It was time to find a CCleaner alternative as Piriform sold the company to Czech-based Avast. The application went from 4MB to 15MB in a matter of a few years, and it has a lot of bloatware that you can no longer handle. There is no doubt that Avast has designed the program to steal administrator information, and the same analogy applies to the Android app.
Why do we have to look for CCleaner Alternatives?
We have been using CCleaner since 2011 and installed the Android app on the smartphone, but we cannot avoid the loopholes exploitation anymore. Allow us to give you contributing reasons to switch to other cleaners in Windows PC.
- CCleaner started to invade privacy, and there are many ways you can identify it.
- The freeware started to get heavier in size and running background services.
- The developer added many unnecessary features like Smart Monitoring, and it runs in the background. Honestly, there is no need for Smart Monitoring because it consumes RAM & CPU.
- We don’t have the evidence, but we suspect that CCleaner is stealing personal information. You can read the privacy policy, which does not have strong terms against privacy invasion.
There is a popular saying “if you are not paying for the product or service, then you are the product or service.” The time has come to move on and switch to other free cleaners available out there. We have compiled a list of Windows PC cleaners, and we will start with freeware & later move on to premium solutions.
1. BleachBit
If you have used Linux operating system then you would know about the #1 recommended cleaner, and it is BleachBit in the top list. BleachBit is an open-source freeware that is available for Windows PC, and it comes with advanced features that will put CCleaner to shame. The cleaner comes with advanced options, and it is customizable similar to CCleaner. You can select what you want to clear from the PC, so you don’t leave everything to the program.
PROS:
- The program is open-source, and you don’t have to worry about privacy invasion.
- The program is lightweight 12.2 MB in file size and does not run in the background.
- You can customize the options, so you can clear Cookies, Cache but not browsing history.
- The program comes with light mode and dark mode to match the color scheme, and it will follow the system setting.
- The cleaner specifically designed to recognize Windows system created junk and programs created junk as well.
CONS:
- It’s not a con, but if you select the wrong option then it can mess up the system a little.
You should select each option individually because it will warn the users how it impacts the PC negatively. In short, the program won’t let you take the risk unknowingly, and you can use the freeware without risk.
2. Clean Master
Clean Master is a popular cleaning freeware for Windows PC. CM Cleaner is one of the popular freeware around the world, and they have made the presence known for many years. The company tuned the Windows version to remove junk files and free RAM from the PC, so your machine can run smoothly.
PROS:
- CM developers added support for 1000+ popular programs available in the market. The cleaner will look up junk files to remove & speed up the PC instantly.
- If your computer is lagging due to low-end specifications and OS junk then it will optimize it for optimal performance.
- Privacy is a major drawback, and Clean Master will scan the machine to remove privacy-invading programs.
- The company added a driver booster feature, which looks up for latest drivers available for Audio, Video, USB, and other components in the machine.
CONS:
- Clean Master is a Chinese software, and they don’t have strong Data Laws Protection.
3. TreeSize
Jam Software launched the TreeSize freeware for Windows and it is a smart storage cleaner. Windows PC is known for filling up junk in (C:) Partition and it is common knowledge among software engineers.
PROS:
- The algorithm will go through the storage drives on file-level and look for inconsistency. TreeSize unique algorithm will clean up the storage drives by removing the junk that doesn’t serve a purpose.
- You don’t have to install the freeware because there is a portable version available in ZIP format.
- The program has 32-bit and 64-bit versions for the older computers to run the program smoothly.
- Connect your mobile device and scan the free space in storage via MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) and WebDAV technology.
CONS:
- There are a few options missing that are available in CCleaner.
4. Glary Utilities 5
There are hundreds of cleaners in the market, which stands out from the crowd, and Glary Utilities is one of them. The software company has over 10 free tools available at your disposal, but Glary Utilities Free is all-in-one. The developers designed to outperform the competition, so it is safe to say that this is a CCleaner alternative.
PROS:
- The Windows program will check the issues in the PC and then solve it at a faster pace
- The program has inbuilt registry keys and logs for consistency.
- Now, you no longer have to worry about the junk files in the system because Glary Utilities will clear it.
- Most of the computers are getting slower due to months of usage, and it will speed up the PC by removing resources hungry processors & services.
CONS:
- Glary Utilities doesn’t have any CONS so far.
The freeware has a lot of premium features that CCleaner is lacking and has the potential to replace it.
5. WinOptimizer | Paid
Ashampoo is a software company that released WinOptimizer for Windows PC. WinOptimizer 18 is the latest edition that comes with advanced features designed for Windows only. The premium solution consists of advanced features that deliver noticeable results in the first use.
PROS:
- The program has eight premium optimization tools that you can use to improve performance.
- The robust algorithm will inform the user about the early system failure.
- The advanced ADS scanner finds data streams and removes them from the PC.
- The premium tool comes with an advanced uninstaller to remove all remnants from the Windows PC.
CONS:
- You will notice the results instantly, but the developers should polish the features more.
6. Wise Cleaner
Wise Cleaner is a freeware designed to remove junk files from a PC. The program has many advanced features that will improve the overall performance of the computer. Of course, it does lack a couple of features, but it is a CCleaner alternative that doesn’t have bloatware.
PROS:
- The Wise Cleaner program consumes less CPU + RAM resources.
- The developers add special support for browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc. You can remove junk files collected & stored by the browsers on the PC, and it frees up space.
- Most of the HDD don’t allocate the files in order due to data transfer inconsistency, and you can use the defragment tool to re-arrange the files in the folder.
- Windows stores a lot of files, folders, and documents on the PC, but they can slow down the computer over the months. Most of the low-end machines throttle performance because the junk files slow down the CPU + RAM. The freeware removes all junk files from Windows PC giving freedom to the computer.
CONS:
- You don’t have a registry cleaner or optimizer in Wise Cleaner because it is a separate tool available on the website.
7. Windows Storage Sense
Microsoft added the Storage Sense feature in Windows 10 (build version 1903), which is turned off by default, and you should make good use of the feature. If you are not able to remove Windows Updates, Windows OLD Folder, and other files from the PC, then Storage Sense can help you. Remember, it is available in the latest edition of Windows 10 like 1903, 2004, 20H2 build version or later.
PROS:
- You can delete temporary files saved by programs & Windows itself.
- You can remove files that date back to 60 days ago or even earlier files.
- Microsoft also included downloads folder so you can remove downloaded content with one day – sixty days range.
- Windows supports SSD & slower HDD drives, so you won’t have a problem with cleaning the junk.
- Microsoft designed this feature to free up storage in (C:) partition, and it is secure compared to other solutions in the list because it won’t damage any part of the system.
CONS:
- Storage Sense lacks major functions, but it is stable and secure compared to all freeware & premium solutions on the list.
- If you have never used any cleaners, then you will see noticeable results, but it won’t remove junk more than 10 MB after using CCleaner or other solutions from the list.
Go to Settings > System > Storage > Configure storage sense or run it.
8. Privazer
If your concern is privacy then Privazer can come in handy to remove all sorts of trackers, files and junk from the system. The developer designed the freeware for the users, whose main concern is privacy. There is no doubt that Microsoft is invading privacy one or other way but Privazer minimizes to a certain point.
PROS:
- The developer added special support for modern browsers and it will remove junk based on the selections in the freeware. You can remove all sorts of files like history, cache, cookies, bookmarks, saved form data, and others.
- The advanced freeware can remove residual traces from free space.
- The freeware designed to recognize junk from the Windows PC and remove all sorts of junk instantly.
- Privazer works flawlessly on older machines like Windows XP or later.
CONS:
- There are many options missing in the program but it is designed keeping privacy in mind.
9. Advanced System Optimizer | Paid
Advanced System Optimizer is a popular edition in the market, which has been around for a decade now. The Indian software company introduced the product for computers that are slowing down due to Windows OS shortcomings. Of course, ASO is a CCleaner alternative, but it is a premium solution that comes for $26 per year.
PROS:
- The developer brought 10 years of experience to the table to remove junk files in the system.
- There is an advanced tool that scans the storage drive to prevent the PC from crashing and throttling.
- The program optimizes the Windows PC for optimal performance by removing resources consuming programs, files, and folders.
- The company also bundled System Protector, Privacy Protector, Secure Delete, and Secure Encryptor features.
CONS:
- There are a few bloatware in the program.
10. System Ninja
Singular Labs introduced System Ninja for Windows administrators to maintain optimal performance in low-end machines. If you own Core i3 or any entry-level processor laptop or desktop, then you should try System Ninja. The freeware cleaner brings a lot of features that will maintain optimal performance.
PROS:
- System Ninja scans the Windows installed drive or partition and get rid of junk files from the system. The program can remove temporary files, incompatible files, internet cache, memory dumps, recent files, thumbnail files, etc.
- System Ninja supports Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, and other popular browsers. Browsers store a lot of junk files like cache, cookies, trackers, and other files in the name of loading the page faster. Now, you can remove them for instant performance improvement.
- The program analyzes the machine for inconsistency and performance-killer program and help you in removing them.
- Singular Labs did not give up on old machine users and made System Ninja compatible with old Windows OS.
CONS:
There are no CONS found in the program as it is free, and it does what it says. One of the things that we loved about Singular Labs is that they avoided bloatware in the freeware. The company introduced the clean free version to promote the paid version that starts from $15 per year.
Bottom Line
Piriform acquisition has changed CCleaner forever, and it has never been the same. We have to thank Czech-based company Avast for encouraging everyone to look for a CCleaner alternative. We recommend the users to try BleachBit because it is an open-source project accepted by the Linux community. BleachBit does not invade privacy, security, and ensures that you are 100% safe.
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