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VERDICT

Should I use CCleaner?

CCleaner is the number-one tool for cleaning your PC. It protects your privacy and makes your computer faster and more secure! - ccleaner.com

Depends. Reasonable free cleanup utility for an older Windows PC choking on junk files; skip it on a modern SSD machine where Windows' built-in tools do the same. Businesses and security-conscious buyers should look elsewhere given the 2017 supply-chain breach and constant upselling.

Confidence

High. Based on ~13 unique public sources across official, review, and security coverage. Pro pricing figures absent from evidence.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in reviewed sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
ProNot listed in reviewed sources

Best for

  • Older Windows PCs short on disk space
  • Non-technical users wanting one-click cleanup
  • Home users clearing browser junk and cookies

Not for

  • Modern SSD PCs — built-in Windows Storage Sense covers this free
  • Businesses managing fleets — use real endpoint management tools
  • Anyone expecting antivirus — this is not full malware protection
  • Privacy purists wary of Gen Digital ownership and 2017 breach history

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

In 2017 criminals injected malware into official downloads — serious history for a 'security' tool

medium

Expect constant upsell nudges toward Pro, Kamo, and CCleaner Browser across the site

medium

Pro pricing not shown on pages reviewed — verify subscription and auto-renewal terms before buying

low

License key recovery depends on your registered email address

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free version removes junk files, tracking cookies, and browser temp files
  • Health Check recommends quick one-click fixes for startup and security
  • Flags outdated apps as security risks
  • Available for PC, Mac, Android, and iOS
  • 2023 Editors' Choice badge cited on product page

Cons

  • Official download shipped malware in the 2017 supply-chain attack
  • Free experience is saturated with Pro and add-on product upsells
  • Edits Windows Registry entries — a practice with limited real-world benefit

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/20/2026 - 10 sources - 2017 supply-chain attack distributed malware via official CCleaner downloads; no newer incidents found in reviewed sources.

official x5review x2security x2news x1
  • 2017 supply-chain attack, Criminals compromised CCleaner's build pipeline, delivering malware through the official download to millions of users.
  • Malware in official installer, The popular Windows utility accidentally included malware in its download for a period of time.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 3/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 3/5. Free tier covers basics; Pro upsold everywhere
  • Ease of use: 4/5. One-click Health Check fixes, minimal setup
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Cleaner, driver updates, Kamo, browser — breadth over depth
  • Support quality. No support evidence in reviewed sources
  • Security posture: 2/5. 2017 supply-chain attack shipped malware to users
  • 4.0/5 Trustpilot rating 28,409 reviews
  • Yes Free tier Free download for PC, Mac, Android, iOS
  • Gen Digital Owner Developed by Piriform Software; © 2005-2026 Gen Digital Inc

Pricing

Free

$0

  • Junk and cookie cleanup
  • Health Check
  • Browser junk removal

Pro

Not listed in reviewed sources

  • Auto-updates outdated apps
  • Performance optimization

Security

2017 supply-chain attack distributed malware via official CCleaner downloads; no newer incidents found in reviewed sources.

  • 2017 supply-chain attackCriminals compromised CCleaner's build pipeline, delivering malware through the official download to millions of users.⁹
  • Malware in official installerThe popular Windows utility accidentally included malware in its download for a period of time.10

What users say

A long-popular cleaner holding a 4.0/5 Trustpilot score across ~28,000 reviews, though trust questions linger after the 2017 breach.

“Ccleaner has been the leading PC cleaning tool for a long time. It ensures that your computer runs more securely while protecting your privacy.”
Quora
Full analysis

Based on ~13 unique public sources across official, review, and security coverage. Pro pricing figures absent from evidence.

Free tier fine for old PCs; modern Windows barely needs it, and the 2017 malware breach still shadows the brand.

Methodology

Based on ~13 unique public sources across official, review, and security coverage. Pro pricing figures absent from evidence.

Sources

  1. CCleaner official siteccleaner.com
    official
  2. CCleaner for PC product pageccleaner.com
    official
  3. CCleaner Free pageccleaner.com
    official
  4. CCleaner download pageccleaner.com
    official
  5. All CCleaner productsccleaner.com
    official
  6. Cybernews CCleaner reviewcybernews.com
    review
  7. Trustpilot reviews of CCleanertrustpilot.com
    review
  8. CCleaner — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news
  9. Millions Threatened by Malware Attack on CCleaner — Viprevipre.com
    security
  10. What the CCleaner Hack Means to You — AskLeoaskleo.com
    security

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