CCleaner
Depends
Confidence: High
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.
New check
Comparison
CCleaner vs BleachBit
CCleaner lands on Depends, and BleachBit lands on Worth it.
BleachBit
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you are an individual on Windows or Linux who wants a free, no-subscription cleaner with file shredding for privacy.
| Compare | CCleaner | BleachBit |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Worth it |
| Best for | Older Windows PCs short on disk space | Windows and Linux users with full disks |
| Who it's not for | Modern SSD PCs . built-in Windows Storage Sense covers this free | Mac users . no macOS version exists |
| Privacy | 2017 supply-chain attack distributed malware via official CCleaner downloads; no newer incidents found in reviewed sources.⁹ | One disclosed Windows DLL search-order hijacking vulnerability (Nov 2023), since patched; open-source codebase. |
| Support quality | No support evidence in reviewed sources | Community project; no support evidence found |
| Public sentiment | A long-popular cleaner holding a 4.0/5 Trustpilot score across ~28,000 reviews, though trust questions linger after the 2017 breach.⁷ | Users and reviewers call it a simple, effective free cleaner; complaints center on outdated distro-packaged versions.16 |
| Biggest gotcha | In 2017 criminals injected malware into official downloads . serious history for a 'security' tool⁹ | Run the latest release: a Windows DLL search-order hijacking flaw was disclosed Nov 2023, then patched. |
Pick CCleaner when
- Older Windows PCs short on disk space
- Non-technical users wanting one-click cleanup
- Home users clearing browser junk and cookies
When CCleaner is not a fit
- 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
Pick BleachBit when
- Windows and Linux users with full disks
- Privacy-minded users shredding sensitive files
- Anyone avoiding paid cleaner subscriptions
- Linux Mint beginners
When BleachBit is not a fit
- Mac users . no macOS version exists
- Teams wanting SLA-backed vendor support
- Anyone who won't read checkbox descriptions . deletion is permanent
- Guess: buyers expecting big speed gains . it frees space, not performance
Sources
- CCleaner official siteccleaner.comofficial
- CCleaner for PC product pageccleaner.comofficial
- CCleaner Free pageccleaner.comofficial
- CCleaner download pageccleaner.comofficial
- All CCleaner productsccleaner.comofficial
- Cybernews CCleaner reviewcybernews.comreview
- Trustpilot reviews of CCleanertrustpilot.comreview
- CCleaner . Wikipediaen.wikipedia.orgnews
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- Reddit recommendation threadreddit.comreview