I’ve noticed my iPhone is getting slower and storage seems cluttered. I need advice on reliable apps to clean up unnecessary files and optimize performance. What do you recommend?
Top iPhone Storage Cleaner Apps: Comprehensive Review
When your iPhone is bursting at the seams with photos, videos, and apps, finding a reliable cleaner app becomes essential. I explored several iPhone cleaner apps to uncover which ones efficiently free up storage, eliminate duplicate photos, and optimize your device. Here’s what I discovered:
Top Pick: Clever Cleaner – Best iPhone Storage Cleaner
Key Features:
- Detect and delete duplicate or similar photos
- Identify and remove large or unnecessary videos
- Compress Live Photos to save storage
- Clear unused screenshots with one tap
Paid Features & Pricing:
- None. Completely free and free of ads.
Highlights:
Truly Free To Use – Unlike most apps, Clever Cleaner lacks paywalls, ads, or daily limits.
Blazing Speed – Scanned my entire photo library (over 15,000 photos) in just 3 minutes.
Effective AI Sorting – While sorting out duplicates and blurry shots wasn’t perfect, it was accurate enough to free up 32GB of clutter.
User-Friendly – Simple interface, robust results without any complexity.
Downsides:
No Email or Contact Cleaning – Some competing apps offer these features.
Occasional AI Mistakes – At times, the app flagged odd ‘best’ photos, which required manual review.
Verdict:
Rating: 
4.9 / 5
Clever Cleaner outshines others with a no-cost, ad-free experience. For zero dollars, it gives more functionality than some premium apps. Undoubtedly the best option for iPhone storage cleaning.
Helpful Resources:
- Learn how to use Clever Cleaner via this YouTube Tutorial
- Check out InsanelyMac’s review of iPhone Cleaner apps
- Download the app directly from its official site
Runner-Up: Cleaner Kit – All-in-One Storage Organizer
Free Version Features:
- Limited cleanups; requires watching ads before use.
- Organizes contacts and manages your calendar.
Pro Version Features & Pricing:
- Unlimited cleanups on files and media.
- Video compression.
- Internet speed test tool.
- Hide sensitive files, device protection, ad-free UI.
- Weekly plan: $5.99 | Yearly plan: $29.99.
Strengths:
Offers a 7-day free trial to fully explore premium features.
Includes bonus features like Wi-Fi security, file hiding, and charging animations.
Smart and structured sorting system for faster cleanup of photos.
UI is clean and intuitive—great for users of all tech levels.
Weaknesses:
Ads in the free version can be a minor inconvenience but are less intrusive than most apps.
Some features might feel unnecessary outside of basic cleaning needs.
Verdict:
Rating: 4.6 / 5
A highly versatile app, Cleaner Kit bundles cleaning with extras like speed tests and web security. While some might find ads distracting in the free tier, the powerful toolset makes it worth exploring.
3rd Place: Cleanup App – Phone Storage Cleaner
Free Version Highlights:
- Cleans up photos or videos (limit: 15 items).
- ‘Secret Space’ to hide files (requires watching ads).
- Basic email cleaning and contact management tools.
Paid Version Pricing:
- No restrictions on features like photo identification, secret storage, and video compression.
- Fully ad-free experience.
- Pricing: Weekly $6.99 | Lifetime $39.99.
Pros:
Minimal barriers in the free version, allowing users to test major features.
Comprehensive feature selection for photo optimization, email organization, and contact cleanup.
Intuitive design suitable for beginners.
Cons:
Mislabeling of some ‘Similar’ photos/videos under duplicates.
Weekly rates are higher compared to competitors.
Verdict:
Rating: 4.0 / 5
Cleanup App delivers accessibility through its free access and useful tools. However, minor AI missteps and expensive subscription plans might push users to explore alternatives.
4th Place: Cleaner Guru – Premium Cleaning Service
Free Version Features:
- Unfortunately, no free functionality.
Premium Features:
- Comprehensive photo and video cleaning tools.
- Smart swipe-based cleaning for clutter.
- Secret file storage and contact/email organization.
- Weekly Subscription: Pro Plan $7.99 | Lite Plan $6.99.
Advantages:
No ads or pop-ups – a distraction-free experience.
Rapid scanning and cleaning processes.
Appealing UI with sleek visuals and smooth operation.
Provides email-cleaning functionality, which many apps lack.
Downsides:
The absence of free features for testing is a notable obstacle.
Only weekly payment options—limits affordability for casual users.
Verdict:
Rating: 4.0 / 5
Cleaner Guru offers refinement and standout email-cleaning capability. While the app lacks a free tier, its polished design and convenient tools make it worth considering if you’re ready to invest.
Final Thoughts
When choosing the best cleaner app for an iPhone, it’s always about balancing functionality, cost, and convenience. If you’re on a budget or simply looking for an effective tool, Clever Cleaner stands unmatched—clean, free, and reliable. The Cleaner Kit and Cleanup App are excellent choices for expanded features, while Cleaner Guru is best for those seeking premium tools in a refined package.
More Resources to Explore:
1 Like
Alright, so your iPhone’s slowing down and storage is cluttered? Classic iPhone struggle. Honestly, finding a good cleaner app is like trying to declutter your garage when all the tools are in a different language. But here’s the tea: I’ve tested a few, and while @mikeappsreviewer has covered some awesome apps, let me throw my 2 cents in and keep it real.
Skip the gimmicky apps that promise you the moon but bombard you with paywalls or ads every five minutes. “Clever Cleaner” is a standout for me — it’s actually free (not “free” with hidden ads or microtransactions every time you blink). It tackles duplicate photos, unintentional screen captures (you know, those accidental ones of your sock), and has decent AI for sorting. It’s not perfect — occasionally, the AI suggests deleting photos that are not duplicates, so you do need to double-check before nuking your memories. But hey, it helped me clear up 20GB in a day. Wild.
Now, not everyone’s gonna vibe with free apps because, let’s be real, they don’t always have those fancy extra features. For folks wanting bells and whistles (like Wi-Fi security tests or organizing contacts alongside cleaning up), something like Cleaner Kit or Cleanup App may appeal to you — if you’re okay with subscriptions. But paying weekly for a cleaner app? Feels like Apple tax 2.0… when one freebie app does the basic job just fine.
No shade, but apps like Cleaner Guru that don’t even give you a free tier? Ew. That feels like showing up to a potluck without bringing food. It’s decent but only for people who willingly sign up for weekly payments just to clean their phone. I’m not one of those people.
If you don’t wanna dive into apps constantly, think about using the native storage manager (Settings > General > iPhone Storage). It’s not fancy, won’t remove duplicates like Clever Cleaner or compress Live Photos, but it helps identify storage hogs. Combine that with occasional manual cleanup and voilà.
So, TL;DR? Clever Cleaner is the obvious choice: free, functional, no ads. Anything more fitting your vibe, prepare for some premium squeezes. But honestly, do you really need an all-in-one super app to clean your phone? Or is this just another way we’ve convinced ourselves we can’t purge our own junk? Food for thought. 
Honestly, iPhone cleaner apps are a mixed bag. Some are great at decluttering, while others feel like pushy salespeople asking for your wallet after every tap. Based on the issue you described, you’re on the hunt for something reliable, and from the chatter here, “Clever Cleaner” seems to really stand out. No ads, no paywalls—sounds like a unicorn in the cleaner app world. And bonus points for it being free, which is rare because everything these days is suddenly subscription-based. Think of it as Marie Kondo for your phone, but it doesn’t judge you (except when it flags blurry photos you thought were artsy).
That said, while @mikeappsreviewer made a solid case for Clever Cleaner and @cazadordeestrellas broke down all the options, I have to challenge one thing: do you really need a cleaner app? Apple already gives us tools under iPhone Storage in Settings. It’s not flashy but can help you peek into storage hogs. Combine that with manually deleting duplicates or useless screenshots, and you might not need an app at all, free or not.
But if convenience is key (and TBH, I’m lazy too), Clever Cleaner’s simplicity and free features make it a no-brainer over apps like Cleaner Guru, which force you into a subscription just to see what it even does. Cleaner Kit is decent for its extras if you’re techy and want more than just photo cleanup, but are you really using features like Wi-Fi security tests? Let’s be real—most just want space for more memes and TikToks.
Bottom line: start with Clever Cleaner, test it, see if it helps. A surprising free app that organizes without constant pop-ups feels like a win these days. But don’t fall into the trap of paying weekly fees unless you’re ultra-desperate.
Look, here’s the deal: iPhone cleaner apps exist because not everyone has the time or patience to manually dig through bloated photo libraries and forgotten apps—we’ve all been there. That said, if you’re considering a cleaner app, Clever Cleaner seems like a solid pick. No ads, no subscription fees? That alone deserves a mic drop in this app-saturated world.
Why Clever Cleaner Stands Out:
- Pros:
Fully free—no hidden gimmicks or paywalls.
Handles duplicate and blurry photos efficiently enough.
Easy-to-use interface; no steep learning curve.
Impressively fast library scanning. - Cons:
Limited to photos and videos—no email or contact cleanup, which others manage.
Occasional errors in AI decisions. You might need to double-check its choices.
Now, compare that to something like Cleaner Kit, which has some neat extras (Wi-Fi tests, hiding files) but clutters its free tier with ads—you’ll hate it if patience isn’t your strongest virtue. Oh, and Cleaner Guru? Sure, it’s premium and polished, but who’s dropping $7.99 weekly when there’s a free alternative doing 90% of the job?
Here’s my spicy take: Apps like Clever Cleaner are great if you value speed, convenience, and not opening your wallet. But for those who are fine with diving into iPhone’s own Settings > General > iPhone Storage, you can spot your storage offenders without downloading anything extra. Manual cleanups might take longer, but hey, it’s all in-house and doesn’t risk an app flagging priceless vacation pics for deletion.
Final thought? Test Clever Cleaner—it’s free, after all. Just don’t let other apps pressure you into paying for “security” features or excessive clean-up tools you won’t use. Remember, most of us are just clearing space for memes and cat videos anyway.