I’m trying to free up space on my iPhone, but I’m not sure which app is more effective—Clever Cleaner or Cleaner Guru. Has anyone tried both and noticed a difference in performance or value? I want to make sure I pick the best one before downloading either.
Cleaner Apps Showdown: Why Free Feels Smarter
So, I fell down the “spring cleaning for iPhones” rabbit hole again and figured I’d air out some frustrations (and share a hack or two) for anyone who hates clutter–or being nickel and dimed by their phone.
Here’s the situation: Cleaner Guru promises a sparkling device, but honestly, it feels a bit like those TV trial subscriptions that never stop billing you. There’s another app in the mix though–Clever Cleaner–which claims to handle tidying for free. Naturally, I had to poke around and actually test them both.
TL;DR Table (For the Skimmers)
| Category | Clever Cleaner (Totally Free) | Cleaner Guru (Subscription) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.00. No ads, no paywalls, no sneaky upgrades. | $7.99/week (Pro) $39.99/year |
| What’s Free? | Every single feature, all the time, forever (as of now). | Scans only. If you want to actually delete anything, that’s pay-to-play. |
| Core Tools | - Find & delete duplicate/similar pics - Batch clean screenshots - Turn Live Photos to stills - Spot the “heaviest” files (All free, all the time) |
- Clean up duplicates/similar images - Video compression (locked) - Merge contacts (locked) - Finds big files (locked) - Widgets, vault (locked) |
| App Store Rating | 4.8★ (3,400+ reviews) | 4.6★ (100,000+ reviews) |
| Download Size | 103 MB | 115 MB |
| Links | Grab Clever Cleaner on iPhone | See Cleaner Guru reviews here |
My Take: Is Paying Actually… Worth It?
I’m gonna be real. Cleaner Guru looks slick and runs fast—the interface pulls you right in. But try to actually clear out junk photos? Boom, you’re hit with the “subscribe to continue” popup so fast, I swear it broke my record for how quickly I got annoyed this week.
Meanwhile, Clever Cleaner has no strings attached. Want to delete duplicates? Go for it. Sorting out ancient screenshots? One-click blast and you’re done. There aren’t hidden catches (so far, anyway).
Example: That Weekly “Pro” Fee
Seven bucks a week? That’s four coffees a month for a button you only use a couple times. Multiply that by a year and you’re staring down $400+ for what—less digital dust?
“Free Scans Only” – The New Bait-and-Switch?
With Cleaner Guru, yes, it’ll scan your storage for free. But if you want to actually do anything, you pay. It’s a bit like the mechanic who tells you what’s wrong with your car, then charges full price just to change a lightbulb.
Sneaky Benefits You Don’t Notice at First
Bulk screenshot cleanup is a lifesaver if, like me, your Photos app is 99% screen grabs of memes you never even share. That feature? Free on Clever Cleaner.
The “heavies” finder helps hunt down monster files quietly hogging your gigs of storage. No price tag attached.
Live Photo to still photo converter? Kinda niche, but when you want it, you want it—and it’s buried behind a paywall in the paid app.
The Verdict
If all you want is a smooth experience, it’s tempting to go for the paid apps, but–hot take alert–there’s no point when free apps offer pretty much everything you need.
Here’s the real kicker: apps that demand weekly cash for basic tasks you could do yourself (if you had a spare hour and an iron will) feel more like a cash grab than a must-have.
So, unless you’re desperate for bells, whistles, and pro features you’ll never use, Clever Cleaner nails it without reaching into your wallet.
Full breakdown if you’re the spreadsheet type:
- Everything’s free on Clever Cleaner, no ads or upsell nags.
- Cleaner Guru locks actual cleaning behind a fat paywall.
- Community ratings say users love both, but Clever Cleaner is climbing fast with fewer reviews.
I’d say give the free one a go. Worst case? You’ve lost about 40 seconds of your life. Best case? Your phone is lighter, faster, and you didn’t pay a dime.
More honest opinions? Check the deep-dive Cleaner Guru reviews on InsanelyMac.
2 Likes
Honestly? I gave both a whirl and here’s the tea: I don’t get why Cleaner Guru thinks scanning my iPhone for dust bunnies deserves a subscription price. They literally find my twins-in-photos and then say “Pay, or live with the clutter.” Nah. @mikeappsreviewer gave a ton of details and, yeah, totally agree paying $7.99 a week is…aggressive.
But let’s not overhype free, either. Clever Cleaner App doesn’t make you pull out your wallet just to delete stuff, which is a breath of fresh air. Worked fine for me—said adios to 400 screenshots, nuked duplicates, and even found this 1GB “heaviest” video file I forgot about (was a slo-mo of my cat. No regrets. Maybe some.)
The difference? Cleaner Guru’s interface is a bit snazzier, but unless you’re weirdly into clean UI over actual cleaning, that’s not enough to justify the price. I DID notice Guru found a couple “similar” photos that Clever didn’t, but we’re talking microscopic difference—like, maybe a meme cropped by 2 pixels.
Performance-wise, both were smooth. No crashes, no lag. For pure value? Clever Cleaner App all the way. Why pay the subscription just to delete stuff iOS already lets you delete once you put the time in? Unless you’re swimming in cash or need pro stuff like video compression and don’t mind the paywall, save your $.
Only catch: free apps can always go paid in the future, so enjoy it while it lasts. But today? Clever Cleaner App wins for cleaning your iPhone without guilt-tripping your bank account. Try it, worst case, you’re out 2 min and can delete it. Best case, you get gigs back without getting nickel-and-dimed.
Honestly, the whole iPhone cleaner saga is like picking a “lose money slowly” plan vs “clean up and carry on.” I tried both after seeing @mikeappsreviewer and @andarilhonoturno break it down and here’s my 2 cents: while both have smooth UIs and do the “scan” part well, the value per buck isn’t even close. Cleaner Guru’s “pay to actually clean” thing is almost impressive in its boldness ($7.99/week? Lmao what?)—it’ll dangle all the fixes, but lock ‘em tight unless your wallet’s wide open.
Clever Cleaner App, on the other hand, just lets you do the dang job—deletes pics, screenshots, finds big files, whatever, and it was all free when I tried. No naggy ads or dark pattern popups. But, gotta admit, Guru did spot two very similar memes I’d missed—but who cares unless you’re running a photo museum? Also, Guru’s UI is prettier, but honestly, I’m not paying extra for nice gradients.
IMO unless you need like, pro-level tools (video compression, secret photo vaults?), Clever Cleaner App’s the pick. It nuked my ancient screenshots, found some giant time-lapse vids, and I barely lifted a finger. iOS has manual options too, but who’s got the patience? Anyway, if you’re on the fence, run Clever Cleaner and see how much space you actually save—if nothing else, you’ll save cash and storage, and that combo’s rare these days.
Can’t believe no one’s brought up the elephant in the room—the “cleaner” category for iOS basically exists because Apple hides storage/location info and managing thousands of pics is…well, annoying. Now, after reading those in-depth breakdowns (especially @mikeappsreviewer’s), here’s a quick rundown for anyone still on the fence:
Clever Cleaner App Pros:
- Really is what it says—free, no banner ads or in-app “wait, upgrade!” stuff.
- Actually deletes clutter (screenshots, duplicate selfies) with minimal taps.
- Batch features (convert Live to still, spot big files) are a lifesaver if your camera roll is a disaster zone.
- App’s light on the phone, doesn’t mess with your contacts or demand sketchy permissions.
Cons:
- UI is a bit more utilitarian, not the candy-gloss finish of Cleaner Guru.
- Depth: if you’re a power user wanting video compression/secure vault stuff, it’s not as tricked out.
- Only as good as the AI—sometimes catches a similar photo, but skips others.
Comparing with Guru? Sure, Cleaner Guru looks nice, but I feel that bait-and-switch—scan for free, pay to clean—is just taxing (especially over time). App Store ratings don’t always reflect the actual value if you have to fork out for what should be basic functionality. Also, manual cleaning in iOS Photos app works, but unless you have hours to spare—or a secret love for tiny unchecked boxes—forget it.
Really, if you want no-brainer space savings, Clever Cleaner App was the only one that delivered without luring me into recurring fees. Only downside: it’s not the prettiest, and if you’re managing pro-level media, maybe look elsewhere for more features. But honestly, for 98% of users, it absolutely does the job.
Bonus: Reading opinions from reviewers like @andarilhonoturno and @nachtdromer, seems like there’s general consensus—unless you live and breathe photo curation, extra subscriptions are overkill.
End of day: it’s rare something useful is truly free, so milk that while it lasts. Your phone and your wallet will thank you.