TrailSiftThe short answer
Most Mac cleaners are built to free up space: caches, junk files, large and duplicate files. Several also clear browser history and cookies. TrailSift is built for something else: the records of where you've been that macOS and your apps keep in places those cleaners don't list, such as macOS's own download log, the address saved on every downloaded file, browsers' lists of secure sites, the addresses Mail suggests and the location in your photos.
So if you want more free space or a malware check, another app on this page is the better choice. If you want to know what your Mac remembers about where you've been, and clear it, that's what TrailSift is for. Plenty of people use both.
Side by side
| TrailSift | CleanMyMac | CCleaner for Mac | OnyX | AppCleaner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser history and cookies | Yes: Chrome-family browsers in full; Safari and Firefox cookies and site data, with their history cleared in the browser itself | Yes: Safari, Chrome, Firefox | Yes | Not listed | No |
| macOS's own download log | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| The "Where from" address on downloaded files | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Browsers' lists of secure sites | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Remembered Wi-Fi networks | Yes, with when each was last used | Lists them; since macOS Sonoma, removal is done in System Settings | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Addresses Mail and Messages remember | Yes, one by one | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Location in photos | Lists them and makes copies without it | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Recent items lists | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Code editors' recent lists and terminal history | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No |
| Uninstall an app with its files | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Leftovers of apps already deleted | Yes, named by app | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Startup items | Those left by deleted apps | Not listed | Startup manager | Not listed | No |
| Free up space (caches, junk, large files) | Only caches that hold traces; it isn't a space cleaner | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Malware checks | No | Yes | Not listed | No | No |
| System maintenance and hidden settings | No | Maintenance tasks | Not listed | Yes | No |
| Price | Free audit; Pro £15, $19 or €17 once (£10, $13 or €11 until 19 January) | Subscription or one-time purchase | Free version; Pro by yearly subscription | Free | Free |
"Not listed" means the feature isn't in the app's published feature list or the review we used; it doesn't mean the app can't do it. Checked 13 October 2026 against the sources below. If we've got something wrong, email support@trailsift.com and we'll correct it.
When each one is the better fit
CleanMyMac
An all-in-one app from MacPaw: cleaning up space, maintenance, an app uninstaller and updater, and malware checks, with a privacy section that clears browser data, recent items lists and lists Wi-Fi networks. A good choice if you want one app to keep a Mac tidy and fast. Paid, by subscription or a one-time purchase.
CCleaner for Mac
From the makers of the well-known Windows cleaner: quick clean, clutter and browser cleaning, duplicate finding, an uninstaller and a startup manager. There's a free version and a paid Pro version.
OnyX
A long-standing free utility from Titanium Software for people comfortable with macOS's internals: verifying system files, running maintenance, deleting caches, rebuilding databases and indexes, and changing hidden settings. Powerful, and best for confident users.
AppCleaner
A small free app from FreeMacSoft that does one job: drop an app on it and it finds the files that app spread around the Mac, so you can remove them together.
TrailSift
For the records of where you've been. It checks more than 30 places, reading only, and shows what's in each: how many, how big and from when. Then it clears what you choose, after showing you exactly what will go. Files go to the Trash, databases are backed up for a week, and an app's data is only touched while that app is quit. It also removes apps with everything they keep, finds what deleted apps left behind, and makes copies of photos without their location. Nothing leaves your Mac, and the audit script is open source. Every place it checks is listed, with sources, on What TrailSift checks.
Questions people ask
Is CleanMyMac a privacy cleaner?
Partly. Its Protection module clears browser history, cookies, autofill and download lists in Safari, Chrome and Firefox, and recent items lists. It doesn't list macOS's download log, the address on downloaded files, browsers' secure-site lists or the addresses Mail remembers, which is where TrailSift starts.
Does clearing browser history remove everything?
No. macOS and other apps keep their own records, and private browsing doesn't stop them. Our guide What private browsing doesn't hide on your Mac goes through them.
Can I use TrailSift alongside another cleaner?
Yes. They don't overlap much, and TrailSift only changes what you choose in its review.
Why isn't TrailSift on the Mac App Store?
Apps on the App Store run in a sandbox that stops them reading other apps' data, which is the whole job. TrailSift is notarized by Apple and sold directly instead.
Sources
- MacPaw, Keep your privacy secure with CleanMyMac, updated 6 August 2026
- Macworld, Best Mac cleaner software, tested and compared, 20 July 2026: CCleaner for Mac and CleanMyMac
- Titanium Software, OnyX, version 5.0.6 for macOS Tahoe
- FreeMacSoft, AppCleaner, version 3.7
CleanMyMac, CCleaner, OnyX and AppCleaner are trademarks of their owners. TrailSift isn't affiliated with any of them.