iMobie MacClean 3 Review: Optimize Your Mac‘s Storage and Security

For many Mac users, disk space is a precious commodity. Modern MacBooks start at just 256GB of storage, while older models may have even less. Factor in your apps, media library, and downloads, and your drive can fill up fast. That‘s a problem, because insufficient free space can slow down your Mac and make it harder to work with large files.

That‘s where a Mac cleanup app like MacClean 3 comes in. MacClean promises to reclaim gigabytes of lost disk space by removing junk files and unnecessary data that accumulates over time. But just how much space can you really expect to save with MacClean‘s cleanup tools? I put the app to the test to find out.

Why Disk Space Matters for Mac Performance

Before we dive into the testing, it‘s important to understand why freeing up disk space can benefit your Mac. Of course, more available storage means you can keep more files, install more apps, and avoid those pesky "startup disk full" errors. But it goes beyond that.

When a Mac‘s drive gets too full, it can slow down the entire system. MacOS needs some open space to function optimally – Apple recommends keeping a minimum of 10% of your total storage free. When space gets tight, your Mac has to work harder to read, write, and cache files.

Additionally, Macs use available disk space to support virtual memory. When physical RAM fills up, the computer can temporarily store data it‘s not actively using on the hard drive. Less free space means less virtual memory capacity, which can impact performance.

Testing MacClean‘s Disk Cleaning Features

With the importance of adequate disk space established, I set out to see how much storage I could liberate using MacClean 3. I tested the app‘s main cleanup features on my MacBook Air with a 128GB SSD. Prior to testing, my Mac had 42GB of free space remaining.

System Junk

MacClean‘s System Junk scan is designed to remove unnecessary temporary files that MacOS and installed apps create during normal usage. These junk files can include caches, logs, broken app data, and incomplete downloads.

After a 2-minute scan, MacClean found 14.8GB of removable system junk on my machine – a substantial amount. The majority came from my user cache (8.5GB) and app leftover junk from uninstalled programs (5.1GB). Hitting Clean removed the files almost instantly, bumping my free space up to 56.8GB. An impressive first result.

Internet Junk

Internet Junk targets your web browsing traces across all installed browsers, including histories, caches, and cookies. Cleaning this data can protect your privacy and recoup some storage, but don‘t expect huge gains compared to System Junk.

MacClean discovered 1.43GB of Internet Junk that could be safely deleted on my Mac, mostly from browser caches. After reviewing the scan details and confirming I didn‘t need to keep any cookies, cleaning took just seconds. Down to 58.23GB free.

Old & Large Files

Over time, it‘s easy to accumulate a collection of large and old files you no longer need. MacClean‘s Old & Large File Scan helps identify these space hogs based on your specifications, like files over 100MB or 1 year old.

Unfortunately, this feature didn‘t work as reliably as others in my testing. While it found some sizable old DMG installers and archives, it missed a 9GB Evernote export, several old video projects, and uncompressed WAV music files that were definitely over 100MB and 1+ year old.

After double-checking the scan settings, I concluded MacClean‘s old/large file scanner simply doesn‘t look at all file types. Examining my Mac manually revealed an additional 12GB of expendable large and old files. Room for improvement on this feature.

App Uninstaller

When you drag a program to the Trash to uninstall it, it can leave behind associated files scattered across your drive. MacClean‘s App Uninstaller performs a complete removal and cleanup.

Using it to uninstall a few old apps I no longer needed, like a 2GB game and a 500MB graphics program, saved me another 4.5GB. Not a huge amount, but worthwhile for larger programs. The uninstall process was straightforward.

Other Cleanup Tools

MacClean includes some additional tools that can help salvage more space in specific situations:

• Language File Cleanup: Removes unneeded language localizations from apps. Saved me 980MB.
• iOS Backup Cleanup: Deletes obsolete iPhone/iPad backups in iTunes. Found 16GB of old backups for devices I no longer own.
• Binary Junk Removal: Slims some apps by removing code for incompatible Macs. Only saved 70MB on my machine.

MacClean vs. Other Mac Cleaners

To put MacClean‘s disk cleaning results into context, I compared its performance to two other popular Mac utilities: CCleaner and CleanMyMac X.

Using each app‘s equivalent features to MacClean‘s main tools, here‘s how much space they were able to save:

MacClean held its own for clearing system and internet junk, surpassing CCleaner and nearly matching CleanMyMac X. However, CleanMyMac X was more thorough for finding removable large and old files.

Across the three apps, MacClean sits in a good middle ground – not quite as comprehensive as the pricier CleanMyMac, but more effective than the free version of CCleaner.

What Others Say About MacClean‘s Cleaning

Of course, my MacClean experience is just one data point. Here‘s what some other MacClean reviews had to say about its disk cleaning effectiveness:

"In testing, it managed to claw back almost 20GB of drive space, thanks in the main to 15GB of system junk and 1.5GB of browser data spread across Safari, Chrome and Firefox." – TechRadar Pro

"I was able to salvage more than 40GB of storage from my Mac, and most of it is from System Junk and Photo Junks." – iGeeksBlog

"MacClean was able to free an additional 1.7GB on top of what the Mac‘s built-in tool did, bringing the total of wasted space to 6.43GB on my MacBook Pro." – MacWorld

The consensus seems to be that MacClean delivers respectable disk space savings for most users, primarily through clearing out system-level junk that can accumulate significantly over time.

Is MacClean‘s Disk Cleaning Worth the Price?

So the big question: is MacClean 3 worth its cost to free up disk space on your Mac? Let‘s break it down:

• MacClean 3 licenses start at $19.99/year for a single Mac, or you can opt for a $29.99 lifetime license. Multi-Mac family/business plans are also available.
• In my experience, MacClean was able to instantly clear over 23GB of junk files, plus an additional 20GB with some manual effort. That‘s a considerable amount of storage for a 128GB drive.
• If you opted for a Mac with a higher capacity SSD or use an external drive, MacClean‘s value will depend on how badly you need the space it saves.

MacClean is best suited for users with limited internal storage who want to postpone upgrading their SSD or buying an external drive. If a MacClean license costs less than a storage upgrade and you don‘t mind regularly running cleanups, it‘s a worthwhile investment.

On the other hand, if you have ample available storage and your Mac is running smoothly, MacClean is more of a luxury than necessity. You‘re paying for the convenience of automatic cleaning and some extra privacy.

It‘s also worth considering that some of MacClean‘s functionality can be replicated by free methods and Apple‘s built-in storage tools, they just require more time and technical comfort.

Overall, my judgment is that MacClean‘s disk cleaning power justifies its price for specific users:

• Those with small, nearly-full startup disks
• Users who want to avoid manual cleaning and optimization
• People who value the privacy benefits of removing traces of activity
• Those who want a one-stop solution for disk cleaning and protection

If you fall into one of those camps, spending $20-$30 on MacClean is sensible. For everyone else, it‘s an optional extra if you value its convenience and bundled security features.

The Bottom Line

After thoroughly testing and evaluating MacClean 3, it‘s clear the app delivers on its promise of recovering significant disk space. It instantly freed up over 23GB on my MacBook Air‘s 128GB drive by clearing out unnecessary system, internet, and app-related junk.

Some tools, like the Old & Large File scanner, could be more comprehensive. And users who are less technically savvy may find the app‘s array of features overwhelming. But for its core purpose of disk cleaning, MacClean gets the job done.

For users with limited SSD storage or who simply want to keep their Mac clutter-free without manual effort, MacClean is a worthwhile investment at its reasonable $20-$30 price point. More advanced users and those with ample free space may find it inessential, but there‘s no denying MacClean can help make the most of your available storage.

If you‘re battling a bloated hard drive or just want to optimize your disk, MacClean 3 is a compelling option to help reclaim those valuable gigabytes.