I tested Mac apps one by one to improve Mole. Some cleanup rules needed to remove less.

Hi r/macapps, I'm Tw93, the developer of Mole. The CLI is free and open source. This post is about the separate, paid native Mac app at mole.fit, where you can also find the privacy policy, terms, and support contact.

Problem

A cleaner needs to know what an app leaves behind, and which of those files still matter. I spent the past few weeks installing apps, opening them, granting permissions, checking updates and startup items, then uninstalling them.

That found missing leftovers, but it also caught places where my cleanup rules were too broad: shared vendor folders, data another app still uses, and files that only look abandoned. Those rules needed to remove less.

https://preview.redd.it/0wgapljdquth1.jpg?width=2584&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39c47bb53809e6be822023808caf862be8b12985

AI tools added another problem. Caches, coding sessions, worktrees, and downloaded models can all take up a lot of space, but losing them has very different consequences. I initially focused on regenerable caches and old CLI versions. After my own disk filled up and users reported large AI-tool folders, I installed and used a few dozen AI apps and CLIs to see what they left behind.

The AI cleanup page groups items by what removing them costs. Caches start checked; sessions and worktrees need deliberate review; unused tools stay unchecked. Local model stores are left alone. This page is still in Preview.

AI cleanup in Preview, with all rows selected for this screenshot.

Comparison

AppCleaner is a free option for removing an app and its related files. Mole also covers caches beyond individual uninstalls, disk analysis, and, in Preview, AI-tool data. The extra work here is deciding which leftovers can be offered for cleanup and which need to stay.

CleanMyMac covers a broader set of tasks, including malware scanning. Mole focuses on cleanup, app management, disk analysis, maintenance, and system monitoring, with a one-time purchase. You can review the cleanup list and protect paths you want to keep.

Pricing

Mole for Mac is $19 once for two Macs, with free updates and no subscription. You can try each paid tool twice before buying. Requires macOS 14 or later.

Mac app: mole.fit
Free, open-source CLI: github.com/tw93/Mole

What's a file or folder you've seen a cleaner mark for removal that you were glad you checked first?

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