Skip to content

Disk Census vs AppCleaner

Uninstall apps, and clear everything else that fills your Mac.

AppCleaner does one job: drop an app on its window and it finds the files that came with it. Disk Census removes apps with their data too, from a scan that also covers large files, developer caches, AI agents’ leftovers and duplicates.

Checked · Sources

In short

  • AppCleaner removes apps and their related files, one app at a time. Disk Census removes apps too, from a scan of the whole disk.
  • Disk Census starts shared and loosely matched files unticked, and asks a running app to quit instead of forcing it.
  • Disk Census also covers large files, developer caches, AI coding agents’ leftovers and duplicates, which AppCleaner’s page doesn’t mention.
  • AppCleaner is a free download and keeps versions for older Macs. Disk Census is a one-time purchase for macOS 12 or later.

Only in Disk Census

What Disk Census does that AppCleaner doesn’t, going by AppCleaner’s own pages.

  • The whole disk, not only apps

    Large files, developer caches, AI agents’ leftovers, duplicates and maintenance tasks, from the same scan that finds apps.

  • Careful with what apps share

    Shared and loosely matched items start unticked, and a running app is asked to quit, never forced.

  • Developer and AI agent cleanup

    Xcode, Homebrew, npm, Cargo, Go, Python and more, plus the old versions and caches AI coding agents leave behind, with their history kept.

  • A command line for scripts and agents

    census ships inside the app with JSON on every command, so scripts and AI agents see what the app sees.

Side by side

Each AppCleaner fact links to where it was read. “Not stated” means AppCleaner’s site doesn’t say either way.

Disk Census and AppCleaner, side by side. Checked 9 October 2026.
Disk CensusAppCleaner
App removal with leftovers
YesRemoves apps with their data. Shared and loosely matched items start unticked, and a running app is asked to quit, never forced.
YesDrop an app on its window, and it finds the related files to delete.Source
Finding what fills the disk
YesThe biggest files and folders, filtered by size and by when they were last opened or modified.
Not stated on their siteIts page describes app removal only.
Developer caches and build output
YesCaches and build output of Xcode, Homebrew, npm, pnpm, Yarn, Bun, Cargo, Go, Gradle, CocoaPods, Swift Package Manager, pip, uv, Poetry, conda and more, with node_modules, target and .venv folders grouped by project.
Not stated on their siteIts page doesn’t mention developer caches.
AI coding agents’ leftovers
YesOld versions, caches, temporary files and logs of Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Warp, Kiro, Antigravity, Goose and more. History, settings, credentials, plugins and skills are never offered.
Not stated on their siteIts page doesn’t mention AI agents.
Duplicate files
YesSets of identical files by content, side by side. The last copy of a set can never be deleted.
Not stated on their siteIts page doesn’t mention duplicates.
Where deleted items go
Deleted permanently, never to the Trash, and only after a person approves the exact items. Every confirmation says so.
Not stated on their siteIts page says it deletes files safely, not whether they go to the Trash.
Requirements
macOS 12 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel. Mac only.
Version 3.7 needs macOS 15 or later. Older versions run on OS X 10.10 to macOS 15.6.Source

Price

Disk Census’s price is live. AppCleaner’s is as its site showed it on 9 October 2026.

Disk Census

Launch offerSave 60%

Regular price $10Launch price $3.99

One-time, for up to 3 Macs, with every future version. Limited seats, offer ends soon. Then it’s $4.99.

AppCleaner

Free download

FreeMacSoft offers it as a direct download, with no price or purchase step on its page.

Checked · Source

Launch prices, by copies sold

  1. $3.99Save 60%First 100 copiesNow
  2. $4.99Save 50%Next 150 copies
  3. $6.99Save 30%Next 250 copies
  4. $10Regular priceAfter the launch

Checkout by Stripe. Sold through Link, which sends your receipt. Prices in US dollars, tax included. Refund policy

When AppCleaner is the better pick

  • You only want to remove apps: AppCleaner does that one job, and you drop an app on its window.
  • You want it free: AppCleaner is a download with no price.
  • Your Mac runs macOS 11 or earlier: AppCleaner keeps older versions back to OS X 10.10.

Questions

Is Disk Census a good AppCleaner alternative?

If you want more than app removal, yes: Disk Census removes apps with their data and also covers large files, developer caches, AI agents’ leftovers and duplicates. If you only want to drop an app and clear its files, AppCleaner is simpler.

How does Disk Census remove an app?

With its data. Shared and loosely matched items start unticked, and if the app is running, Disk Census asks it to quit and never forces it. Deletion is permanent, after you approve the exact items.

Does Disk Census scan the rest of the disk too?

Yes. The same scan finds large files, developer caches, AI agents’ leftovers, duplicates, and the space no readable file accounts for.

Sources

Every fact about AppCleaner was read on its own pages on . Spot something out of date? Write to support@diskcensus.com.

AppCleaner is a trademark of its owner. Disk Census isn’t affiliated with it.

Other comparisons

Download Disk Census for Mac

Download

macOS 12 or later · Intel and Apple silicon