Pearcleaner: a macOS app uninstaller that is now on hold

What Pearcleaner removes that dragging to the Trash does not

Deleting a Mac app usually means dragging the bundle to the Trash. The bundle goes; the preference plists, caches, application support folders, launch agents and container data stay behind. Pearcleaner exists to close that gap. Its README lists the core jobs as App Uninstall, Orphaned File Search, Development Environment Manager, File Search, Homebrew Manager, App Lipo, PKG Manager, Plugin Manager, Services Manager and Apps Updater. The audience is a Mac user who wants to see what an app left on disk before removing it, and who is willing to grant the permissions that requires. The README credits Freemacsoft's AppCleaner and Sun Knudsen's app-cleaner script as the inspiration, and says the project started as a way to learn how macOS handles app install and uninstall while gaining Swift experience. That origin explains the shape of the tool: it is a personal, opinionated utility rather than a fleet management product. The README states plainly that it is a personal/hobby app and that opinion-based requests about layout will not be considered.

How the search, Sentinel and helper fit together

The repository layout shows the app is split into several targets: Pearcleaner, PearcleanerHelper, PearcleanerSentinel, FinderOpen and Shared, plus a Finder extension. That split maps onto the permissions the README requires. Full Disk permission is needed to search for files, because leftover data lives in places the app cannot read otherwise. A Privileged Helper performs actions on system folders, since removing items outside the user's home requires elevated rights. Sentinel Monitor is described as automatic cleanup when apps hit the Trash, and the README gives its memory footprint as roughly 2MB, which suggests a small resident process watching the Trash rather than a full background scanner. The Finder extension adds right-click uninstall, so the same search runs from Finder instead of the app window. Search behaviour is configurable: the README lists include/exclude directories and adjustable search sensitivity, which matters because a wider search returns more candidate files for you to judge. The README also mentions drag and drop, CLI support and deep link automation, with a separate wiki page for deep links. None of this is a sandboxed design; it is a tool that asks for broad access and then shows you what it found.

Installing Pearcleaner and running a first uninstall

The README offers two routes: pre-compiled builds from the GitHub releases page, or Homebrew. For Homebrew, the README gives this exact command.

brew install --cask pearcleaner

After that, launch the app and grant the two permissions the README requires: Full Disk Access to search for files, and the Privileged Helper to act on system folders. Without Full Disk Access the search will miss data outside your home folder, so do this before judging the results. The support table covers macOS 13 Ventura, 14 Sonoma, 15 Sequoia and 26 Tahoe; versions before 13.0 are not supported because the app needs Swift and SwiftUI APIs that are not present. Once the app is open, drag an application onto the window or use the Finder extension's right-click uninstall. Pearcleaner lists the bundle plus the associated files it found, and you confirm what to remove. If you would rather not run it manually each time, the README describes Sentinel Monitor: it watches for apps landing in the Trash and cleans up automatically. The README does not document a rollback path for deleted files, so treat the confirmation list as the last checkpoint before removal.

The project is on hold, and that is the main constraint

The README carries a Project Status: On Hold notice. The author writes that development has basically stopped since the end of 2025, citing a new job, work on a friend's SaaS company, and the loss of access to a Mac for personal development. The notice says issue responses, feature work, PR reviews and new releases are effectively on hold indefinitely, and that the project is not abandoned entirely but active development is no longer possible on the author's side. The latest release listed is 5.4.3 from 2025-11-26, with 5.4.2 and 5.4.1 earlier that month. The repository's last push was on 2026-06-22, which is more than six months before today, so the code is not being actively maintained. For a cleaner this matters more than it might for a text editor. macOS changes where apps store data between releases, and a tool that searches for leftovers has to track those changes. Pearcleaner supports macOS 26 Tahoe according to its table, but there is no stated plan for the versions after that. Install it as a fixed tool, not as something that will follow the platform forward.

Pearcleaner vs AppCleaner and the paid cleaners

The README names AppCleaner as the inspiration, and the difference in approach is licensing and scope. AppCleaner is a freeware closed-source Mac app; Pearcleaner is source-available under Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause, which the README says lets you modify and contribute but prohibits monetizing Pearcleaner or modified versions. If you want to read the uninstall logic before trusting it with system folders, Pearcleaner gives you that and AppCleaner does not. Against a paid cleaner such as CleanMyMac, the difference is breadth rather than depth. Pearcleaner's feature list is uninstall, orphaned file search, Homebrew management, PKG and plugin and services management, app thinning and translation pruning. A paid suite bundles malware scanning, performance dashboards and support contracts that Pearcleaner does not offer, and it comes with a vendor that answers tickets. The trade you are making is transparency and zero cost against a maintained product with a support channel. If your reason for wanting a cleaner is a support contract or a corporate procurement requirement, Pearcleaner is the wrong tool.

Licence, upgrade cost and what the Commons Clause means for forks

The README states Pearcleaner is licensed under Apache 2.0 with the Commons Clause. In practice that means the source can be read, modified and contributed to, but the licence explicitly prohibits any form of monetization for Pearcleaner or modified versions of it. If you were considering forking it into a paid product, or bundling it into something you sell, the licence text is the place to check, and this is not legal advice. For an individual user the clause changes nothing: you install it and use it. Upgrade cost is where the on-hold status bites. There is no stated release cadence, no maintenance commitment, and the README says new releases are on hold indefinitely. Homebrew users get the cask, but a cask that is not updated upstream will not deliver fixes. Keep the version you install recorded, and check the releases page rather than assuming brew upgrade will bring meaningful changes. The repository includes a FUNDING.yml, so the project accepts sponsorship, but the README does not tie funding to a return to development.

Where Pearcleaner is the wrong choice

Three cases stand out. First, macOS 12 and earlier: the README's support table starts at 13.x Ventura and says versions prior to 13.0 are not supported due to missing Swift and SwiftUI APIs. If you are on Monterey, this app will not run for you. Second, managed or shared Macs where you cannot grant Full Disk Access or install a privileged helper. The README lists both as requirements, and without them the search is incomplete and system folder actions fail, which defeats the point. Third, anyone who needs a supported product. The On Hold notice is explicit that PR reviews and issue responses are paused, so a bug you hit is unlikely to be fixed. There is also a security dimension the README addresses directly: it warns that the only legitimate website is itsalin.com and that anything else offering Pearcleaner downloads is either a scam or unaffiliated, linking to a Reddit PSA about a fake site. Download from the releases page or Homebrew, and treat other sources as hostile. The README does not document a rollback or undo for deletions, so a mistaken confirmation is not recoverable through the app.

Editorial conclusion

Adopt Pearcleaner if you are on macOS 13 or later, want a local uninstaller with orphaned file search and a Finder extension, and accept that the README marks the project On Hold with no new releases planned. Do not adopt it if you need vendor support, a signed roadmap, or a cleaner for a Mac you cannot grant Full Disk Access to. Before installing, verify three things: that your macOS version appears in the support table, that you can grant Full Disk Access and install the privileged helper, and that the 5.4.3 release on the GitHub releases page is the build you are downloading. If any of those fail, the app cannot do the job its README describes.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. alienator88/Pearcleaner on GitHub
2. Issues
3. Project website
4. README
5. Releases