Pearcleaner
Open-source uninstaller that also finds the files left behind by apps you deleted long ago.
What it does
Dragging an app to the Trash leaves its preferences, caches, application support directories, launch agents and logs behind. Pearcleaner removes an app together with those files, and — the part that distinguishes it — scans for orphaned files belonging to applications that are no longer installed.
It also inspects app bundles: architecture, whether a universal binary can be lipo’d down, and what is inside.
Notes
- Free and open source, unlike most of this category.
- Needs Full Disk Access to see everything it needs to.
- Review the file list before confirming. Orphan detection is heuristic, and a shared support directory can be attributed to the wrong app.
Alternative to
| Alternative | Type | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| AppCleaner | Free | Simpler, no orphan scanning |
| CleanMyMac | Paid | Does this among many other things, heavier than most people want |
| AppZapper or TrashMe | Paid | Uninstallers of the same shape |
brew uninstall --zap | — | For anything installed as a cask, removes support files too |
Install
brew install --cask pearcleaner