MacKeeper is one of the most popular and yet controversial utility products for Mac users. It is basically a bundle of 17 individual tools that are supposed to improve the overall performance of your Mac. Although it’s had its share of negative reviews over time, it is a useful suite packed with all the features you need in order to have a smoothly running Mac. While some of them are mediocre and can be replaced by free apps that might perform the task better, other features included by MacKeeper are really useful and worth the hype.
EaseUS data recovery for Mac is an excellent tool to restore your deleted data. The addition of unique features such as recovery through bootable media and file preview makes it an easy program to recommend. Although it's a bit pricey, EaseUS has certainly lived up to whatever expectation that you might have about what a recovery software could do.
Stellar Drive ToolBox is a collection of 15 tools for repairing and optimizing your Mac’s hard drive. The single user license is affordable and has lifetime validity and you also get 100% money back guarantee, in case you are not pleased with the product.
Reimage for Mac is a relatively new release. It is a version of the Reimage repairing software originally developed for Windows operated computers, but developed specifically for Macs. It is compatible with Mac OS X and has several useful features designed to clean, repair and boost your Mac’s overall performance. Reimage has a partnership with Avira AntiVir and comes at an affordable price.
CCleaner is one of the most popular cleaning tools on the market. While it doesn’t have many other functions, it can be a really helpful utility program for your Mac, because it is really fast and easy to use, saving you a lot of time and trouble. It also has a free version.
Onyx is a useful tool not just for cleaning and maintenance, but also for troubleshooting and customization. It is a utility suite that optimizes and fine-tunes your Mac, it is easy to use, and, most importantly, it is free. That’s why we think that any Mac user should give it a try.
CleanMyMac3 is one of the most trusted and used cleaning and maintenance apps on the market today. The main reasons for that are its ease of use and the visible and immediate results. This app can clean up entire gigabytes of junk files with just some simple mouse clicks and keeps an eye on all your system’s resources. You can try the free demo version of the program before purchasing a license.
Last updated September 26, 2024
In order for your computer to run smoothly, you need more than just a good configuration. No matter how good the components are and how new, fast and powerful your computer is when you first purchase it, it’s not going to stay like that forever.
Just like with any other item, computers also need a lot of maintenance, in order to keep running at their best capacity.
After years of wear out, browsing the Internet, endlessly installing and uninstalling programs, moving around files and folders, downloading stuff and so on, you will notice the effects. Your system will get slower and less efficient with time. That’s where utility software springs into action.
Utility software is a program/app that helps your computer work better. There are a lot of types of utility software, depending on what part of your computer it focuses on: the operating system, data storage, hardware and so on. There are apps that clean up your junk files from your Mac and free up the space on your hard drive. Others may detect apps that are running unnecessary in the background, slowing down your system and help you optimize it. There are programs that detect malware, viruses, bloatware and so on, that help you recover lost data or protect sensitive information. The list goes on…
All computers usually come with built-in utility tools and Macs make no exception. Some examples are: Console, Disk Utility, AirPort Utility, Keychain Access, Activity Monitor and others.
But these integrated tools are not always as efficient as utility software developed by third-parties. However, you shouldn’t expect miracles from any program. Although you will experience an increase in performance after using them, none of them has the ability to make your computer behave like it is brand new again.
Here are some of the most common types of utility software:
There are a lot of apps out there that claim they can boost your Mac’s performance. While some of them can be tested for free and don’t cost you anything, a lot of them are paid apps, so you should be careful what you pay for.
You should always try the free apps first and only if they prove to be worthless, go for the paid ones. Also, the good news is that most of the paid apps also have trial versions, so you can test the product before you buy.
When looking for utility apps for your Mac, you can either install specific apps that can perform specific tasks: cleaning apps, data recovery apps, encryption apps, backup apps, security apps and so on, or choose a suite that incorporates all of them.
No matter which option you choose, you should pay attention to some essential aspects when searching for the right utility app. The most important ones are:
Here are some of the best choices we could find:
Data Backup, Carbon Copy Cloner, Acronis True Image, SuperDuper, ChronoSync
EaseUS, Stellar Phoenix, Prosoft Data Rescue, Disk Drill Pro, Wondershare, Cisdem DataRecovery
Concealar, Hider 2, Espionage 3, MacKeeper, Data Guardian 3
MacKeeper, OnyX, iDoctor, Data Rescue 3, Stellar Drive ToolBox
