How is BitDefender different than Clean My Mac | Review 2023

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made on our website. If you make a purchase through links from this website, we may get a small share of the sale from Amazon and other similar affiliate programs. You can read our complete legal information for more details.

If you are a Mac user and want to compare the features of Clean My Mac and BitDefender, you have come to the right place. In this blog post, you’ll learn which Mac software works best based on what you need.

It’s important that you also find out the differences between the two of these Mac cleaning applications as many wonder if they can use both CleanMyMac and Bitdefender together.

CleanMyMac, for example, is an innovative Mac software that helps you delete unused, junk, or duplicate files.

CleanMyMac also offers tips & automation on how to properly clean up your PC. For this reason, it is a great solution if you want to clean and speed up your Apple laptop.

BitDefender, on the other hand, is an all-rounder among antivirus applications. Therefore, it is typically the better choice if you strictly want to prevent malware and viruses. Nevertheless, CleanMyMac also offers malware removal tools… but what are the differences?

Related: Is CleanMyMac X Worth it? (The Truth) Full Review

So which is the best software for mac users, CleanMyMac or BitDefender? Let’s find out.

Whats the difference between Clean My Mac and BitDefender?

To identify the difference between the two softwares (cleanmymac and bitdefender), we need to examine their functions. Let us start with CleanMyMac. We can easily say that testing this app was a pleasure. It was by far the most helpful software when my Mac started to slow down.

In fact, CleanMyMac is an all-rounder cleaner app that can fix numerous problems. For example, if you have junk, unwanted files and apps, and malware, it will delete it with ease & simplicity. I haven’t had any issues with the software X and during my tests I found that both were quite safe.

For more on the safety of CleanMyMac, visit Is CleanMyMac Safe?

Apart from that, CleanMyMac can stop all unneeded apps running in the background to free up RAM and speed up your Mac. 

• On the other hand, BitDefender is a very well known antivirus software for Mac users. Just like CleanMyMac, it detects and deletes any malware. But that’s not all. As a reliable and efficient antivirus software, BitDefender can also remove viruses, worms and Trojans effectively.

Related: 9 Best CleanMyMac Alternatives (Free and Paid)

For this reason, it is much better than CleanMyMac when it comes to solely protecting your Mac, especially those that find themselves downloading and susceptible to high-risk trojans.

However, as a software designed exclusively for this purpose, it does not have CleanMyMac’s cleanup and acceleration features which is highly sought after (especially because it has a malware detection function).

What is Bit Defender?

BitDefender, one of the most popular antivirus programs for macOS, was founded in 2001. It quickly became a trusted choice for Mac, Windows Android and iOS operating systems. 

Besides its protection features, it also has a built-in VPN system and some basic system optimization tools. So if you want ultimate protection, advanced VPN and basic optimization of your Mac, BitDefender is the best way to go. 

What is Clean My Mac?

CleanMyMac is one of the best Mac software on the market. 13 years after its initial release in 2008, CleanMyMac has built a huge following among Mac users for good reasons. 

It detects junk files and cleans up files you do not need, such as broken downloads or unwanted hidden files. This software is one of the best when it comes to cleaning and speeding up your Mac with the click of a button.

Related: Is CleanMyMac Safe? (The Truth)

To fix this, you’ll need two things: a Roku device and a Smartphone that is capable of mobile hotspot use. 

By simply pressing the scan button, CleanMyMac removes any unnecessary junk, frees up space, as well as identifies extremely large files you may not had known were even still left behind from uninstalled apps.

Apart from these two features, a CleanMyMac scan also identifies any unneeded apps running in the background and kills them. Therefore, this is also the best way to free up RAM and speed up your computer.

Is Clean my mac X an antivirus and is it the same as bitdefender?

Although Clean My Mac X is not an antivirus program in the strict sense, it does include some basic antivirus features, which is typically of question from those who are considering Bit Defender. For example, Clean My Mac can easily protect your Mac device by deleting any macOS-specific viruses, trojans, data miners or browser hijackers, which is the core of what many fear when it comes to the topic.

All you need to do is test out CleanMyMac, then click on the Scan button. Once you do, CleanMyMac will identify any malware and inform you whether a deep scan is required or not for your MacBook or iMac.

See our post on the 5 Best Macbook for Kids

Of course, CleanMyMac is a sAoftware that focuses on optimizing disk space and speed. That being said, it may not be the best software for you to use as an antivirus. BitDefender, for example, has many advanced protection features that CleanMyMac does not.

Is Bitdefender the same as CleanMyMac?

To answer this question quickly: No. BitDefender is very different from CleanMyMac. The big difference between the two is that BitDefender is an antivirus program. CleanMyMac, on the other hand, is a cleanup app that helps you free up space and speed up your Apple device. 

Of course, CleanMyMac and BitDefender have some overlapping features. This is the main reason why many users are confused. For example, both software have a malware detector and can optimize your system. 

Its quite common for Mac users to view BitDefender and CleanMyMac as similar applications in some aspects. Still, choosing the best program depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you need a complete antivirus, you may want to consider testing BitDefender rather than CleanMyMac X.

Related: MacKeeper vs CleanMyMac

However, if speeding up your computer and cleaning up disk space are your priorities, and Malware detection is of interest, then CleanMyMac is simply the best choice.

What are my alternatives to CleanMyMac?

While CleanMyMac X is one of the best cleaner apps for MaOS. Still, it is not your only option. If you want to try something else there are many reliable cleaning applications out there.

From all the software we tested for the purposes of this blog post, the best alternatives to CleanMyMac are:  

1. MacClean: This is the best premium alternative to CleanMyMac. MacClean is a very affordable all-rounder that includes all the essential and advanced cleaning features you could ask for. And the best part; it comes with a 60-day money back warranty.
2. CCleaner: This cleaner doesn’t need any introduction. It is by far the most popular free cleaner for both Windows and Mac devices. With CCleaner you can delete temporary and spam files and uninstall unwanted apps to speed up your PC. 
3. App Cleaner: This is the best alternative to CleanMyMac for those who need an ultimate light and responsive cleaner. Even though it doesn’t offer many advanced cleaning features, it can easily clean up files and remove apps. 

What are my alternatives to Bitdefender?

BitDefender isn’t the only trustworthy antivirus for Mac on the market. It might be the most popular one, but not the only advanced one. Therefore, if you need great antivirus software for your Apple device, you can choose one of the following:

1. McAfee: With stellar reviews and a vast fanbase, McAfee is an advanced antivirus for Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS devices. Apart from the protection it provides it has a modern VPN and numerous system optimization tools. 
2. Kaspersky: Kaspersky is one of the most reliable antivirus software ever created. It has excellent support and offers one of the best overall protections for Mac devices. 
3. Intego: intego is specially designed to protect Mac devices. It has been around for more than 20 years and never stopped improving. This is why it is a great alternative to BitDefender.

Can you use Both BitDefender and Cleanmymac together?

Yes, you can use both bitdefender and CleanMyMac together. While testing both software at the same time for this blog post, we did not encounter any problems. In fact, CleanMyMac and BitDefender can be combined to fully protect and optimize your Mac. 

We would definitely recommend BitDefender to protect your device, access an advanced VPN and use a brilliant password manager. At the same time, CleanMyMac lets you easily clear storage and speed up your PC. So, using them together is certainly plausible for the Mac user that wants the most complete optimization of their device.

Related: CleanMyMac vs OnyX: Which is Better (the truth)

Which is better: CleanMyMac or Bitdefender?

Although this might sound diplomatic, it depends. To be more specific, both apps are perfect, but for different tasks. For example, if you prefer an easy-to-use, complete software to easily get rid of unwanted spam files, apps and duplicates, CleanMyMac is your best choice because it will ensure a quicker, more speedy experience for your Mac.

CleanMyMac is also better at speeding up your computer as it can easily free up a large amount of RAM, which you can control yourself by accessing the menu tray from the homescreen of your desktop. Therefore, CleanMyMac is better than BitDefender if you want to clean and speed up your Mac. 

Related: Top 3 MacBooks for Music Production

Does this mean that BitDefender is generally worse than CleanMyMac? Well, no. In fact, BitDefender is one of the many possible solutions that many choose over CleanMyMac when it comes to protecting your devices. Therefore, if you need a powerful antivirus and malware detector, BitDefender is better than CleanMyMac.

Advantages of using CleanMyMac

During our testing, CleanMyMac proved to be an excellent cleaner app. It is a very reliable and responsive software that has some advantages over its competitors. Let us take a look:

• Beginner-friendly: Everything happens just by clicking the scan button. For this reason, CleanMyMac is an ultimately easy-to-use app.
• Great user interface: Installing and using CleanMyMac is very easy since it offers a brilliant, user-friendly interface. 

• Perfect for space optimization: With CleanMyMac you can easily free up many GBs of space in just minutes while also having protection from malware attacks.
• Perfect for speed optimization: With an innovative RAM free up feature, CleanMyMac quickly speeds up all Mac devices.

Advantages of using BitDefender

As one of the most popular antiviruses for Mac, BitDefender is a brilliant solution. Let’s identify all the reasons why:

• Easy to use: BitDefender offers a great user experience and has a  top-notch support team.
• Numerous protection features: When it comes to safety against viruses and any other type of threads, it simply doesn’t get any better.
• Advanced VPN: BitDefender has one of the fastest and most secure VPNs we have ever tested.
• Passwords manager: Apart from everything else, BitDefender also acts as a reliable and secure password manager.

Cons of using Cleanmymac rather than bitdefender

Although CleanMyMac is a better choice than BitDefender for cleaning and speeding up your Mac, it has some cons as well:

• Not an antivirus: Unlike BitDefender, CleanMyMac is not an antivirus. Therefore, it is worse than BitDefender when it comes to protecting your device. 
• Doesn’t include an integrated VPN. Also, Bitdefender’s parental control features worked as intended, acting as a more complete antivirus product in this regard.
• Doesn’t include a password manager

Many business owners find using CleanMyMac useful in this regard since they already use a company wide password manager such as LastPass.

Cons of using Bitdefender over Cleanmymac

BitDefender is an all-rounder antivirus. However, choosing it over CleanMyMac has some disadvantages:

• Storage optimization: Even though BitDefender includes some basic and storage optimization features, CleanMyMac is by far the best optimization software when it comes to freeing up space in the most simple, yet complete fashion.
• Speed optimization: The same applies for speeding up your Mac. CleanMyMac has an advanced feature that frees up memory and speeds up the system. Many Mac users describe that their Mac “runs like out of the box”.

Responsiveness: CleanMyMac is the most responsive, lightweight software out of the two.

Best for storage clean up: CleanMyMac or Bitdefender?

Although both CleanMyMac and BitDefender include system optimization tools, CleanMyMac is better for storage clean up. This is reasonable, because BitDefender has made it clear it is not focused around this aspect in the same way MacPaw’s software is.

With CleanMyMac, you can free up your digital storage space with a simple click of the mouse (and it guides you through the process). The app has an intuitive menu and effortlessly removes clutter from apps and files like photos, iTunes, and files left behind from previous failed app uninstallation you may not know you have.

Therefore, if you need to remove large amounts of GB of storage quickly, CleanMyMac is the better app for you in terms of ease and simplicity.

Which is Best for viruses, malware and adware cleanup: Bitdefender CleanMyMac?

CleanMyMac is a cleanup application whose main purpose is to help you clear up disc space and improve your Mac’s speed. However, it also has a pretty advanced malware detector that appears to be improving as the new CleanMyMac updates continue to be released.

BitDefender, on the other hand, is mainly an antivirus software. So, it has numerous tools that can help you eliminate all sorts of viruses, malware and adware.

In summary, BitDefender proved to be a much more advanced software than CleanMyMac in our test. With its numerous antivirus options and extra features, BitDefender is a clear winner in this area.

Is Bitdefender Safe?

BitDefender not only keeps your computer safe, but also has an excellent reputation as one of the safest antivirus programs for macOS. The software is a four-time winner of the AV-Comparatives’ Product of the Year award. 

Antivirus softwares are a type of a software that creates a barrier against security threats and viruses. Softwares like Bitdefender are necessary and safe as they use software technology to analyze, detect, and remove malicious viruses from computers. They have multiple different features, including antivirus with cloud technology, password management tools for online safety, and parental control applications.

When you add that its developers designed it specifically for the needs of macOS, it becomes clear that BitDefender is a very reliable and secure software. 

Is Bit Defender good for Mac? (Is it necessary)

BitDefender is good for Mac if you’re looking for an antivirus that has all of the following features; which includes increasing the rate of detection of malware, phishing, Ransomeware, and live scan protection.

The main difference between the two types of software is that antivirus ones with cloud technology works as an extension to the computer’s operating system rather than as an independent application on its own.

The other feature is that password management tools allow for the user to choose not only one but multiple passwords in order to create a safer online environment. 

We tried bitdefender ourselves on several different occasions, and on different macbooks (Pro, Air) for an extended period of time. My team found BitDefender to work well on mac with minimal issues, it provides all the benefits the website markets.

We actually stumbled upon Bitdefender when we were researching the question of how often a MacBook should be shut down? (Every Night, every day, and so forth)

Does bitdefender drain battery?

Bitdefender antivirus does not drain battery the same way some of the other antivirus softwares do as it has built-in modes for this specifically in mind. One of these is the Game mode you can run while playing a CPU-intensive video game.

This is useful as you won’t worry about lag in the same way other anti-virus softwares may cause you to. Additionally, CleanMyMac’s real-time protection also did not slow the battery down to give just one example of how a competitor performed.

In the past, many Mac users were left wondering why a software would cause the battery to drain quickly even when there was no activity from other programs or from outside sources, yet the battery level would steadily fall while plugged in. Luckily, Bitdefender, nor CleanMyMac are not  applications that cause this.

Is Cleanmy Mac necessary?

CleanMyMac is necessary for Mac if you’re looking for a software to optimize the speed of your Mac with the goal of refreshing the efficiency of your Mac back to when you first bought it. It’s also necessary if you require an all-in-one solution for malware, storage space, file shredder, and speed optimization.

CleanMyMac is not necessary if you are looking for strictly a software that does not optimize storage and junk files and strictly is an antivirus that helps detect malware, phishing, Ransomeware, and live scan protection.

Bitdefender or Kaspersky for Mac

Bitdefender or Kaspersky – Which Antivirus is better? The installation and launching of both Bitdefender and Kaspersky Anti-Virus are essentially the same, but the direction each software chose regarding ease of use, UI and interface navigation are different.

The BitDefender and Kaspersky anti-virus products are both excellent, but which one should you use to protect your PC from malware threats? We put them against each other to measure differences regarding speed, features, usability, protection, performance, and ease of use.

Bitdefender aims to protect your Mac without speed issues, which is the issue many gamers have. In fact, Bitdefender even has a ‘game mode’ to allow games to not suffer from speed. This is useful if you use steam or play modern games on your MacBook Pro or iMac. The cost is also very appealing compared to Kaspersky.

The first thing you’ll notice about the interface is that it’s very similar to Kaspersky in terms of its aim to protect your Mac. It has an icon bar across the top with icons representing your most recently scanned files, as well as other important information such as virus definitions updates, scheduled scans, etc. The main screen shows all of these items along with some basic options like “Scan Now” or “Quit.” You can click any item to open its details page, which will show more detailed

Kaspersky was certainly faster than Bitdefender. When we did a Quick scan we measured a 13.1 second finish on Kaspersky. Bitdefnder under performed at 14.2 on our MacBook Pro 16 inch. These scores varied during our tests, but we found that 1 second slower isn’t much of a difference for most users. (Unless you’re really in a rush)

Kaspersky allows for stalkerware/spyware that someone may use to monitor what you do on your computer without you knowing. This is really useful for many people who suspect such as problem. Both BitDefender & CleanMyMac do not have this feature at the moment. However, Bitdefender has most of the rest you’ll need such as web browser, network & Wi-Fi protection.

Norton vs Bitdefender for Mac

Bitdefender is more affordable, especially for those seeking a antivirus a budget. The amount of licenses differ depending on the plan. Each have similar detection of phishing, and firewall protection, however Norton appeared to excel in the network threat protection according to PCmag.

Both Norton and Bitdefender have more advanced cyber and firewall protection than CleanMyMac or your standard virus protection software. They also have VPN features so you don’t have to buy another separate VPN, which is quite useful.

 If you need something simple, then you can grab bitdefender rather than Norton, but this is subjective for many Mac users. Each does everything you’d expect from a VPN provider, however bitdefender may charge a premium for this feature.

Kaspersky is another option as mentioned earlier if Norton 360 & Bitdefender don’t provide the antivirus protection features with the simplicity you require.

Cleanmymac vs BitDefender: Scanning Features, UI and Navigation

The scanning features of clean my Mac are quick, smooth, and very fast. The scanning features are also very advanced when your goal is speed optimization and storage cleanup. Clean my Mac also guide you through the process. 

Bit defender on the other h and, has a simple scanning feature with varying levels; such as quick scan for example. While bit defender doesn’t guide you through the scan process as seamlessly as clean my Mac, it still does the job for anyone that moderately knows how to navigate a MacBook or modern device.

It’s scan times were also comparable in terms of perceived speed even though CleanMyMac isn’t viewed as a premium security by many Mac users.

As far as user interface I found a clean my Mac was significantly easier, more stylish, and just had a more intuitive design. However as mentioned earlier, clean my Mac is aimed at eight optimization while bit defender has the goal of providing a vast array of antivirus, randsomeware protection, malware, phishing protection, firewall features.

Even though CleanMyMac does have a Malwarebytes Protection scan in real time protection, if you do not need to be an optimization the bit defender maybe the choice for you. However I haven’t spoken to a Mac user het that would not benefit from speed optimization, especially just a few months after the first use of a Mac (this is the time frame a Mac user may first notice the computer slowing down)

It’s also nice to see that clean my Mac can you get rid of install certain files and applications on your MacBook and does so in a very intuitive manner, whereas Bitdefender provided a different a experience when testing their UI with this in mind.

Conclusion

Through testing and comparing CleanMyMac vs BitDefender, we determined which software is better. The results determined that CleanMyMac is better if your goal is an all-in-one software for both speed optimization & malware protection for your Mac, while BitDefender for Mac is better for those who desire a vast array of protection features.

While not necessary to deploy both softwares, you can use both BitDefender & CleanMyMac together if you desire the speed and junk file cleaning of CleanMyMac, but the protection level that Bitdefender provides (as an antivirus).

Both softwares have the credibility for experts to deem safe and Mac experts claim that having a form of antivirus is likely necessary, while speed optimization is subjective, but likely desired.