# Cleanmaster vs Guardian Clean

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cleanmaster at none against Guardian Clean's 3. Guardian Clean's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guardian Clean sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per 7 days. Cleanmaster asks for nothing beyond the download.

Guardian Clean holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 13 respectively.

Cleanmaster ships an update every 5 weeks, Guardian Clean every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cleanmaster | Guardian Clean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cleanmaster-smartclean/id6758653639/reviews) | **[4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guardian-clean/id6772475215/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **13** |
| Positive reviews | — | 88.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 43 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shaanxi Saiwangdao Network Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855798461) | [Guardian Clean](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772475217) |

## What reviewers say

### Cleanmaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cleanmaster-smartclean/id6758653639)

This utility app helps you manage your phone's storage by intelligently scanning your photo album for duplicates and similar images. It also aggregates screenshots and lists large video files, simplifying storage organization without complex settings.

**Highlights:** Intelligent photo scanning, Duplicate and similar photo identification, Screenshot aggregation, Large video file listing, Simple, out-of-the-box usability

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Guardian Clean

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guardian-clean/id6772475215)

This utility app helps optimize your device by cleaning up duplicate photos, compressing videos, and organizing your media library. It also enhances privacy by scanning photos for sensitive data and managing your contacts.

**Highlights:** Duplicate photo detection, Video compression, AI-powered photo grouping, Privacy risk scanning, Contact cleanup, Storage space reclamation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GuardianClean Weekly | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| GuardianClean Month | $38.99 | per month |
| Guardian Clean Premium | $54.99 | per 3 months |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cleanmaster free?

Cleanmaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Guardian Clean free?

Guardian Clean is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Cleanmaster or Guardian Clean?

Guardian Clean is rated higher. Cleanmaster averages 4.2 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Guardian Clean averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.

### Do Cleanmaster or Guardian Clean have ads?

Cleanmaster shows ads; Guardian Clean does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cleanmaster or Guardian Clean?

Cleanmaster ships an update every 5 weeks, and Guardian Clean every 9 days. Most recently, Cleanmaster was updated on October 24, 2026 and Guardian Clean on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*