Running out of storage on my iPhone and it’s slowing down a lot. I’ve deleted photos and apps but it’s still not enough. Are there any reliable apps that can help free up space?
Discoveries from Testing iPhone Cleaner Apps
After trying out a variety of iPhone cleaner apps, I’ve identified the ones that genuinely deliver by freeing up storage and organizing your photo library. Here’s my experience:
Top Pick: Clever Cleaner - Best iPhone Cleaner App
Key Features:
- Efficiently removes similar and duplicate photos.
- Detects and deletes large video files.
- Compresses Live Photos to save space.
- Cleans up unused screenshots.
Pricing:
- 100% free to use. No ads, paywalls, or hidden fees.
What’s Impressive:
- Completely free: Unlike most apps that charge users or include ads, Clever Cleaner stands out with no strings attached.
- Lightning-fast scanning: Scanned my 10,000-photo gallery in about 3 minutes!
- Intelligent AI sorting: Correctly identified duplicates and subpar images.
- Significant cleanup impact: I reclaimed 32 GB of storage effortlessly.
Limitations:
- No contact management: Features like email cleanup may be missed.
- AI quirks: Occasionally, the auto-selection of “best” photos seemed arbitrary, requiring manual adjustments.
Verdict: 
4.9/5
For an app that costs nothing and delivers remarkable results, Clever Cleaner takes the crown. It is hands down one of the best iPhone cleaner tools available.
Learn More:
- Watch the app in action on YouTube
- Official website for Clever Cleaner
- Review insights from InsanelyMac
Runner-Up: Cleaner Kit
Features (Free Version):
- Performs cleaning after you watch ads.
- Manages contacts and calendar.
Features (Paid Version):
- Full-featured cleanup with no limitations.
- Compress large videos.
- Unique ‘Device and Wi-Fi security’ for added protection.
- Widgets and charging animations.
- Subscriptions: $5.99 weekly or $29.99 yearly.
Highlights:
- Offers device security, internet speed tests, and file hiding, setting it apart from basic cleaner apps.
- User-friendly: Easy navigation and intuitive interface.
- Less intrusive ads compared to other competing apps.
Downsides:
- Ads in the free version add an extra step before cleanup sessions.
- Weekly pricing might not appeal to budget-conscious users.
Verdict: 4.6/5
Cleaner Kit impresses by integrating extra features like device security and Wi-Fi protection with core cleaning functionalities. The 7-day free trial for the premium version makes it worth exploring.
Solid Contender: Cleanup App - Phone Storage Cleaner
Features (Free Version):
- Restricted to 15 photos/videos per cleanup session.
- Offers limited access to contact management, charging animations, and secret space tools (ads required).
Features (Paid Version):
- Removes ads and limits on functionality.
- Includes advanced features like email cleanup and contact management.
- Plans: $6.99 weekly or $39.99 lifetime.
Pros:
- Offers comprehensive cleaning features: Photos, videos, contacts, and emails.
- Allows users to test its functionality for free before committing.
- Clean, easy-to-use interface.
Cons:
- Incorrect labeling of “similar” photos/videos occasionally occurs.
- Weekly pricing is expensive compared to alternatives.
Verdict: 4.0/5
A decent all-around iPhone cleaner with an impressive assortment of features in both the free and premium versions. However, its inconsistent photo labeling and relatively high cost may deter some users.
For Premium Users Only: Cleaner Guru
Features (Free Version):
- No free usage: This app requires upgrading to access features.
Features (Paid Version):
- Smart photo/video cleaning and compression.
- Advanced options like email management and secret storage.
- Fixed weekly subscription rates: $7.99 (Pro) or $6.99 (Lite).
What Makes It Stand Out:
- No ads or pop-ups in the premium version make for a seamless user experience.
- Quick scanning speed with a sleek, modern interface.
- Unique email cleaning function, which is rarely found in similar apps.
Drawbacks:
- Absence of free features makes it inaccessible for testing without a subscription.
- Subscription plan flexibility is limited (only weekly payments available).
Verdict: 4.0/5
For users ready to pay upfront, Cleaner Guru delivers robust features, including email cleanup and a premium experience free of ads. However, the lack of any free options might leave some users hesitant.
Summary: Best iPhone Cleaner Apps Based on Testing
- Clever Cleaner: The ultimate choice for a completely free, effective cleaner.
- Cleaner Kit: A versatile app that offers cleaning plus security and utility features.
- Cleanup App: Excellent for free trials with a strong feature set, though mislabeling issues exist.
- Cleaner Guru: Premium users may appreciate its unique email cleaning feature, but its lack of free functionality might be a drawback.
Explore More:
- How to Delete Duplicate Photos on iPhone – Reddit Discussion
- Comparative Reviews on Macgasm
- Free iPhone Cleaner App Highlights – Reddit
Finding the right cleaner app depends on your needs—whether you value free features, AI precision, extra tools, or a luxury experience. Explore your options and reclaim that precious iPhone storage!
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Oh, trust me, I feel the pain of running out of iPhone storage—it’s the modern-day tech struggle. You delete photos, uninstall apps you barely remember downloading, and still, that “Storage Almost Full” message haunts you. Let’s dive into business instead of crying over gigs lost.
If you’re looking for apps to clean up storage, there are a few gems (and a few duds, honestly). I saw @mikeappsreviewer mention the Clever Cleaner app, which is totally free, fast, and has AI doing the hard work. I tried it myself, and yeah, it’s shockingly useful, but I wish it could dive deeper into areas like email cleanup or managing caches. Still—it reclaimed over 25GB of storage from duplicates and those useless old screenshots that apparently nuked my gallery (I didn’t even know they were hiding everywhere).
With that said, here’s the curveball: sometimes cleaner apps are overrated. If your issue isn’t photos or videos, try manually managing Safari caches (Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data). Also, iPhones love to hold onto “Other storage,” which apps like Clever Cleaner don’t always fix. For that mess, offload unused apps (Settings > General > iPhone Storage), which automatically keeps data but removes the app. It’s like Marie Kondo for your phone.
Another trick: turn off iMessage media autosave under Settings > Messages. They’re 80% memes and screenshots anyway, and they pile up real quick. Do you really need that blurry photo of a cat your aunt forwarded in 2016?
If you’re willing to spend? Cleaner apps like Cleaner Guru have cool features like email cleanup, though their subscription model might be too steep unless you’re drowning in hundreds of gigabytes. I tried them, but honestly, Clever Cleaner makes more sense since it’s free (and better than some paid alternatives).
Oh, one more thing: iCloud. I know it’s annoying to pay Apple anything extra, but a $0.99/month for 50GB plan can be a lifesaver if your phone constantly runs out of space. Cloud storage + Clever Cleaner is a killer combo.
TL;DR: Try Clever Cleaner first; it’s free and works great for photos, videos, and screenshots. Manually clear app data and caches for the rest. Anything beyond that might need a hard look at iCloud or premium apps if you’re a storage hoarder. RIP precious gigabytes!
Clever Cleaner seems like a solid option, but let me throw in another angle. Before jumping on apps, have you tried some good ol’ manual housekeeping? Go to Settings > iPhone Storage and see what’s hogging the most space. Often, it’s not just photos and videos—it’s stuff like huge iMessage conversations with media attachments. You might have a string of GIFs from group chats that could be nuked without mercy.
Also, turn off “Keep Originals” in your iPhone camera settings (Settings > Photos > Optimize iPhone Storage) to push full-res photos to iCloud instead of your device. Speaking of iCloud, if all else fails, embrace the overpriced Apple ecosystem— it’s not free, but 50GB of cloud storage for $0.99/month could save you the headache of jumping through hoops.
If you must use an app (and trust me, I get the convenience), Clever Cleaner is worth a shot—free and does the basics like duplicate removal well. But hey, why’s nobody talking about the iOS feature to offload unused apps? Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and enable “Offload Unused Apps.” It’ll auto-remove things you don’t touch but keeps their data, so you don’t lose anything permanently.
For the brave souls considering paid apps like Cleaner Guru—just remember, sometimes these apps are overly aggressive with subscriptions and don’t always catch everything. If you do manual cleanup plus Clever Cleaner, you’re basically 90% of the way to a decluttered phone without shelling out extra cash. Just my two cents.
Alright, let’s break this down with a no-fluff, direct approach. First off, apps like Clever Cleaner are a fantastic starting point. It’s completely free, runs smoothly, and handles the basics like removing duplicate photos, large videos, and even compressing Live Photos. The scanning process is fairly swift, and the AI sorting is decent, although sometimes it picks the wrong “best photo,” so double-checking is a must. Its biggest pro? You won’t be nagged by ads or tricked into subscriptions. Biggest con? No contact/email cleanup and lacks some advanced functionality, but honestly, for a free app, it delivers.
Now, comparing with others like Cleaner Kit or Cleaner Guru—if you’re okay with ads or splashing out a few bucks, those are solid options. Cleaner Kit bundles extra tools like Wi-Fi protection and file-hiding, which are cool bonuses, but remember it’s got a subscription angle. Cleaner Guru skips ads in premium but forces you to pay upfront, which is annoying if you just want to test it out. Also, their weekly pricing model feels like a cash grab unless you really need their email cleanup features.
That said, let me toss in an alternative workflow instead of relying on apps entirely:
- Check “iPhone Storage” manually—Go to Settings and sort by app size. Sometimes apps like WhatsApp or Spotify are hiding cached files that need manual cleaning.
- Misused storage settings? If you’ve been keeping original photos synced on your device, flip to “Optimize iPhone Storage” (Settings > Photos).
- Convert old videos—Upload them to Google Photos or other cloud platforms if paying for iCloud feels like a trap.
- Purge Messages—Group chats with memes, GIFs, and video spam? Set your messages to auto-delete after a year (Settings > Messages > Keep Messages).
- Offload unused apps—Enable this under iPhone Storage. Your app data stays safe for when you reinstall later.
For those who need an all-in-one automated solution with extra oomph, Clever Cleaner is your MVP with its zero-cost value, but adding manual tweaks like the above can supercharge your results. More storage, no unnecessary app-locking subscriptions, and less hassle!