CCleaner review (2026)

If you’ve been using the same computer for a while, chances are you’ve noticed it slowing down. This slowdown is a common issue caused by digital clutter: temporary files, leftover data, and system bloat that accumulate over time. To fix this problem, you’ll need a tool to clean up the accumulated junk – and that’s where CCleaner comes into play.

With over 5 million desktop installs weekly, CCleaner is one of the most popular system cleaners on the market. It efficiently cleans up junk files, improves computer performance, and simultaneously boosts online privacy. CCleaner has been the go-to system cleaning tool for computer users since 2004, but now there are many newer alternatives on the market. This raises a valid question: is CCleaner still worth your time in (2026)?

In this CCleaner review, I collaborated with the Cybernews research team to dive deep into the CCleaner product. This is a comprehensive look at its features, performance, ease of use, pricing, and more to help you decide if it’s still the right tool for your needs today.

CCleaner at a glance

⭐ Rating:	4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
💵 Price:	From $29.95/year
✂️ Free version:	Yes
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, Mac, Android

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CCleaner pros & cons

Our methodology

In this CCleaner review, the Cybernews team and I took a lot of time to exhaustively research the product. Here’s a breakdown of the methodology used for testing this tool and the criteria prioritized to ensure you get a balanced and accurate recommendation:

• Junk removal (30%). I scoured through multiple review platforms to clearly determine CCleaner’s junk removal capacity. In particular, I placed significant weight on CCleaner’s ability to detect and remove unnecessary files. This included evaluating its scanning accuracy, completeness of cleanup, and the speed of the process. I also assessed whether CCleaner provides users with detailed and insightful cleaning reports.
• Number of drivers (15%). Outdated drivers usually slow down system performance and even cause certain features to malfunction. As such, I reviewed CCleaner’s ability to detect and update outdated drivers, with a focus on how many drivers it can update at a time. I also assessed the effectiveness of the implemented updates on resolving system performance issues.
• Additional features (20%). A lot of system junk removal tools on the market offer a lot more than core cleaning functions. So in evaluating CCleaner for use in (2026), it was important to see if it does as well. I prioritized checking for useful features like privacy protection tools, scheduled cleaning, and real-time monitoring. I also checked for operating system compatibility.
• Boot delta (20%). The ultimate proof of whether a system cleaner works or not is in its impact on boot time. With this in mind, I compared changes in boot delta before and after using CCleaner to determine its contribution to system performance optimization.
• Ease of use (15%). A good system cleaner should be efficient and easy to use. So I tested CCleaner to determine how easy it is to use and see if users will have problems navigating the app.

What is CCleaner?

CCleaner is utility software that focuses on system performance enhancement and user privacy. The software achieves this by helping users clear out junk files, remove broken shortcuts, and eliminate other clutter that may have accumulated over time. This, in turn, leads to better storage optimization, thereby improving computer performance.

CCleaner has been around since 2004 and has amassed over 2.5 billion downloads globally. The app was originally developed by Piriform Software, which was later acquired by Avast, and then by NortonLifeLock. CCleaner is very popular among computer users because it is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. It also offers useful features like in-app automatic system updates, privacy protection, and a disk analyzer.

How does it work?

CCleaner comes with several performance-optimizing features like clean clutter, uninstall apps, analyze photos, and more. All of these specific features are displayed on the app's dashboard. So all users have to do is simply launch the app, select the particular cleaning process they want to run, and then initiate it. It’s simple and direct for users.

Is CCleaner safe?

Yes, CCleaner is safe. That said, CCleaner has battled several security concerns since its acquisition by Avast. First up, a backdoor 2017 attack compromised software installed on 32-bit Windows systems, and an estimated 2.27 million machines were affected by the attack.

Then, in 2019, Avast revealed that malicious actors breached its network and were likely planning to target CCleaner in a supply chain attack but were foiled. Here, the hacker used stolen credentials to gain admin privileges but was unsuccessful at pushing out a malicious release.

To Avast’s credit, it was quick to react. The Czech cybersecurity company halted upcoming CCleaner releases and checked prior releases for malicious alterations. Additionally, it also disabled and reset all internal user credentials.

After all, as of 2023, there has been no report about recent cyberattacks on CCleaner or any further security issues that you should be aware of. And now it offers a decent amount of advanced security features to improve your device’s performance.

Nevertheless, a device cleaner itself won’t make a huge difference in your safety and adding an extra layer of security, like a reputable antivirus, can noticeably improve your online experience.

CCleaner features

CCleaner has a number of interesting features to offer. However, during my research, I noticed that most of its best features are locked behind the Professional and Professional Plus plans. While this isn’t entirely surprising, it does mean that if you intend on using the free version, what you will be able to do with it is significantly limited. That said, here’s an overview of CCleaner’s core features:

Faster Computer

One of the first things I tried was the system cleanup and optimization tool. I like the fact that you can use this feature to easily detect and clean out unused files, settings, and even update out-of-date drivers. This feature saves you a lot of time since you don’t have to start searching for the inefficiencies manually. Additionally, you’re also able to free up resources without deleting anything crucial that could damage your device.

That said, most of its functionality, including driver updates and app hibernation, isn’t available on the free plan. This means you may have to pay for the Professional or Professional Plus plan to access them.

PC Health Check

Many computer users tend to overlook system updates often. However, this practice is dangerous because it increases the risk of computer virus or malware infection and system compromise. The good thing is that the PC Health Check feature takes care of that automatically. It runs a scan and then gives you a simplified summary with recommendations related to privacy, performance, and security.

I like the fact that the search results are easy to understand. They are also quite comprehensive, so you’ll get the full picture plus guided recommendations. However, I found that you will actually need features behind the paid plan paywall to carry out a lot of the recommended fixes. So the PC Health Check scan on the free version feels more like a teaser.

Privacy protection

It’s a good thing that CCleaner offers a Privacy Protection feature. When this feature is active, it prevents unauthorized third parties from collecting information about you. I discovered that the feature works by cleaning out tracking files and browser data across multiple browsers.

That said, CCleaner does not actually encrypt your traffic or offer real-time tracker blocking. So if you’re very keen on privacy, you may need to get a robust VPN service next to CCleaner to ensure fully anonymous browsing. Also, more control and features are only available in the premium versions.

Performance Optimizer

From my research, I discovered that this is one of CCleaner’s most impressive features. Every added program or file to a computer places a burden on its performance. This demand is even more significant when you have multiple applications operational in the background.

The Performance Optimizer identifies background processes and startup items that drain your PC’s resources. After identification, it freezes them until needed, allowing your system to function with better speed and performance. I noticed that this feature could potentially give you up to 30% more laptop battery life, 72% faster startup speed, and a 34% boost in overall performance.

However, you may not know what specific processes are being suspended until you dig for the details. The paid plan limitation also applies here, meaning free plan users don’t have access to this tool.

Driver Updater

I usually don’t remember to update my computer’s drivers manually, so having a feature that takes care of that automatically is convenient. I like that CCleaner is able to even find and update drivers I didn’t even realize were there. The website even claims that CCleaner can identify up to 25 million drivers and update them, so that’s quite useful.

However, seeing as this feature is also paywalled, it limits accessibility to it. Then you may need to manually create a system restore point or backup before using this feature, especially for older systems. This is because the tool may not create one for you automatically, and if anything breaks in the update process, it could affect your computer.

Plans and pricing

Most people gravitate towards the free version for obvious reasons. While that’s perfectly fine, it’s still worth noting that the free version comes with only core features. For more features, upgrade to CCleaner Professional. Otherwise, you’ll need CCleaner Professional Plus to unblock all the features — including Recuva and Speccy.

Plan	Price	Features
CCleaner Free	Free	PC Health Check, Faster Computer, and Privacy Protection
CCleaner Professional	$29.95/year	Everything in Free and Performance Optimizer, Driver Updater, Software Updater, Cleans Everywhere, Guards Against Junk Files, and Automatically Clears History
CCleaner Professional Plus	$44.95/year or $79.95 for 2 years	Everything in CCleaner Professional and Recuva and Speccy
CCleaner Premium Bundle	$64.95	Everything in CCleaner Professional Plus and 24/7 premium technical support and Kamo

Check CCleaner plans

Ease of use and interface (desktop & mobile UX)

I found setting up the CCleaner tool to be a breeze on both Mac and Windows. I made sure to download the installation package from CCleaner’s official website, and the process was straightforward. I liked that there was no pressure to purchase any add-ons or premium features during installation. After downloading, I simply followed the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

CCleaner interface

From my research, I discovered that CCleaner’s interface on both Windows and macOS devices is smooth and easy to navigate.

For Windows, I found that all the tools and features I can use with my current plan are within easy reach and clearly labeled. Also, there is no pressure to delete or update any older files. Instead, CCleaner just shows you every file you can delete and leaves you to choose which ones you want to delete or keep.

I also discovered that the CCleaner app isn’t resource-intensive. It will not interrupt any system processes while it's scanning or cleaning. So you don’t have to worry about CCleaner causing your computer to lag. However, it is possible you experience some lag, especially if you’re running CCleaner on an older or much slower device.

That said, I did experience one hiccup during the testing process. There was a “canceling -might take a couple of seconds” message stuck to my screen for about 10 minutes. The error was caused by the Driver Updater failing to cancel scanning properly. However, once I relaunched the app, everything started working perfectly.

For those on macOS, the interface is also clean and sleek, whether you’re on the free or premium versions. I found that the free version also has simple navigation, although feature-wise, it was quite sparse. The only drawback I was able to identify is that the CCleaner app is a bit tricky to uninstall. I recommend deleting directly within the CCleaner app.

Also, I should mention that overall, the premium version of CCleaner on macOS isn’t all that different from the free version. The major differences between the two are the number of tools at your disposal. This includes additions like Clean Browsers and Empty Trash.

CCleaner mobile apps

CCleaner’s mobile app only supports Android at this time, so I tested both the free and premium versions of the app. I found that most of the tools available on the free version are removal tools. You can use these tools to remove apps, photos, music, videos, and other files.

On the premium side, however, you get some useful additional features like:

• Deep clean to clean the cache of apps
• Automatic cleaning that you can use to mark items you want to clean automatically
• Long-term boost to force stop running apps in the background

I also found that CCleaner’s aesthetic and user-friendly build also extends to its mobile app. The app is quite easy to navigate, even for total beginners. Every feature has a clear label and an accompanying explanation so you always know what you’re interacting with.

When CCleaner makes sense vs built-in tools

Modern Windows and macOS already handle many optimization points for users. This includes tasks like cache cleaning and driver updates. However, the problem is that the update points are distributed all over the system. This means it could be challenging for you to find exactly what you’re looking for, especially since you’ll have to go from page to page.

What CCleaner does is it centralizes the optimization process in a single interface. This makes it a lot more convenient and direct for you to keep your system in peak operating condition, especially if you’re a non-technical user. However, the convenience advantages do come at a cost.

Ultimately, if you have some technical expertise and are comfortable managing updates and storage manually, you may not need CCleaner. However, if your priority is speed, efficiency, and ease of use, then CCleaner could be a very valuable addition to your toolbox.

Customer support

CCleaner offers a variety of customer support options. However, they’re mostly skewed toward DIY help. Moreover, there isn’t any live support or 24/7 assistance.

Your first avenues for help and solutions with CCleaner are its help center, community forum, FAQs, or YouTube channel. If you’re unable to find an answer in the forum and help center, you could also submit a request for help. However, just don’t expect immediate replies since CCleaner doesn’t offer phone support or live chat.

Overall, CCleaner’s customer support lacks accessibility and availability. A 24/7 live chat option could do wonders to improve this area.

CCleaner alternatives

CCleaner is one of the best system performance enhancers on the market, and it is perfect for most tasks. However, in situations where CCleaner doesn’t fully meet your needs, there are other options you can try. Here are some alternatives that may suit your setup or preferences better:

• MacKeeper. MacKeeper is a tool specifically for macOS users. It is perfect for users who want deeper Mac automation and 24/7 support. It also offers useful features like performance monitoring and malware protection.
• Built-in Windows tools. Windows already comes with a number of native system optimization tools like Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup. Windows also offers automatic driver updates via Settings. These tools can handle system maintenance well. That said, you’ll need to be careful when editing the registry manually. If you make a mistake, it could lead to serious system issues.
• Other cleaners. There are also several other cleaners with similar offerings and features to CCleaner. Examples include Avast Cleanup, AVG TuneUp, and Glary Utilities. These tools have features like junk removal, startup optimization, and driver updates. That said, be aware that they also come in a range of different prices.

Final verdict: is CCleaner worth it?

Yes, it is. CCleaner’s free version remains a great choice for cleaning up unused files and settings on your system. That said, I would only recommend paying for the premium plans if you’re not computer-savvy or are usually too busy to run manual checks and updates.

However, if all you need is just a tool that points out where your system’s operational inefficiencies are, the free version will do just fine. Either way, CCleaner is a worthy addition to your PC protection and optimization toolkit.

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