The short answer
Choose CleanMyMac if…
- you want malware scanning and removal;
- you want a one-button routine that cleans, scans and optimizes;
- you want to find duplicate and similar photos, or tidy cloud storage;
- your Mac runs a version of macOS older than 15.
Choose Tend if…
- your main question is "why is my battery draining?" and you want per-app answers in watts;
- you want advice on charge limits and alerts about heat and runaway apps;
- you want every temperature sensor and fan speed;
- you want cleanup that stays in your home folder and always goes to the Trash first.
Where CleanMyMac is stronger
- Malware protection. CleanMyMac scans for and removes malware, including adware and keyloggers, with an engine from MacPaw's Moonlock. Tend has no malware scanner; it shows whether macOS's own protections (Gatekeeper, XProtect, System Integrity Protection, FileVault and the firewall) are on.
- Broader cleanup. System junk, duplicate and similar photos, large and forgotten files, and cloud storage cleanup. Tend's Cleanup covers app caches, logs, developer files and old downloads.
- App updates beyond Homebrew. CleanMyMac can update many apps from within its Applications tool. Tend covers macOS, App Store (with the free
mastool) and Homebrew. - Smart Care: one routine that runs cleanup, protection, performance and updates together.
- Wider compatibility: macOS 11 or later, while Tend needs Apple silicon and macOS 15.
Where Tend is different
- Battery and energy first. Tend estimates each app's power in watts from your Mac's measured draw, keeps 30 days of per-app energy history, and its Battery Coach tells you whether a charge limit is worth it for the way you charge.
- Thermals. Every temperature sensor and fan, with history, and alerts when your Mac runs hot (Pro).
- Conservative cleanup. Tend's Cleanup and Space Map stay inside your home folder, protect folders your account depends on, don't pre-select anything that might hold your documents, and move everything to the Trash so you can put it back. How Clean Up stays safe.
- Quiet by design. Tend doesn't nag you to clean. It runs at well under 1% CPU in the background on our test Mac, and nothing it measures leaves your Mac.
- Price. Tend's core monitoring is free with no time limit, and Pro costs less than CleanMyMac's plans.
Side by side
| Feature | Tend | CleanMyMac |
|---|---|---|
| Malware scanning and removal | No (shows macOS's protections) | Yes |
| Cache, log and junk cleanup | Your caches, logs, developer files, old downloads (scan Free, clean Pro) | Yes, including system junk |
| Duplicate photos, large files, cloud cleanup | Space Map for large folders (Free) | Yes |
| Uninstaller with leftovers | Yes (Pro) | Yes |
| Startup and background items | Yes (Free) | Yes, background process management |
| App updates | macOS, App Store and Homebrew in one list (Free) | Updates many apps from within the app |
| Per-app energy in watts, with history | Yes (24 hours Free; 30 days Pro) | Not its focus |
| Battery | Health, cycles, Battery Coach (Free); Charge Limit status, reminders, cell detail (Pro) | Health, temperature and cycles in its menu bar monitor |
| Temperatures and fans | Every sensor and fan, with history (Pro) | CPU, disk and battery temperatures in its menu bar monitor |
| Menu bar | Panel with live gauges and top energy users (Free) | Menu with CPU, memory, battery, network, storage and connected devices |
| Macs | Apple silicon, macOS 15 or later | macOS 11 or later |
| Price | Free; Pro $4.99/month, $19.99/year or $39.99 once, on 3 Macs. Free during the beta. | Mac App Store: Basic $39.99/year or $9.99/month; Plus $65.99/year or $15.99/month (one Mac). Also sold on macpaw.com and Setapp. |
Can I use both?
Yes, they don't conflict. You could use CleanMyMac for malware scans and Tend for battery, energy and heat. If you do, there's no need to run both apps' cleanup on the same files.
Sources
- MacPaw, CleanMyMac (features, “Starting at $3.33/month”, macOS 11 or later), checked 11 October 2026.
- Apple, CleanMyMac on the Mac App Store (in-app purchase prices), checked 11 October 2026.
- MacPaw, About the Menu (menu bar monitors).
- MacPaw, Purchase options (one-time, subscription and Setapp).
See where your battery goes
Tend is free to download, and every Pro feature is free during the beta.