Apple Silicon-based Macs. For more details, read our full DaisyDisk review.

CleanMyMac: Automated Storage Cleanup Suite

CleanMyMac is an all-in-one Mac optimization tool that offers an assisted storage cleanup feature. Designed for convenience and automation, CleanMyMac’s Storage Cleanup utility enables you to categorize storage space consumption on your Mac and remove items you no longer need. Because this toolset is a part of the overall CleanMyMac package, you get some additional features. It is available for Macs running macOS 11+. To check out its full functions, read our full CleanMyMac review here.

Our Testing Methodology

We wanted to see how these tools work in real life. We ensured that we installed the latest versions of both DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac on our M2 MacBook Air, which runs the latest version of macOS Tahoe. As we use the device for testing, there’s no scarcity of apps or other elements that take up storage space.

We also had to take another call to ensure that it’s a fair comparison. While CleanMyMac is a comprehensive Mac optimization tool, DaisyDisk is tailor-made for storage visualization and cleaning. Therefore, we consider only the Space Lens and Cloud Cleanup utilities from CleanMyMac and compare them with DaisyDisk.

However, we have considered the overall package while discussing pricing and cost-to-value ratio.

Features Overview & Comparison

We shall now see how DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac perform in terms of core features.

Disk Scanning & Speed

Both tools offer impressive scanning speeds, but one is slightly better.

DaisyDisk keeps everything easy when it comes to disk scanning. It follows a more straightforward logic for scanning your internal or external drives. As a result, we found the scanning speeds to be more impressive than other disk scanning utilities.

The app took only 10 seconds to scan our 256GB SSD. It maintained the numbers great, even when we attempted to scan larger external drives. However, the exact scanning speed will also depend on how you’ve connected the drive.

DaisyDisk lets you scan cloud drives from the same interface. You also have the option to select folders for scanning. Once you choose a destination, it is pinned to the DaisyDisk window for quick access. We also loved the option for Administrator-level Scan, which checks the entire drive.

The CleanMyMac’s storage visualization tool, called Space Lens, is designed to thoroughly scan your drive and create an overall image of space consumption. As it also aims to categorize the storage consumers, CleanMyMac takes more time to complete scanning the internal drive.

CleanMyMac’s Space Lens took around 20 seconds to complete scanning the internal SSD. Although this time isn’t bad, we observed a noticeable lag during the scanning process. It happens because CleanMyMac also classifies the results.

Space Lens from CleanMyMac also lets you choose the destination using a Finder window. It does not retain the list of scanned folders, though. Similarly, you need to open another section to do cloud cleanup, but this section retains the accounts you have linked.

Data Visualization & Interaction

DaisyDisk utilizes a sunburst map method to represent how your storage space is utilized visually. However, you can also use the interactive list on the right side to navigate across the directory. Although we were using Sunburst for the first time, we found it easy to navigate.

The response time is also great; as we hover over a section, DaisyDisk changes the content on the right side. When you click on a folder/directory, you get a deeper picture of what is inside. We found this method of interaction pretty intuitive. It is a bonus that the Sunburst map provides an overview of each folder.

We must admit the slight learning curve here. You need time to understand how things work and utilize the Sunburst design to its fullest potential.

CleanMyMac employs a slightly different yet equally effective method to illustrate how your Mac utilizes storage space. It displays a list of folders/directories (along with their sizes) on the left side, while keeping the graphical interface on the right.

You can either click on the icon or double-click on a list entry to explore the contents of a directory. As you hover over an icon, CleanMyMac displays details such as the last modified date and file size. However, unlike DaisyDisk, you do not get an overview from the first page itself.

However, we found the icon-based approach a little more intuitive. Whenever dealing with a compatible file format, CleanMyMac previews it, which is a handy feature.

File Discovery & Granularity

There are noticeable differences in how DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac’s Space Lens deal with files. While both tools enable us to locate almost every file and folder on our Mac, the level of control differs due to the interface.

On DaisyDisk, you get a clear list of the files in a directory, including hidden files. You can move across many directories, and the app updates everything with ease. However, it loses points on granularity because it tends to group smaller objects.

Additionally, the advanced options available for individual files vary significantly. You can, however, preview the file or open it in Finder.

We liked the option on CleanMyMac Space Lens much better. In addition to previewing the files on the left side, CleanMyMac offers more info on the right side. You also get the option to get information about the file or folder you have selected.

Overall, we felt that CleanMyMac’s Space Lens offers more granular control.

Cleanup Methodology: Manual vs Assisted

Here’s what we feel about the cleanup process on DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac:

DaisyDisk offers a manual yet assisted method for cleanup. The app does not make decisions on your behalf. Instead, you get to decide what goes to the Trash. You can either use a keyboard shortcut to select a file or drag and drop it to the side. Pro users would find this option impressive.

Although there is a risk of accidentally deleting files, DaisyDisk intelligently hides sensitive files to prevent this situation. The interface works like a bag where you keep everything you need to delete. In the end, you can erase all of it.

CleanMyMac Space Lens also offers similar options for cleaning up files. You can select all the files you want to remove from your Mac. This collection retains the entries even when you move between directories. Ultimately, you can use the Review and Remove button to delete the files permanently.

We liked the additional Review layer, as it significantly reduces the chances of accidental deletions. It is also impressive that Space Lens does not even let you select a sensitive file in the first place.

Overall, CleanMyMac Space Lens appears to be the safer option for beginners. However, if you value control and professional access, DaisyDisk is a better choice.

Cloud Cleaning

Both DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac offer Cloud Cleaning features. These features allow you to connect to cloud storage services and analyze space consumption. We tested this feature using our Google Drive account to identify what was consuming all the storage space.

On both DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac, you get the same set of file management and sorting features that you find for local drives. You can connect your Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or iCloud account to either of the tools. Once you have given the necessary permissions, the apps will scan your drive for files.

Even though deletion works almost instantly, you should be careful, as previews aren’t available on either. It is also worth noting that CleanMyMac lets you access locally synced folders, making the process somewhat easier. We were unable to find this option on DaisyDisk.

Usability & Experience

DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac ship with reliable UI designs. However, the User Experience and learning curve may vary based on your individual circumstances.

DaisyDisk boasts a modern, minimalist user interface design, utilizing the Sunburst map to display all content in a circular layout. Therefore, since it is designed for manual exploration and decision-making, the layout is highly interactive. However, we can’t deny that you need some time to get used to the design. We also found that the responsiveness of the design is pretty incredible. The learning curve here is real, but this is nothing to worry about.

CleanMyMac also features a simplified and modern user interface for the Space Lens utility. The bubble-based infrastructure makes it easy to navigate across directories and everything. Because this is a general-purpose maintenance suite, the developers have integrated a more advanced navigation system, thanks to checkboxes, selections, and panes. The interactivity is also impressive, and you have animated effects to assist you throughout the selection process.

Overall, you’d want to go for DaisyDisk for pro-level control. On the other hand, CleanMyMac is a suitable pick for general-purpose needs.

Safety, Permissions & macOS Compliance

We noticed a tie while comparing DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac in terms of safety and security.

Both applications required full disk access permissions to locate and clean hidden space throughout the Mac. Similarly, both applications are notarized by Apple, and you can get an App Store version if available.

Then, as we mentioned earlier, both DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac employ measures to prevent accidental deletion. In some cases, it prevents the system from executing the deletion; however, CleanMyMac takes it a step further by not allowing you to select sensitive information in the first place.

The difference would be how background processes are handled. In the case of DaisyDisk, you don’t have to worry about any background process because everything is on demand and happens only when you execute the scan. However, in the case of Space Lens by CleanMyMac, some elements will run in the background.

Performance & Practical Impact

With DaisyDisk, the app’s performance is quite impressive, and its intuitive design makes it easy to navigate directories and files once you become familiar with it. We observed minimal impact on system performance and background activity, even when a scan is in progress. It is made possible because it uses a simple logic for search. If you have a Mac with multiple applications already running, you may want to consider DaisyDisk, as it also has a minimal system footprint.

Space Lens by CleanMyMac, on the other hand, takes a toll on your Mac’s performance, especially if you plan to use multiple local drives. We also noticed a significant impact on multitasking when the window was open, and we were navigating. This occurs due to the graphics-heavy interface of the app and the algorithm it uses for classifying search results and navigation. This is not to say that the CleanMyMac option is not viable, but you may want to use it moderately when using it on a Mac with limited resources.

Pricing & Value

There are noticeable differences between DaisyDisk and CleanMyMac in terms of pricing.

DaisyDisk offers a one-time purchase option that costs $9.99. This version allows you to run the app on up to five Macs and also includes minor updates. The developer offers a limited-functionality free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee with every purchase. Considering the amount of time and effort you can save, we find the pricing plan to be reasonable.

CleanMyMac offers two purchase options. One, a subscription plan that costs $5.45 per month when billed annually. Two, a one-time payment of $195.95. Neither option is cheap, but you get a fantastic bundle of features, including malware protection, performance boost, duplicate remover, update manager, junk cleanup, and Mac health monitoring.

In other words, DaisyDisk is a lightweight one‑time purchase focused on storage insight, whereas CleanMyMac is a premium, full‑suite investment that only makes sense if you will use its broader toolkit.

TheSweetBits Verdict

After several weeks of testing and analysis, here’s what we feel about both options.

You should consider DaisyDisk if you are looking for a low-cost utility that helps you understand how your Mac’s storage space is being used. It features an intuitive design that may take a few days to master, but once you do, it provides extensive control over how you scan your drives. This is also a better choice in terms of performance and is more suitable for low-end Macs.

We believe CleanMyMac is a better choice when you need access to a larger suite of utilities and a polished user interface. You will have a variety of options, including malware protection and other features through the bundle, but you will pay significantly more each month. The expensive one-time purchase plan could also be a drawback.

See also

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DaisyDisk vs CleanMyMac: Which Is Better for Storage Space Cleanup on Mac?

Our Quick Suggestion

A Quick Overview

Our Testing Methodology