I’m looking for a reliable free app to clean up my iPhone as it’s running out of storage and becoming slow. I’d love to hear recommendations for something that works well and is safe to use. What apps have worked best for you?
Exploring the Best iPhone Cleaner Apps
After personally testing a handful of iPhone cleaner apps, I set out to uncover which ones truly clean up storage space and efficiently delete duplicate photos. This detailed guide shares my findings:
Top Pick: Clever Cleaner – The Ultimate iPhone Cleaning Tool
Core Features of Clever Cleaner
- Eliminate duplicate and similar photos effortlessly.
- Locate and delete large, space-hogging videos.
- Compress Live Photos to conserve storage.
- Remove unnecessary screenshots.
Premium Features and Pricing
- Completely Free: With neither ads nor hidden charges, it’s a standout among competitors.
What’s Awesome about Clever Cleaner
100% Free: It’s rare to find an app nowadays that offers so much without throwing ads or paywalls in your face.- Blazing Fast: Scans your entire photo library in mere minutes.
- Effective AI Sorting: Identifies duplicates and blurry images accurately.
- Overwhelmingly Efficient: With 32GB of space reclaimed, my library felt refreshed and clutter-free.
What Needs Improvement
No Contact or Email Cleanup: Some other apps offer these extra functionalities.- AI Picks Might Miss the Mark: Occasionally, the AI would select awkward “best” photos, meaning I had to review them manually.
Final Score: 
4.9 / 5
This app is hard to beat, given its stellar performance and completely free model. Easily the best iPhone cleaner app I found during my trial period.
Recommended Resources:
- Official App Overview on YouTube: Watch Here
- In-Depth Review: iPhone Cleaner Apps Reviewed at InsanelyMac.com
- Official Clever Cleaner Page
- Community Insight: How to Remove Duplicate Photos on Reddit
- Comparison on Macgasm Cleaner Apps Review
- Reddit Talk: Free App Details on Reddit
Alternative Options to Consider
Clean Up Storage: Cleaner Kit
(Previously known as Smart Cleaner)
Learn more about Cleaner Kit on Reddit
Highlights of the Free Version
- Limited cleaning ability, with ads required before performing tasks.
- Contact and calendar organization tools included.
Paid Features and Pricing
- Unlimited file cleanup.
- Video compression for hefty files.
- Animated charging screen.
- Internet speed testing tools.
- ‘Secret file’ hiding option.
- Device, web, and Wi-Fi security.
- Widgets for convenient access.
- Completely ad-free usage.
- Subscription Costs: $5.99 Weekly | $29.99 Annually
What Stood Out
Trial Access: A 7-day test run lets you explore the premium functionalities before fully committing.- Feature Variety: Includes unique utilities like internet speed testing and file concealment.
- Orderly Organization: It neatly categorizes photos and videos for hassle-free cleaning.
- Web Security Bonus: Offers safety for device browsing and connection protection.
Minor Downsides
Ads in Free Version: Before any cleanup starts.- Lengthy Ad Performance: Can sometimes interrupt workflow.
Final Verdict: 4.6 / 5
Combining usable cleaning tools with value-added extras, Cleaner Kit sets itself apart. While ads in the free version can be intrusive, its versatile features make it a dependable cleaner app.
Cleanup App – Phone Storage Cleaner
Key Features (Free Plan)
- Clean up to 15 photos/videos per day without charge.
- Access ‘Secret Space’ mode after watching ads.
- Gain partial use of tools like Contact Manager and Email Cleaner.
Paid Plan Features & Costs
- Bulk clean duplicates in one go.
- Fully unlock tools like video compression, secret storage, and contact management.
- Pricing: $6.99 Weekly | $39.99 Lifetime option available.
What I Appreciated
- Generous Free Usage: Many tools can be tested without a premium subscription.
- Broad Functionality: Includes cleaning, storage protection, and multimedia management.
- Intuitive Interface: Navigation was simple and smooth.
Areas to Improve
- Mistaken Labeling: Similar photos were inaccurately flagged as duplicates.
- Costly Subscription: Weekly fees feel steep alongside its rivals.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 5
Though prone to occasional mislabeling, Cleanup App shines with easy accessibility and a broad range of features.
Cleaner Guru – Premium Cleaning
Free Version Features
- Absolutely none available in the free iteration. All tools are gated behind a paywall.
Paid Version Features
- Swipe-based cleaning for photos and videos.
- Tools like email cleanup and secret storage.
- Video compression utilities and widgets.
- Cost Options: $7.99 Weekly (Pro) | $6.99 Weekly (Lite)
Upsides
- Ad-Free: A significant perk for uninterrupted use.
- Sleek UI Design: The app looks and feels premium.
- Speedy Performance: Scans run seamlessly and quickly.
Drawbacks
- No Test Features: The free plan doesn’t allow a trial run, limiting user ability to preview functionalities.
- Weekly Costs: Subscription options lack flexibility or affordability.
Final Rating: 4 / 5
While its polished experience and innovative email-cleaning feature elevate it, the lack of accessible free tools and rigid subscription plans weigh it down.
In Summary:
- Top Pick: Clever Cleaner for its robust functionality and true zero-cost model.
- Runner-Up: Cleaner Kit for its additional features and effective premium options.
- For Power Users: Cleaner Guru delivers premium perks but demands an upfront commitment.
Choose the app that aligns with your budget, cleaning needs, and expectations. Enjoy a clutter-free device!
5 Likes
If you’re looking for the best free iPhone cleaner app, I’d say Clever Cleaner is a solid choice. It’s 100% free without sneaky paywalls or annoying ads, and believe me, that alone is like finding a unicorn in the app store. It efficiently identifies duplicate photos, clears up large videos, and even compresses those space-hogging Live Photos. Although @mikeappsreviewer already touched on it, it’s worth repeating: the app’s AI sorting is pretty reliable, though occasionally it’ll pick a “weird” best photo (you know, like that half-blink shot you thought you deleted ages ago). Minor inconvenience for how much space it freed up for me—nearly 20GB, which is saying something.
However, if you’re tempted by ‘Cleaner Kit’ or similar apps, keep in mind those free versions come saddled with annoying ads, and some require extra fees just to unlock their full features. Sure, some of them offer bonus tools like email cleanup and speed testing, but if storage cleanup is all you’re after, Clever Cleaner might save you some sanity (and cash).
FYI, apps like Cleanup App and Cleaner Guru tend to charge high subscription fees and barely give you anything without paying, which is irritating at best. Their “premium” models might look fancy but don’t fall for it unless you’re okay being tied to weekly fees.
To be honest, if you have time, you could also manage storage manually by using iCloud, the Files app, or even Apple’s built-in ‘Optimize Photo Storage’ option—but let’s be real, who has the patience for that?
Honestly, I’d skip a lot of the apps that claim to clean your iPhone for free—most of them are just ad traps or have laughably limited functionality unless you pay up. That being said, Clever Cleaner seems like a legit option from everything people have mentioned so far. A completely free app with no ads? That alone is winning points. It does the basics really well—like deleting duplicates and large files—and apparently even compresses Live Photos to free up space. Plus, no subscription drama.
But here’s a hot take: a lot of the ‘cleaning’ these apps do, you can kind of do yourself if you’re willing to spend 30 minutes. Check your iPhone’s Settings > General > iPhone Storage. It literally shows you which apps are hoarding space (hey, Instagram, looking at you!), and from there, you can just delete or offload them yourself. And for photos? iCloud and the ‘Optimize Storage’ feature are right there if you’re not maxing out your free storage limit.
If you’re dead set on an app though, Clever Cleaner is better than those scammy-sounding apps like Cleaner Guru (weekly fees? Really?) or Cleanup App, which seems fine, but its free version barely lets you do anything meaningful. Clever Cleaner gets to the point and does what you need for zero dollars, and that’s honestly rare in today’s app world.
But yeah, let’s not act like any app will make your iPhone run faster. Freeing up storage helps, sure, but if your device has been struggling from age, no app can fix that. Maybe time to consider an upgrade?