AppCleaner vs InstallerClean

AppCleaner is a free macOS utility for uninstalling unwanted applications and finding the files they leave behind. Drag an app into its window to see related files distributed across the system, review the list, and choose what to delete. Version 3.7 improves searches in Application Scripts and asks for Full Disk Access; without that permission, some files may remain. It can locate files associated with system apps, but cannot remove those apps. Downloads cover several macOS generations: version 3.7 for macOS 15 and later, 3.6.8 for macOS 10.14 up to 15.6, 3.6 for macOS 10.13, and 3.4 for macOS 10.10 up to 10.12. Version 3.6 added native Apple M1 support. AppCleaner can detect applications inside disk images and offer to remove the image file instead. Its login item appears in System Settings, and a preference can hide protected apps. The download page also notes a Sparkle updater security fix in version 3.7 and HTTPS updates since version 3.2.

InstallerClean scans .msi and .msp files directly in C:\Windows\Installer to identify candidates for removal and reclaim disk space. It checks Windows Installer records and registry information, withholding files when those checks cannot establish that removal is safe. Users can move identified files to a chosen backup folder or delete them permanently. Downloads include portable, setup, and command-line builds; the setup option bundles the graphical interface and CLI. The command-line version supports scan, move, and delete operations for scripting and scheduled tasks, and reports exit codes and Windows Event Log events. InstallerClean is free and open source under Apache 2.0. It requires 64-bit Windows 10 version 1607 or later, or Windows 11, and administrator privileges. It does not scan subfolders or clean the WinSxS folder, and it has no background service, scheduled task, or automatic cleanup. Downloads are unsigned, so Windows may show an unknown-publisher warning; release pages provide SHA-256 hashes and VirusTotal scan results.