# Disk Census vs MangoDisk

Both scan, explain and clean with a review step, and both have a command line. MangoDisk is free and runs on Windows and Linux too. Disk Census is a Mac app that also knows what AI coding agents leave behind, and keeps everything on the Mac.

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

## In short

- MangoDisk is free, open source and runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. Disk Census is a paid Mac app built around developer and AI agent cleanup.
- Both review before cleaning and have a command line with JSON. Disk Census adds a Keep tier and checks each item again just before deleting it.
- MangoDisk finds local AI models. Disk Census finds AI coding agents’ old versions, caches and logs, and keeps their history.
- Disk Census sends nothing about your files anywhere. MangoDisk’s optional AI explanations send an item’s description and scan results to an AI service.

## Only in Disk Census

- **AI coding agents’ leftovers:** Old versions, caches and logs of Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and more, with their history, settings and skills never offered. MangoDisk’s site lists AI models, not coding agents.
- **A Keep tier:** Items such as the Go module cache and Docker’s disk image are shown with their size and never offered, and every tag says what regenerates the item.
- **A fresh check before each deletion:** Each item is checked again against a fresh scan before it goes, and items in use are skipped.
- **Nothing about your files leaves the Mac:** No AI explanations, no analytics, no crash uploads. MangoDisk’s optional explanations send an item’s description and scan results.
- **A widget and a low-space monitor:** A widget shows used space and what’s safe to clean, and a monitor notifies under 10% free.

## Side by side

| | Disk Census | MangoDisk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 lists AI models and caches, not coding agents’ data. |
| Local AI models | No: Local AI models (Ollama, LM Studio, Hugging Face) aren't covered yet. | Yes: Large local AI models, download caches and temporary transfer files. ([MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)) |
| 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. | Yes: Node.js, Rust, Gradle, Swift, Python, .NET, Godot, CMake, Docker and Xcode. ([MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)) |
| Safety labels | Yes: Every item is tagged Safe (rebuilds itself), Review (costs time or data to restore) or Keep, and the tag says what regenerates it. | Yes: Risk notices, such as “Low risk”, on what you review. ([MangoDisk website](https://mangodisk.app/)) |
| Where deleted items go | Deleted permanently, never to the Trash, and only after a person approves the exact items. Every confirmation says so. | Its README says cleanup, permanent deletion and uninstall “may not be reversible”. ([MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)) |
| Record of what was deleted | Yes: Each item is checked again against a fresh scan before it goes, items in use are skipped, and every cleanup writes an audit on the Mac. | Partly: An Operation History of cleanups and system changes. ([MangoDisk website](https://mangodisk.app/)) |
| 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. | Yes: mangodisk clean, with --apply and --format json. ([MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)) |
| Privacy | Files and scan results never leave the Mac. No analytics and no crash uploads. | Scanning and cleanup stay on your computer. Optional AI explanations send an item’s description and current scan results. ([MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)) |
| Price | A one-time purchase with every future version included. No subscription. | Free and open source (GPL-3.0). No account required. ([MangoDisk website](https://mangodisk.app/)) |
| Requirements | macOS 12 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel. Mac only. | macOS 12.5 or later, Windows 10 or later (64-bit), and Linux. ([MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)) |

## 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.
- MangoDisk: **Free**. Free and open source under GPL-3.0. No account required. ([MangoDisk website](https://mangodisk.app/), 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 MangoDisk is the better pick

- You want it free and open source: MangoDisk is GPL-3.0.
- You also use Windows or Linux: MangoDisk runs on all three.
- You want to clear local AI models and their download caches, which Disk Census doesn’t cover yet.
- You want an AI to explain an item in plain words: MangoDisk offers that, optionally, with your own AI service if you like.

## Questions

### Is Disk Census a good MangoDisk alternative on the Mac?

If your Mac fills with developer tools and AI coding agents, yes: Disk Census names each tool, tags every item Safe, Review or Keep, and cleans agents’ leftovers while keeping their history. If you want something free that also runs on Windows or Linux, MangoDisk fits better.

### Does Disk Census clean local AI models like MangoDisk?

Not yet. Disk Census cleans what AI coding agents leave behind (old versions, caches, temporary files and logs), not model files from Ollama, LM Studio or Hugging Face.

### Do MangoDisk and Disk Census both have a command line?

Yes. MangoDisk has mangodisk clean with JSON output. Disk Census ships census inside the app, with JSON from every command, and one license covers both.

### Do MangoDisk or Disk Census send my files anywhere?

Disk Census sends nothing about your files or scans. MangoDisk scans and cleans locally; if you use its optional AI explanations, an item’s description and current scan results go to the AI service.

## Sources

- [MangoDisk website](https://mangodisk.app/)
- [MangoDisk on GitHub](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk)

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

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