BuhoCleaner Review: A Simple Yet Effective Mac Cleaning Utility
If your Mac is running low on storage space or feeling sluggish, BuhoCleaner aims to help. Developed by Dr. Buho, this all-in-one cleaner app scans your drive to identify old apps, large files, duplicates, and other items that could be cluttering up your computer. It then makes it easy to remove this digital debris in just a few clicks.
I put BuhoCleaner to the test to see how well it performs and if it‘s worth using. Here‘s what I found in this comprehensive review.
Installation and Setup
Getting started with BuhoCleaner is very straightforward:
- Download the installer file from the official website
- Drag the app icon to your Applications folder
- Launch BuhoCleaner from your Applications or using Spotlight
- Grant full disk access so it can scan system files
The first time you open BuhoCleaner, it prompts you to grant full disk access, which is necessary for it to do a thorough scan. Clicking "Grant Access" walks you through the steps automatically. The whole setup process only takes a minute or two.
Flash Scanning System Junk
The Flash Scan is BuhoCleaner‘s primary feature. It quickly analyzes your drive to find unnecessary system files, caches, logs, language packs, and other junk that can be safely removed.
In my testing, the Flash Scan took less than 20 seconds and found over 13 GB of system clutter on my MacBook Pro. The results are broken down by category, and you can drill down to see individual files before choosing what to clean. Removal is as simple as checking off the boxes and clicking "Clean."
I like that BuhoCleaner clearly explains what each category contains so you know exactly what you‘re removing. It also automatically excludes any items critical to core system functionality. The Flash Scan is safe, fast, and effective for freeing up gigabytes of space.
Removing Inefficient Apps
BuhoCleaner‘s App Uninstall feature helps you get rid of old, large, or unused apps completely. It scans your Applications folder and displays helpful info for each program:
- App size
- Date last opened
- Whether it launches at startup
- If it was downloaded from the App Store
You can then sort the list by size or age to zero in on apps that are hogging space or haven‘t been used in ages. Batch uninstallation removes the app and any associated files scattered around your drive.
While you can uninstall Mac apps without a dedicated tool, BuhoCleaner simplifies the process by doing all the scanning legwork for you. It‘s especially handy for finding rarely-used apps you may have forgotten about installing.
Eliminating Large and Old Files
Even if you keep your Applications folder tidy, individual large files could be taking up significant space on your startup disk. BuhoCleaner has a dedicated scanner that finds oversized files across all folders.
You can filter the scan for files over 100 MB, 500 MB, or 1 GB in size. It displays an easy-to-browse list with file names, sizes, types, and dates. Checking a box selects that file for removal.
For even more granular cleaning, you can have BuhoCleaner look for files that haven‘t been opened in the last year or more. This helps identify ancient downloads, archives, or media you likely don‘t need anymore.
The large and old file scanner is great for doing a periodic deep clean. It digs up all those sizable files hidden away in subfolders you normally wouldn‘t think to look in when you need to free up storage space. The scan itself is blazingly fast too – it took under 10 seconds to crawl my entire 256 GB drive.
Deduplicating Your Drive
Having multiple copies of the same files is a surefire way to waste valuable disk space. BuhoCleaner‘s Duplicates feature addresses this by scanning for identical files across all your folders.
You can search for duplicates in specific locations like your Desktop or Documents folder. Or do a full disk scan to find redundant files everywhere. BuhoCleaner looks for duplicate photos, videos, music, documents, and archives.
The scan results display all the duplicates it found grouped together. You can then choose which copy to keep and which one(s) to remove. There‘s also a separate section for "similar" files, which is handy for photos where you may have captured multiple shots of the same subject.
Running a similars scan on my entire drive took about 10 minutes but found over 8 GB of duplicate files and 2 GB of similar photos. Your mileage will vary depending on how many files you have, but BuhoCleaner does an excellent job of finding redundancies so you can reclaim space.
Tidying Up Login Items
Having too many programs automatically launch at startup can significantly slow down your Mac. BuhoCleaner‘s Startup Manager gives you a single place to view and disable login items and launch agents.
While you can manage login items from System Preferences, BuhoCleaner makes it a bit more convenient by putting everything in one window. Just uncheck any items you don‘t want loading when your Mac boots up.
The Startup Manager is a nice addition, although it‘s probably the least essential feature compared to the other scanners and cleaners. If your Mac takes forever to boot up, it‘s still worth taking a look to see what you can optimize.
BuhoCleaner‘s Tools & Utilities
In addition to its main cleaning features, BuhoCleaner comes with a versatile toolbox for other optimization and maintenance tasks:
Disk Space Analyzer
This gives you a visual breakdown of what‘s taking up room on your drive using an interactive disk map. Clicking on a large block displays the corresponding folder in the Finder. You can then browse through the files and delete unneeded items directly.
File Shredder
When you empty the Trash, files aren‘t gone for good. They can still be recovered using special software. BuhoCleaner‘s File Shredder lets you securely erase sensitive files so that they‘re impossible to retrieve after deletion.
Memory Cleaner
If your Mac is feeling sluggish, using the Memory Cleaner can provide a temporary performance boost by clearing out inactive RAM. In my testing, it freed up 5 GB of RAM that stayed available, letting me switch between apps faster.
Spotlight Reindexer
Occasionally, Spotlight can fail to find files you know exist or display incomplete results. If that happens, BuhoCleaner‘s Reindex feature forces Spotlight to rebuild its database, which should resolve any searching issues.
Flush DNS Cache
When you have internet connectivity issues like slow-loading websites or unresolved domain errors, flushing your DNS cache can help. BuhoCleaner makes it a one-click affair.
Overall, while most of these tools aren‘t unique to BuhoCleaner, having them all together in the app is incredibly convenient. They cover most of the maintenance bases and are thoughtfully implemented.
Pricing & Availability
One of the best things about BuhoCleaner is its pricing model. All of the features are available to use for free. The only limitation is you don‘t get automatic software updates or "premium" customer support.
If you want those perks, you can upgrade to BuhoCleaner Pro for a one-time fee of $19.99 (regularly $29.99). With Pro, you get new versions of the app as they‘re released and priority technical support should you need it.
I love that BuhoCleaner doesn‘t put any of its tools behind a paywall or limit your usage until you pay up. There‘s no subscription to deal with either. Even the paid Pro plan is a single, reasonable charge.
The only real downside is that BuhoCleaner is Mac-only. There‘s no equivalent Windows app from Dr. Buho at this time. But for Mac users, BuhoCleaner is a stellar deal.
Trustworthiness & Reputation
BuhoCleaner is a relatively new player in the Mac cleaner app space, so it doesn‘t have the established reputation of competitors like CCleaner or Clean My Mac. That said, in my extensive hands-on testing, I found no evidence of it being untrustworthy or malicious.
The developer, Dr. Buho, says it‘s committed to the values of "brave, unique, honest, and optimistic" software. All of BuhoCleaner‘s features worked as advertised without any scare tactics, false promises, or nagging upgrade prompts.
I didn‘t encounter any stability issues, crashes, or inadvertent file deletions either. The app was very transparent about what it found and what clicking "Clean" would remove.
Of course, you should always exercise caution with any "cleaner" app, especially from a new company. Read the terms, don‘t let it delete any files or folders you‘re unsure about, and back up your drive regularly.
From my experience, though, BuhoCleaner seems quite safe to use. Just be mindful about what you remove. When in doubt, hold off.
How It Compares
BuhoCleaner‘s closest competitors are other general purpose Mac cleaning apps. Here‘s a quick overview of how it stacks up:
BuhoCleaner vs. CCleaner
CCleaner is a popular cleaner utility for Mac and PC. It has a disk analyzer, app uninstaller, startup manager, and real-time monitoring. However, the free version is more limited than BuhoCleaner. CCleaner lacks a duplicate file scanner too.
BuhoCleaner vs. Clean My Mac X
Clean My Mac X is a powerful Mac cleaner packed with extra features like malware scanning, RAM optimization, and a full app updater. But it costs $35 per year, whereas all of BuhoCleaner‘s features are free.
BuhoCleaner vs. MacBooster
MacBooster is an all-in-one cleaner and antivirus app. While more comprehensive than BuhoCleaner, its UI is clunkier, some features are locked behind a paywall, and the yearly license is pricier at $60.
BuhoCleaner vs. DaisyDisk
If you just want a disk space analyzer, DaisyDisk is the best dedicated option. It creates interactive drive maps and makes it easy to find and delete large files. BuhoCleaner‘s analyzer isn‘t as advanced, but it‘s free and part of a larger toolkit.
Overall, BuhoCleaner compares favorably to other Mac cleaning suites. It covers all the maintenance essentials, is very affordable, and has a refreshingly simple interface. More advanced users may prefer apps with extra features like antivirus or a VPN. But for most Mac owners, BuhoCleaner is a great choice.
The Bottom Line
BuhoCleaner is a reliable digital toolbox for tidying up your Mac and reclaiming precious storage space. Its cleaners capably remove gigabytes of unneeded system files, apps, duplicates, oversized downloads, and more. All of the scans are swift yet thorough.
I appreciate that every feature is available for free. There are no limits on how often you can use each tool or how many files you can remove before having to pay. The Pro version is also an excellent value at just $20 for lifetime usage and updates.
While BuhoCleaner may not have all the flashy extras of its rivals, its core functionality is rock-solid. The app is safe, effective, and refreshingly easy to use. If you want to give your Mac a tune-up or just need to clear out some clutter, it‘s absolutely worth downloading.
The Pros
✔ Frees up gigabytes of drive space
✔ Finds large, old, and duplicate files across all folders
✔ Completely removes apps and leftover junk files
✔ Includes handy system maintenance tools
✔ Delightfully simple and easy to use interface
✔ Excellent value with all features available for free
The Cons
✘ No equivalent Windows version available
✘ Lacks malware scanning and some other power-user tools
✘ Relatively new with fewer independent lab tests
The Verdict
For anyone looking to spruce up a slow or nearly-full Mac, BuhoCleaner is a fantastic utility. It‘s swift, thorough, and makes it a breeze to clean up your computer. Unless you need features like antivirus scanning, you likely don‘t need any other maintenance app. And with all the tools available for free, it‘s a no-brainer to try out. Highly recommended!