AppCleaner is a free macOS application that helps users uninstall unwanted apps and their associated files from their Macs. The app helps users free up storage space and ensure traces of uninstalled apps are removed from their system. 

In this review, we’ll check out AppCleaner’s performance, features, and overall user experience on macOS. 

Key Features

• Full Removal – AppCleaner ensures applications and associated files are completely removed from your system, including caches, preferences, and support files. 
• Drag & Drop – allows users to simply drag an application they want to remove onto AppClear to initiate the uninstallation process. 
• List View – AppCleaner provides a list of installed applications for easy selection and removal. 
• SmartDelete – besides currently installed apps, AppCleaner can also detect leftover files from previously uninstalled applications and allow users to remove them.
• Widgets & Plugins Removal – besides applications, AppCleaner can also remove unwanted widgets and browser plugins.

User Interface & Experience

One of the things I liked about AppCleaner is its straightforward interface. It doesn’t overwhelm me with features and options and stays true to what it really is for, which is fully uninstalling apps on your Mac. 

Upon opening the app, you’re greeted by a compact window where you can drag an app to start uninstalling it. In the upper right corner, there’s a button to view all your apps.

Within the list of installed apps, you can select the one you want to remove and AppCleaner automatically scans your system for all traces and instances of that app. From there, you can decide which data to retain and remove from your system. 

However, it’s important to note that AppCleaner is best used for uninstalling apps and not trimming down storage space apps are using. 

Removing certain directories can damage crucial files and folders that can brick the app. 

Performance

With its simple interface, I wasn’t surprised by AppCleaner’s minimal resource consumption. Even while removing apps on my Mac, I did not notice any significant increase in resource usage from AppCleaner. 

When it comes to the actual uninstallation, AppCleaner consistently delivers a reliable performance. The app effectively utilizes macOS architecture to identify and eliminate application files. 

During my tests, AppCleaner handled smaller apps swiftly, completing most tasks in under a minute. I also tried a bigger app (Spotify), which takes around 23GB of my Mac’s storage. The uninstallation took around 4 minutes to complete, which is decent given the app’s size. 

Overall, AppCleaner’s performance was commendable, delivering impressive uninstallation speeds without any unnecessary complications or distractions.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for an uninstaller that is simple, fast, and without any fuss, then AppCleaner is the one for you. It is great for removing unwanted apps fast and their leftover files easily. While AppCleaner is not the most feature-packed uninstaller/cleaner out there, it does a great job at what it is supposed to do. 

PROS:

• Simple and straightforward interface
• Drag & drop functionality
• Has a dedicated app list for easier removal of apps
• Support for removing widgets and browser plugins
• Impressive uninstallation speed with minimal resource consumption

CONS:

• Some may find it lacking additional features
• Could use a modern and updated user interface