# Disk Census vs DissectMac

DissectMac draws your disk as a map for free and clears what you pick with Pro. Disk Census says what each item is and whether it rebuilds itself, and covers more developer tools plus AI coding agents.

Checked 9 October 2026. Canonical page: https://diskcensus.com/compare/dissectmac

## In short

- DissectMac is a free disk map with a paid Pro tier for clearing. Disk Census tags each item Safe, Review or Keep, and covers developer and AI agent files.
- DissectMac names Xcode builds, Docker’s disk image and node_modules. Disk Census covers more toolchains and AI coding agents, and keeps Docker’s disk image off the list.
- DissectMac sends everything to the Trash first. Disk Census deletes permanently, after you approve the exact items and each is checked again.
- Both run on macOS 12 or later. DissectMac also finds local AI models, which Disk Census doesn’t cover yet.

## Only in Disk Census

- **It says what’s safe to clear:** Every item is tagged Safe, Review or Keep, with what regenerates it.
- **A Keep tier:** Docker’s disk image, the Go module cache and simulator devices are shown with their size and never offered.
- **AI coding agents’ leftovers:** Old versions, caches and logs of Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and others, with their history kept. DissectMac’s site covers local models, not coding agents.
- **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

| | Disk Census | DissectMac |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seeing where space went | Partly: Each folder is drawn as a bar of its largest items. There is no treemap. | Yes: A free map of the drive: every folder is a block sized by the space it uses. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |
| Developer caches and build output | Yes: Caches 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. | Partly: Names Xcode’s DerivedData, Docker’s disk image and node_modules. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |
| AI coding agents’ leftovers | Yes: Old 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 site: Its site covers local AI models, not coding agents. |
| Local AI models | No: Local AI models (Ollama, LM Studio, Hugging Face) aren't covered yet. | Yes: Finds models from Ollama, LM Studio and the Hugging Face cache. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |
| Command line for scripts and agents | Yes: census ships inside the app, at the same version, with JSON on every command and stable exit codes. | Not stated on their site: Its site doesn’t mention a command line. |
| Where deleted items go | Deleted permanently, never to the Trash, and only after a person approves the exact items. Every confirmation says so. | Everything goes to the Trash first. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |
| App removal | Yes: Removes apps with their data. Shared and loosely matched items start unticked, and a running app is asked to quit, never forced. | Yes: An uninstaller that removes leftovers, and finds files from apps already deleted (Pro). ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |
| What leaves the Mac | Files and scan results never leave the Mac. No analytics and no crash uploads. | Scans stay on the Mac. Crash reports go through Sentry, with folder names redacted on the Mac first. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |
| Requirements | macOS 12 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel. Mac only. | macOS 12 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)) |

## Price

- Disk Census: **$3.99** ~~$10~~, one-time. Launch offer: Save 60%. Limited seats, offer ends soon. Then it’s $4.99. Up to 3 Macs.
- DissectMac: **$12.99**. A one-time Pro license for clearing files, with no subscription. The map, search and live monitor are free. Pro sales are final, with a fix or a refund if Pro doesn’t work. ([DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/), checked 9 October 2026)

Disk Census launch prices, by copies sold, in US dollars:

1. $3.99 · Save 60% · first 100 copies · now
2. $4.99 · Save 50% · next 150 copies · later
3. $6.99 · Save 30% · next 250 copies · later
4. $10 · regular price

## When DissectMac is the better pick

- You want a free map of your disk: DissectMac’s map, search and live monitor cost nothing.
- You want cleanups to go to the Trash first: DissectMac moves everything there.
- You want to clear local AI models from Ollama, LM Studio or Hugging Face, which Disk Census doesn’t cover yet.
- You want live CPU, memory and battery stats beside your storage.

## Questions

### Is Disk Census a good DissectMac alternative?

If you clean a developer’s Mac, yes: it tags every item Safe, Review or Keep and covers more toolchains and AI coding agents. If you mainly want a free map, or the Trash as a safety net, DissectMac fits better.

### Does Disk Census clean local AI models like DissectMac does?

Not yet. Disk Census cleans AI coding agents’ old versions, caches and logs, but doesn’t cover local models from Ollama, LM Studio or Hugging Face. DissectMac finds those.

### Does Disk Census use the Trash like DissectMac?

No. Disk Census deletes permanently, after you approve the exact items, and every confirmation says so. It checks each item again against a fresh scan first, and writes an audit on the Mac.

### Do DissectMac or Disk Census send data off the Mac?

Disk Census sends no analytics and no crash reports; files and scan results stay on the Mac. DissectMac keeps scans on the Mac and sends crash reports through Sentry, with folder names redacted first.

## Sources

- [DissectMac website](https://dissectmac.com/)

Checked 9 October 2026. Spot something out of date? Write to support@diskcensus.com.

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