OptiClear - Free up Mac storage without giving an app root access
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OptiClear finds developer caches (Xcode, Docker, npm and more), duplicate files, similar photos and leftovers from removed apps. It runs in Apple's App Sandbox, never asks for root, and sends files to the Trash first. Scanning is free.
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Hi Product Hunt, I'm Orhan, the indie developer behind OptiClear. I first launched it here earlier this year, and I'm back because the app has changed a lot since then.
Why I built it: my Mac kept filling up with things I didn't know were there. Xcode DerivedData, old simulators, package-manager caches, Docker disk images, downloads from years ago. I wanted a cleaner that finds all of that while staying inside Apple's App Sandbox, without root access, and that shows me everything before it touches anything.
What's new since the first launch (all live in 1.2.4):
• Storage Scan reaches much further: developer and package-manager caches, browser data, app containers, old installers and system areas it didn't cover before
• Leftovers from apps you already removed get their own category, matched by bundle identifier rather than by name
• A Permission Center that explains what OptiClear can reach, why each permission is needed, and what stays out of reach
• Your Trash preference is honored every time. If a file can't be moved to the Trash, it's skipped and reported, not permanently deleted instead
• A Cleanup History in Settings that stays on your Mac
• A calmer redesign of every screen, more accurate scan totals, and noticeably faster scanning and Photo Analysis
Just shipped in 1.2.4: a summary after every cleanup showing what went to the Trash, Photo Analysis that keeps its results after you delete photos, and no more Xcode asset catalogs suggested as duplicates.
How it behaves:
• Runs in Apple's App Sandbox and never asks for root or an admin password. You grant folders through the standard macOS open dialog; Full Disk Access is optional.
• The honest trade-off: root-owned areas like /Library/Caches and local APFS snapshots are out of reach, and the app tells you what it skipped.
• No account. Anonymous analytics are optional, the app asks first, and they never include file names or paths.
• macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel, 14 languages.
Scanning and reviewing are free, so you can see what it finds before paying anything. For launch week, the one-time Lifetime purchase is $29.99 instead of $99.99 until November 8 (US price; your local App Store price may differ). There's also a yearly plan with a 7-day free trial.
Two questions I'd really like answered: what does it miss on your Mac, and what would make you trust a cleaning app more? If you tried the first version, I'd also love to hear whether this one feels different.