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Utilities · head to head

CCleaner vs PeaZip

CCleaner logo

CCleaner

Utilities

System cleanup and optimisation utility for Windows and Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CCleaner registry cleaning has little measurable benefit on modern Windows and carries some risk of removing something needed; PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • They diverge on capability: CCleaner covers Junk file cleanup, PeaZip covers Wide format support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CCleaner and PeaZip actually diverge.

Attributes where CCleaner and PeaZip differ
AttributeCCleanerPeaZip
Pricing modelFree tier with paid Professional; see vendor for current ratesOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOS, AndroidWindows, Linux, BSD

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CCleaner

  • Junk file cleanup
  • Registry cleaner
  • Startup manager
  • Software uninstaller

Only in PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CCleaner

  • Reclaiming disk space from accumulated caches and temporary filesnot PeaZip
  • Controlling startup programs on a slow-booting machinenot PeaZip
  • Bulk uninstalling softwarenot PeaZip

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot CCleaner
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot CCleaner
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot CCleaner
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot CCleaner

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CCleaner

  • Registry cleaning has little measurable benefit on modern Windows and carries some risk of removing something needed
  • The free version prompts toward the paid one persistently
  • A 2017 supply chain compromise distributed malware through an official signed build, which permanently changed how some administrators view it
  • Much of what it does is achievable with the disk cleanup tools built into Windows

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

Pricing, plan by plan

CCleaner

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core functionality
    • Personal use

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

Which should you pick?

Choose CCleaner if

  • You need junk file cleanup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Android.
  • You also want registry cleaner.
CCleaner review

Choose PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip review

Questions people ask

Is CCleaner or PeaZip better?
Neither clearly leads. CCleaner starts at Free and PeaZip at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CCleaner or PeaZip?
CCleaner starts at Free and PeaZip at Free.
Does CCleaner or PeaZip run on more platforms?
CCleaner runs on Windows, macOS, Android. PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD.
Can I use CCleaner for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CCleaner best used for?
CCleaner is most often used for reclaiming disk space from accumulated caches and temporary files, controlling startup programs on a slow-booting machine, bulk uninstalling software. Of those, reclaiming disk space from accumulated caches and temporary files and controlling startup programs on a slow-booting machine are not what PeaZip is typically brought in for.
What can CCleaner do that PeaZip cannot?
CCleaner covers Junk file cleanup, Registry cleaner, Startup manager, Software uninstaller. PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CCleaner: Is CCleaner free?

There is a free version, with a paid Professional tier adding scheduled cleaning and real-time monitoring.

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

CCleaner: Does registry cleaning actually help?

Very little on modern Windows. The measurable gains come from clearing caches and controlling startup programs, not from the registry.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

CCleaner: Is CCleaner safe?

It is a mainstream product from Gen Digital, though a 2017 supply chain attack distributed malware via an official build. That was resolved, and it remains a fair reason some administrators avoid it.

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

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