15 Best Free CCleaner Alternatives in 2021

When you first purchased your laptop or desktop, it would boot up in seconds and open programs in the blink of an eye. But as time went on, it started to slow down to the point that you could walk away to make a sandwich and return just in time for your application to be ready to use.

In the past, CCleaner was the best registry cleaner that could free up disk space and get rid of junk files that served no purpose. It was easy to use and capable of returning your laptop or desktop to its peak condition. Sadly, CCleaner’s reputation has taken a hit as of late due to malware and viruses infecting the software and users of the program.

These incidents have forced many to search for the best CCleaner alternatives. Thankfully, there are plenty of options on offer that can get rid of junk files, clear disk space, and help your hard disk load up programs in a reasonable time.

But which CCleaner alternative should you install on your machine? Don’t just download any registry cleaner to your laptop or desktop. Choose one of the best CCleaner alternatives listed below.

What Does a CCleaner Alternative Do?

When you’re looking for an alternative to CCleaner, you’re wanting an application that is a registry cleaner, removes junk files, and eliminates any other corrupted items on your hard disk. It helps identify unwanted files that are no longer valid, were supposed to be temporary, or serve no purpose at all.

Instead of downloading multiple applications to solve individual problems on your device, a CCleaner alternative provides an all-in-one solution that can fix any issues with a couple of clicks of your mouse. It will identify the junk files and look for ways to free up disk space. You’ll then get presented with the results and can choose to proceed with removing the unwanted files or investigate further to ensure you don’t delete anything important.

The Best CCleaner Alternatives

You could choose to purchase a CCleaner alternative. However, there are plenty of free options available. Here are some of the best CCleaner alternatives that you can download right now, and that won’t cost you a cent.

1.    PrivaZer

This CCleaner alternative focusses its efforts on removing junk files from your hard disk. When you delete files and applications, it’s never completely gone. But PrivaZer is able to locate all of the trace elements and remove them once and for all.

What makes it one of the best CCleaner alternatives is that it can fix more than just your hard drive. You can use the application to scan other storage devices such as SD Cards and USB sticks. It’s easy to use and one of the best applications to get rid of any unwanted files.

2.    System Mechanic

If you’re looking for an alternative to CCleaner that has a similar look and feel, then System Mechanic is the application for you. Many of the features are identical, including the ability to resolve registry issues and identify malware so it can get deleted forever.

You can also use System Mechanic to optimize your laptop or desktop’s speed and recover files you may have accidentally deleted. There are options to upgrade the program for a price and gain additional features, but the free version is a sufficient alternative to CCleaner.

3.    Glary Utilities

You can choose to use Glary Utilities to solve a lot of problems on your Windows or Android devices. Just like CCleaner, it is a registry cleaner and removes your unwanted files. But what makes this one of the best alternatives to CCleaner is that it can also backup and restore drivers, clear out duplicate files, and remove folders that don’t contain anything in them.

Glary Utilities can also uninstall applications you longer need. Rather than uninstalling through Windows or Android, Glary Utilities will remove any trace of the program on your hard drive. Once removed, you’ll notice a significant difference in your PC performance and load times.

4.    Clean Master

The free version of Clean Master may not include as many features as the paid alternative. However, you’ll still get an application that can clear out your junk files and improve your PC performance.

If you’re after more than just cleaning junk files and a performance improvement tool, then for a small fee, you can get even more system enhancing options. You’ll be able to trust Clean Master to automatically delete junk files on a regular basis, update drivers, and even shred confidential items on your hard drive.

5.    Bleachbit

One look at Bleachbit, and you’ll wonder if it really is one of the best alternatives to CCleaner. This is because it’s a command-line interface, meaning you’ll need to type in your requests if you want the Windows registry repaired or files removed from your system.

It might not be as easy to use as other alternatives to CCleaner, but Bleachbit includes many advanced features that put it on par with others on this list. It’s a donationware application, so while using it is free, there is an option to donate money to the developers if you’re satisfied with the product.

6.    Onyx

While CCleaner is primarily used for Windows 10 and other Microsoft products, Mac users also need a tool to help keep their Apple product running at its best. Onyx is a CCleaner alternative that’s exclusive to Macs and can help make sure that your device won’t slow down.

Onyx will work overtime to optimize your system performance, clear out junk files and caches, as well as repair any issues with the hard disk. It can also help animate your backgrounds and disable compulsory software that you might not use, like Safari or iTunes. There are plenty of other widgets worth exploring as well to personalize your Mac to your liking.

7.    Systweak Advanced System Optimizer

Even if you’re not using Windows 10, you can use Systweak Advanced System Optimizer to determine why your laptop or desktop is slower than usual or crashing when you’re trying to perform tasks. You can also use it to improve your device’s performance when there’s nothing with it.

The Systweak Advanced System Optimizer is designed for users that fill their hard drive with large applications or games. Understanding that these individuals need their programs running at the optimum speed, Systweak Advanced System Optimizer will try every trick in the book to provide you with the experience that you need to enjoy your games and software.

8.    Advanced SystemCare

A great alternative to CCleaner should be an application that’s small and simple to use no matter what your computer literacy skills are. It’s these features that make Advanced SystemCare the perfect alternative to CCleaner.

One scan will find spyware, Windows registry issues, and files that you no longer need. It also identifies opportunities to speed up your internet, optimize the system, and sniff out any other problems on your device. When you’re not using the program, it will keep your system protected from online threats and malicious items you accidentally download.

9.    Wise Disk Cleaner

One look at Wise Disk Cleaner, and you might mistake it for CCleaner. It features a very similar interface and simple options to improve the performance of your device. But this CCleaner alternative includes a few extra tricks that are unique to Wise Disk Cleaner.

Sure, you’ll get a registry cleaner and a system optimization tool. However, what makes it one of the best CCleaner alternatives is the slimming tool that deletes Windows files you didn’t know existed. Items like the sample music and desktop images that you’ll never open.

10. System Ninja

It’s shocking to believe that System Ninja is a free system cleaning tool. It has several advanced features that most other CCleaner clones will require you to pay for, such as deep PC cleaning and technical support.

Instead, you’ll get a PC cleaning application that scans for junk, manages your startup items, and provide you with information on programs running so you can terminate processes that aren’t required. It also updates you on the BIOS, CPU, and motherboard so that you have a full view of your system’s performance.

11. Wise Care 365

When you want all your problems to disappear in one click, then you need Wise Care 365. It includes a one-click tune-up feature that scans your system and files to find anything that could be holding your system performance back.

It will report invalid registry entries, junk files that have been installed or downloaded, and offer advice on how to speed up your PC. If you’re impressed with Wise Care 365, then there are other add-ons worth exploring, such as the Memory Optimizer tool.

12. SlimCleaner

If you don’t have any space on your system for a CCleaner alternative, then SlimCleaner can help. It only takes up 1 MB of space as all of its feedback and recommendations come from the cloud. This saves you from having to download new updates and databases to catch potentially malicious items.

Despite its small size, SlimCleaner shows you a lot of detailed information about Windows 10 and your system. You can see every program or service on your device and receive recommendations on how to optimize them. You’ll also get tools to wipe hard disks, shred sensitive information, and locate duplicate file items.

13. Baidu PC Faster

You can count on Baidu PC Faster to investigate every inch of your system to find any opportunity to improve its performance. Despite it being free, you’ll get treated to many advanced features that provide several suggestions to optimize your device no matter how fast or slow it is.

Baidu PC Faster will provide advice on how to reduce your boot time, highlight junk files that you don’t need, and detail what programs exist on your system but have never been opened in the device’s history. If you’re a gamer, Baidu PC Faster will even show you how to improve the performance of Windows 10 to ensure you get the best gaming experience possible.

14. RegSeeker

Don’t let the file size fool you. RegSeeker might not take up as much space on your hard drive as CCleaner, but it’s capable of performing the same functions and even has a few additional ones too.

RegSeeker can manage all of the applications on your device, locate duplicate files and invalid shortcuts, and kill all processes that don’t serve any purpose. There’s also a simple one-click maintenance feature that will automatically clean up any issues and have your system running faster than ever.

15. Ashampoo WinOptimizer

For over 20 years, users have trusted Ashampoo WinOptimizer to keep their devices working as if they had just been taken out of the box. Despite its age, the application is one of the fastest CCleaner alternatives and a program that’s capable of maintaining your entire system.

It comes included with several configurable options based on applications and browsers that you currently use as well as spyware protection so that you don’t download anything that can harm your device. Ashampoo WinOptimizer will also assess your system’s performance against its benchmarks and offer advice on reaching these standards without completely wiping your hard disk.

How to Keep You and Your Devices Protected

CCleaner would help extend the life of a laptop or desktop by ensuring that the system wasn’t getting bogged down with unnecessary files and system registry issues. It made cleaning out hard disks and repairing problems easy as it would normally only take one click of the mouse to make all your problems disappear.

Sadly, CCleaner can no longer be trusted to protect your device, but many alternatives provide the same features. In some instances, they offer even more protection for your laptop or desktop.

In addition to a CCleaner alternative, you also need a VPN to protect you and your device while you’re online. A virtual private network can help hide your sensitive information and provide you with complete anonymity when you’re browsing websites. But not all VPNs are identical. Some can throttle your bandwidth, and others come with data caps.

Don’t risk picking the wrong virtual private network for your needs. Check-in with VPN Testing first and ensure that you, your device, and your files won’t need any extra cleaning while you’re online.