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Are you constantly battling storage issues on your iPhone and wanted to fix it using CCleaner but found a mismatch between expectations and reality? Many users awaited Piriform’s release of CCleaner for iOS, but the reviews currently show mixed reactions. Fortunately, the App Store offers many alternatives, and we know which of them are the best in terms of ease of use, functionality, and value for money.
What Is ‘Wrong’ with CCleaner for iOS?
CCleaner built a solid reputation as a top cleaner for Android, and with all the positive reviews, iOS users were eager for its release. That finally happened in late 2023, but it didn’t exactly live up to expectations. A quick look at App Store reviews and discussions on Reddit shows a lot of disappointment. So, what went wrong? Let’s break it down.
In reality, CCleaner for iOS performs well if you opt to upgrade to the full version at $4.99 per week or $34.99 per year. This upgrade unlocks all features for full use. The available functions include:
- Media Cleaner – identifies old photos, duplicates, similar images, dark photos, blurry photos, screenshots, large videos, and screen recordings and allows you to delete them.
- Contact Cleaner – allows you to delete contacts, merge duplicate contacts, add information to incomplete contacts, and create a backup of all contacts.
- Secret Files – is a secure area within the app where you can import photos and videos, protect them with a password, and delete them from their original location in the Photos app.
- Quick Scan – reorders all the functionalities described earlier for faster access.
However, in the free version, some of the most useful features, such as finding duplicates, similar photos, dark, and blurry images, are locked. Essentially, you can only use the app as a contact cleaner or a private storage space. That said, the app does offer a 3-day trial if you sign up for an annual plan. This lets you test all its features, and if you like it, you can keep the subscription, and if not, cancel before the trial ends. That’s exactly what we did because we weren’t happy with how the app performed.
While most features work fine, the app’s algorithm for detecting duplicates and similar photos didn’t meet our expectations. In the screenshot below, you’ll see it grouped totally unrelated images, like a person and a cat or a cat and a payment receipt, as “similar.”
Our Criteria for Selecting Alternatives to CCleaner for iOS
When it comes to choosing the best CCleaner alternative for iPhone, we didn’t just pick names out of a hat. We concentrated on three key factors that matter most:
- First, we looked for apps with smarter, more reliable algorithms than CCleaner. In our own testing, the duplicate finder worked, but based on App Store reviews, we might’ve just gotten lucky. Some users said the app didn’t find duplicates, even though they clearly existed. Plus, the best iPhone storage cleaner apps should group similar photos accurately, not lump together random, unrelated ones.
- Value for money is important. Whether it’s a free CCleaner alternative for iPhone or a paid app, you should receive value for your money. We find it unacceptable that a paid add-on may introduce errors when using a fairly basic function for duplicates and similar photos. That’s why we’ve considered not only the upfront cost but also the cost associated with ongoing subscriptions (when necessary).
- We also looked for CCleaner alternatives with a smoother, more intuitive interface. CCleaner’s interface isn’t terrible, but we think it could definitely use an update, the visuals look pretty dated. So, we made sure the apps we picked had a fresher, more modern feel. But just a heads-up, not every app on our list has the most modern-looking interface. As you read through its description, you’ll notice we sometimes overlooked design trends in favor of powerful, reliable features.
With these criteria, we’ve made sure the CCleaner alternatives we recommend aren’t just effective, they also offer a pleasant and worthwhile user experience.
8 Best CCleaner Alternatives for iPhone
Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter – the top CCleaner alternatives for your iPhone (and some even have native versions or work in compatibility mode with the iPad). We’ve scoured the App Store and tested a plethora of apps, all to bring you the crème de la crème of storage management solutions.
1. Clever Cleaner
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Very Easy | High | Free |
Let’s start with our favorite alternative to CCleaner – Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App. This 100% free application excels in cleaning your photo and video library with four distinct functions. It offers the capability to find and remove duplicates and similar photos, utilizing AI algorithms to improve identification and select the best image from each group of similar photos or duplicates. Additionally, the app allows you to delete old screenshots, large videos, and convert Live Photos to still images, which is a unique feature among iPhone cleaning apps.
The application interface is as simple and modern as possible. Each function features a unique color, which aids in navigation, and the steps to use each function are quite straightforward. A notable feature is that, besides being completely free, the application does not contain any annoying third-party advertising.
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Pricing: You can download and use this app completely free, there are no hidden subscriptions, no ads, no paywalls. However, based on information from the official Clever Cleaner website, the developers may introduce paid features in the future.
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/clever-cleaner-ai-cleanup-app/id1666645584
2. Boost Cleaner
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Very Easy | Maximum | High |
Boost Cleaner is our next favorite CCleaner alternative for iOS, as it provides a complete range of features for photo management, including the ability to find and remove duplicate photos, screenshots, live photos, and unwanted selfies. The app also offers tools to find similar and large videos. In terms of contact management, it removes duplicate contacts, merges them, and filters them, simplifying contact management. Additionally, a calendar cleaner feature allows you to delete old events. Extra features include compressing photos and videos, testing your internet speed, and customizing your iPhone’s charging screen animation.
The app is exceptionally well-designed and intuitive to use, with most actions, such as deleting duplicates, requiring a single tap – Apple would certainly be proud. Although free to download and use, the app requires a relatively expensive subscription to unlock all features, which might deter some users.
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Pricing: Free to try, but a subscription is required for unrestricted use. Prices start at $7.99 for the Phone Cleaner Weekly Premium subscription, and monthly and annual subscription plans are also available
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/boost-cleaner-clean-up-smart/id1475887456
3. Cleaner Kit Smart Cleaner
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Very Easy | Maximum | Moderate |
Looking for a complete solution to manage your iPhone’s storage? Cleaner Kit Smart Cleaner has you covered! This app helps you delete similar photos, clear out unnecessary images, compress large videos to free up space, and even merge duplicate contacts. It also lets you delete all photos from your library by month with a single swipe. The user interface is smooth and polished, with clean animations that make the whole cleaning process feel effortless.
The app also comes with extra features like an internet speed test, a private vault for photos and contacts, and security tools, including an ad blocker, device protection, and Wi-Fi security. However, just like the previous cleaner, Cleaner Kit Smart Cleaner requires a subscription for unlimited access to all features.
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Pricing: Smart Cleaner is free to try, with various subscription options available for full access. Prices start at $6.99 for Cleaner Kit Premium.
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/smart-cleaner-clean-up-storage/id1194582243
4. Cleaner – Smart Cleanup
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Easy | High | Moderate |
Cleaner – Smart Cleanup specializes in photo cleanup. It identifies similar photos, screenshots, burst photos, and selfies. The app also offers a video cleaner to scan and remove large files and a contact cleaner to streamline your address book. Additionally, it includes a network speed test and provides detailed device information, thereby extending its utility beyond simple storage management.
Unlike our previous two recommendations, which you can use for free with certain limitations, Cleaner – Smart Cleanup is free only in the sense that you can download it to your smartphone. To use it, you have to purchase a subscription plan. Many user reviews from 2022 share mixed feelings about the app’s updates, especially the removal of cache and junk file cleaning features. However, since iOS doesn’t allow users or third-party apps to access these files, it’s likely these features were more of a marketing gimmick than actual functionality in the first place.
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Pricing: Cleaner – Smart Cleanup is free to download with in-app purchases for premium features. Subscription plans start at $4.99.
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cleaner-smart-cleanup/id1499634651
5. Cleanup: Phone Storage Cleaner
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Very Easy | High | Moderate |
Cleanup: Phone Storage Cleaner also offers a complete cleaning service for your Apple iPhone storage. In this app, you can find and delete duplicate photos, similar images, screenshots, and videos. The app allows you to delete files across three categories, screenshots, videos, and others, by swiping left, or you can choose to preserve important memories by swiping right. Additional features include a contact cleaner and an email cleaner, which is uncommon in similar applications, as well as the ability to compress large videos and a secret space for private storage.
Cleanup provides user control, never deleting files without permission, and allows a final review in its Trash folder-like feature. This adds an extra layer of security to the cleanup process. You can try it for free for up to 7 days, but after the initial trial period, be ready to purchase a subscription plan or lifetime license to use the app.
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Pricing: Cleanup offers a 7-day free trial with unlimited gallery cleaning. Post-trial, users can opt for various subscription plans, starting at $7.99 a week. A lifetime license is available, but it’s expensive.
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cleanup-phone-storage-cleaner/id1510944943
6. Cleaner: Clean Up Storage
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Easy | High | Moderate |
Cleaner: Clean Up Storage is particularly adept at identifying and removing duplicate or similar photos and videos, which can often consume unnecessary space. Additionally, it offers valuable features like contact backup and restoration.
Optimized for both iPhone and iPad, this app presents a user-friendly interface that makes storage management straightforward and hassle-free. Still, we found the other CCleaner app for iPhone alternatives described in this article to be slightly more polished, but the difference is really small. Some user reviews have pointed out areas for improvement, but the overall utility of the app in managing device storage efficiently is undeniable.
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Pricing: Cleaner: Clean Up Storage offers a premium subscription starting from $5.99. A lifetime license is available for $29.99.
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cleaner-clean-up-storage/id1452301483
7. Easy Cleaner
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Easy | Limited | Free |
Easy Cleaner specializes in cleaning up and merging duplicate contacts to streamline your Contacts app. For example, you can get rid of duplicate contacts or add missing information like work email, full name, company name, address, and job title. Sadly, that’s where the app’s capabilities end – no support for photo or video cleanup tasks.
However, the limited functionality of Easy Cleaner is more than compensated by its free price tag. That’s right, you’re looking at a completely free CCleaner alternative for iPhone that won’t ask you to get a subscription plan when you expect it the least.
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Pricing: Easy Cleaner is available for free without any in-app purchases.
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/easy-cleaner/id519077149
8. Cleanup Master – Smart Cleaner
| Ease of use | Feature-rich functionality | Price |
| Easy | High | High |
Cleanup Master – Smart Cleaner is an all-in-one solution for iPhone users who aim to optimize their device storage. This application offers a variety of features, such as the capability to detect and clean up junk photos and videos through intelligent analysis that identifies duplicates, similar media, blurred photos, screenshots, and oversized videos. It also provides tools to clean up contacts, calendars, and reminders.
Although it cannot clear the cache on an iPhone, it does include a detailed battery analysis feature that monitors the iPhone battery in real-time. Users can also employ this application to analyze hardware information about their iPhone, such as the iOS version and the last time they rebooted. Additionally, it allows users to view information about the internet connection, like IP address, Internet mask, and broadcast address. Another extra feature is a built-in VPN. Essentially, you get three apps in one – a cleaner, a battery analyzer, and a VPN. Just keep in mind that this app comes with a subscription model, and the pricing is on the higher side compared to some competitors.
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Pricing: Cleanup Master – Smart Cleaner offers several subscription options, including a weekly VIP pass for $9.99, a monthly subscription for $29.99, and an annual VIP pass for $49.99
App page in the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cleanup-master-smart-cleaner/id1557617686
Can CCleaner for iPhone or Its Alternatives Be Replaced With Native iOS Features?
Now that we’ve covered the top 8 best free and paid CCleaner alternatives for iPhone, it is interesting to evaluate whether the set of tools provided by iOS suffices to replace some features of a cleaning app to some extent.
In theory, you can perform everything a cleaner offers on your own, the only difference is the convenience and time it takes. If you are willing to spend a bit more time managing your storage manually, the Photos app provides a Duplicate Photos folder that automatically identifies and groups duplicate pictures. This allows you to easily compare and delete unnecessary copies, freeing up space without the need for a third-party app. However, this feature does not cover similar photos, so you must search for them manually. Similarly, although the Сontacts app notifies you of duplicate contacts, this mechanism does not always function correctly. In contrast, iPhone cleaners utilize advanced algorithms to locate these files and enable you to manage them with a few taps.
If you constantly run out of storage space but do not want to manage it manually or use third-party cleaners, you can activate the Optimize iPhone Storage feature. This feature automatically saves full-resolution photos and videos to iCloud and stores only smaller versions on your device.
However, there are storage areas that iOS blocks third-party apps from accessing, which you must manage manually. One such task is clearing your browser cache. Browsers like Safari store data from websites you visit, which can accumulate over time. You can clear this cache from your browser’s settings, which can help recover some of that precious storage space on your iPhone.
Additionally, cleaners do not access data associated with apps. While some messengers or social networks offer a cleanup feature, for most apps, the only way to clear the cache and related data is to uninstall and reinstall them if necessary. You can also offload unused apps so that they’re removed from your iPhone while their data is retained. You can also restart your iPhone to clear temporary files and free up memory used by apps and system processes.
The best solution is to use iPhone cleaner apps to manage duplicates, similar photos, and contacts, as they make the process faster and easier. For cache, app data, and system files, it’s best to rely on iOS’s built-in tools since third-party apps can’t access these due to system restrictions. This way, you can manage your iPhone’s storage and keep things simple and secure.
