CCleaner

Overview

CCleaner is a freemium maintenance utility from CCleaner, a company founded in 2004 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its core tools cover junk cleanup, privacy cleanup, health checks and PC maintenance. The free plan is available for one device; paid subscriptions add features such as scheduled cleaning and priority support.

The wider product range includes separate tools for cloud-drive scanning, encrypted internet connections, deleted-file recovery and PC hardware information. These are not all core CCleaner features, and their availability depends on the plan. CCleaner products are listed for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, though the named maintenance features are mainly PC-oriented.

For more options in this category, see PC Optimization Software and Driver Updater Software.

Key features

• Cleanup and privacy: CCleaner removes junk, browsing data, temporary internet files and online trackers.
• Health and performance: Health Check and Performance Optimizer are among its maintenance tools. The free plan includes basic health checking, while the comparison notes that it omits several paid features.
• Startup and updates: A startup manager is listed alongside Driver Updater and Software Updater. Windows support is stated for versions 11, 10 and 8.1 in the FAQ; another feature listing specifies Windows 10 and 11.
• Scheduled maintenance: Paid plans can clean data automatically and schedule cleaning reminders.
• Additional tools: Cloud Drive Cleaner scans Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox. Kamo Private Connection creates an encrypted tunnel between a PC and the internet. Professional Plus and Premium include Recuva Professional for recovering deleted files, while Speccy provides PC hardware details for upgrade decisions.

Pricing

CCleaner uses a freemium subscription model. Its listed USD plans are:

Separate INR listings give Professional at INR 990 for the first year, renewing at INR 1,240 per year; Professional Plus at INR 1,590 for the first year, renewing at INR 1,990 per year; and Premium at INR 2,592 for the first year, renewing at INR 3,240 per year. These listings state a 20% introductory saving. They do not list a separate price for CCleaner Free.

Paid subscriptions automatically charge the stored payment details when the paid period ends. Refunds can be requested through customer support within 30 days of the initial or anniversary subscription, and the offer pages state a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Platforms

CCleaner products are available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. The Windows FAQ lists support for Windows 11, 10 and 8.1, while another feature listing specifies Windows 10 and 11. Several named tools, including the startup manager and Kamo Private Connection, are described for PCs.

Who it's for

CCleaner may suit people looking for a single utility for junk cleanup, privacy cleanup and basic device-health checks, particularly Windows PC users interested in startup management or scheduled maintenance. The one-device free plan provides basic health checking; users who need the listed paid functions or coverage across several devices can compare the subscription tiers. Those seeking deleted-file recovery or hardware details should note that Recuva Professional and Speccy are separate tools within the wider product range, not the core cleaner.

Pros and cons

Pros

• A free plan is available for one device.
• Cleanup, privacy, health and performance tools are gathered in one maintenance product.
• Paid plans add scheduled cleaning, and some tiers cover multiple devices.
• The broader range includes cloud-drive scanning and separate recovery and hardware-information tools.

Cons

• The free plan has basic health checking and lacks several paid features.
• Pricing and renewal amounts differ across the USD and INR listings, so the relevant regional listing matters.
• Several of the described features are specifically PC-oriented despite the broader platform list.

Alternatives

For other PC maintenance options, consider Advanced SystemCare, Microsoft PC Manager, Glary Utilities or Wise Care 365. Other choices include Kudu, Process Lasso, Avira System Speedup and Wise Disk Cleaner.

Verdict

CCleaner combines common cleanup and maintenance tasks with privacy cleanup, health checks and update tools. Its free plan offers a basic starting point for one device, while paid tiers add automation, support benefits and higher device limits. The main considerations are the free tier's limits, the PC emphasis of many named tools and the need to distinguish the USD prices from the separate INR first-year and renewal listings.