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Utilities · head to head

CCleaner vs TreeSize

CCleaner logo

CCleaner

Utilities

System cleanup and optimisation utility for Windows and Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TreeSize logo

TreeSize

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser whose free edition may be used commercially, with paid tiers for scheduled reporting

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; TreeSize it traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • They diverge on capability: CCleaner covers Junk file cleanup, TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CCleaner and TreeSize actually diverge.

Attributes where CCleaner and TreeSize differ
AttributeCCleanerTreeSize
Pricing modelFree tier with paid Professional; see vendor for current ratesquote
PlatformsWindows, macOS, AndroidWindows

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 TreeSize

  • Free edition licensed for business
  • Network share scanning
  • Reports by age and owner
  • Duplicate file search
  • Scheduled scans
  • Exports

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 TreeSize
  • Controlling startup programs on a slow-booting machinenot TreeSize
  • Bulk uninstalling softwarenot TreeSize

TreeSize

  • Deploying one free disk analyser across a company without a personal-use licence problemnot CCleaner
  • Reporting on a file server by owner and file age before an archiving or quota decisionnot CCleaner
  • Finding duplicate files spread across departmental network sharesnot CCleaner
  • Producing a storage report for someone who will read a PDF but not run a scannot 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

TreeSize

  • It traverses directories rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a local drive scan takes noticeably longer than the fastest alternatives.
  • It is Windows only, so file servers running Linux or a NAS appliance need a different tool or a share mounted from a Windows machine.
  • Useful features are spread across three paid tiers, so the single capability a buyer needs frequently sits two tiers above the one they were considering.
  • Scanning large network shares generates significant traffic and takes hours, which means it has to be scheduled rather than run when someone asks the question.
  • Pricing is per licence with separate maintenance, so an accurate total for a team requires a quote rather than a figure from the website.

Pricing, plan by plan

CCleaner

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core functionality
    • Personal use

TreeSize

Free
  • TreeSize FreeFree
    • Folder size analysis and treemap
    • Licensed for private and commercial use
    • Basic exports
  • TreeSize Personal, Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • File search, duplicate detection and full exports
    • Network share and file server scanning
    • Scheduled unattended scans and stored reports

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 TreeSize if

  • You need free edition licensed for business.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want network share scanning.
TreeSize review

Questions people ask

Is CCleaner or TreeSize better?
Neither clearly leads. CCleaner starts at Free and TreeSize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CCleaner or TreeSize?
CCleaner starts at Free and TreeSize at Free.
Does CCleaner or TreeSize run on more platforms?
CCleaner runs on Windows, macOS, Android. TreeSize runs on Windows.
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 TreeSize is typically brought in for.
What can CCleaner do that TreeSize cannot?
CCleaner covers Junk file cleanup, Registry cleaner, Startup manager, Software uninstaller. TreeSize covers Free edition licensed for business, Network share scanning, Reports by age and owner, Duplicate file search.

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.

TreeSize: Is TreeSize Free really free for business use?

Yes. JAM Software licenses the free edition for private and commercial use, which is the main reason it appears on corporate machines where other free analysers are not permitted.

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.

TreeSize: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table; TreeSize walks the directory tree, which is slower but works on network shares and non-NTFS volumes.

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.

TreeSize: Can it scan a NAS or Linux file server?

It scans them as network shares over SMB, with the speed penalty that implies. There is no agent that runs on the server itself.

TreeSize: What does the Enterprise tier add?

Scheduled unattended scans, stored historical results and reporting across servers, which is the difference between a cleanup tool and a storage reporting system.

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