Comparison
Depflush vs CleanMyMac, DaisyDisk, npkill and DevCleaner
Every tool here is good at something different. This page says what each one does, what it costs, and when another tool is the better choice.
| Depflush | CleanMyMac | DaisyDisk | npkill | DevCleaner for Xcode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $39.95/year or $119.95 once (1 Mac) | $9.99 once | Free | Free |
| Open source | Yes (GPL-3.0) | No | No | Yes (MIT) | — |
| Interface | Mac app | Mac app | Mac app | Terminal | Mac app |
| Docker images, build cache | Yes | — | Shows Docker.raw size | — | — |
| node_modules | Yes, dormant projects | — | Manual | Yes | — |
| Composer vendor | Yes, dormant projects | — | Manual | — | — |
| Old JetBrains IDE caches | Yes | — | Manual | — | — |
| Xcode data | DerivedData | Yes | Manual | — | Yes, in detail |
| Duplicate files | Photos, videos, SQL dumps | Yes | — | — | — |
| General system cleanup, uninstaller | — | Yes | — | — | — |
“Manual” means the tool shows you the folder and its size, and you decide what to delete. “—” means the tool does not cover it. Prices as listed by the vendors in September 2026.
When to use which
CleanMyMac
A general cleaner for everyone: system junk, app uninstaller, malware scan, maintenance tasks. If you want one app that looks after the whole Mac and don't mind a subscription, it is a solid choice. It does not look into Docker or your project folders.
DaisyDisk
The best way to see where your space went: a map of your disk you can click through. It does not know what is safe to delete, so it is ideal for exploring and deciding yourself. Depflush works well next to it.
npkill
If node_modules is your only problem and you like the Terminal, npx npkill is fast and free. It does not cover Composer, Docker or caches.
DevCleaner for Xcode
For iOS and macOS developers: it knows Xcode's archives, device support files and simulators better than any general tool.
Depflush
For web and PHP developers whose disk fills with Docker images, dependencies of old client projects, SQL dumps and caches of IDE versions they no longer use. It previews every item with its size, keeps risky items unticked and moves everything to the Trash by default. It is free and open source, and it does not replace a general cleaner.
Sources: CleanMyMac store, DaisyDisk pricing, npkill on GitHub, DevCleaner for Xcode on the App Store.