Which fits your needs?
diCleaner: Mac users seeking free storage analysis alongside broader maintenance tools.
SquirrelDisk: People wanting a free open-source GUI across desktop systems and remote storage.
Features, pricing, and workflow
Scroll across to compare
| Feature | diCleaner | SquirrelDisk |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Mac users seeking free storage analysis alongside broader maintenance tools. | People wanting a free open-source GUI across desktop systems and remote storage. |
| Visualization | Storage overview, file categories, and maintenance lists | Sunburst, treemap, file list, and duplicates |
| Platforms and requirements | macOS 11.5+ | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Pricing and editions | Vendor says free to use with all current features included. | Free; AGPL-3.0 source published on GitHub. |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Native macOS UI | Yes | Cross-platform interface |
| Cleanup workflow | No automatic deletion after scanning; most tools use Trash by default. Secure Remove and Trash emptying are permanent. | Collector offers Trash, permanent removal, secure erase, or backup before deletion. |
| Reports and portability | The cited pages do not establish scan-report export. Keep any important history or paths before rescanning; retain the original files until decisions are verified. | The current overview does not establish an interoperable scan-report format. Preserve paths, duplicate decisions, and remote source settings separately. |
diCleaner: what stands out
A good fit for Mac users seeking free storage analysis alongside broader maintenance tools.
diCleaner: strengths
- Storage analysis, large/old files, and duplicate/similar-photo tools
- App uninstallation, leftovers, and startup-item review
- Selection-based cleanup with Trash defaults for most tools
Considerations
- Permanent removal and privacy tools have different effects from Trash
- App Store privacy disclosure lists some non-linked data
- Cleanup eligibility depends on files, apps, and permissions
SquirrelDisk: what stands out
A good fit for people wanting a free open-source GUI across desktop systems and remote storage.
SquirrelDisk: strengths
- Live maps and a staged removal collector
- Content-based duplicate search
- SSH and rclone-backed cloud storage
Considerations
- Uses a cross-platform Rust interface rather than SwiftUI
- Permanent deletion and secure erase require deliberate review
- Cloud/SSH actions depend on provider and remote-system support
For a useful comparison on your own drive, match the scan root, access permissions, and size mode. Chart style changes how you explore the results; it does not by itself establish measurement accuracy.
Common questions
When should I choose diCleaner?
A good fit for Mac users seeking free storage analysis alongside broader maintenance tools. Vendor says free to use with all current features included.
When should I choose SquirrelDisk?
A good fit for people wanting a free open-source GUI across desktop systems and remote storage. Free; AGPL-3.0 source published on GitHub.
Will both apps show the same size?
Not necessarily. Match the scan root, permissions, exclusions, and logical/allocated-size mode. Hard links, APFS clones, snapshots, sparse files, and cloud placeholders can change totals. A reported size is not a guaranteed amount recovered after deletion.