CleanMasterX vs Apple Photos Duplicates: which app should you use?

Which is better, CleanMasterX or Apple Photos Duplicates?

Use Apple's free Duplicates album first if your problem is exact copies of the same photo or video; use CleanMasterX when the space is taken by similar shots, old screenshots and large videos that Duplicates does not handle. Duplicates is built into Photos from iOS 16: it lists duplicate sets and merging keeps the higher-quality version, with nothing to install or pay. It can take a while to appear after an update, and it does not compress videos; it is meant for copies of the same image rather than for choosing the best shot from a series. CleanMasterX groups similar photos and screenshots for you to review, compresses videos, organizes contacts and adds a private photo and contact vault, on iPhone and iPad. Nothing is deleted without your confirmation. Free use has a daily swipe limit; Premium is monthly, yearly or a one-time lifetime purchase.

CleanMasterX and Apple Photos Duplicates side by side

	CleanMasterX	Apple Photos Duplicates
Platforms	iOS	iOS, macOS
Price to download	Free to download	Built into iOS
Store rating	n/a	n/a
Cost	Free download with a daily swipe limit; Premium monthly, yearly or lifetime	Free, built into Photos [source]
What it finds	Similar photos and screenshots, grouped for review	Duplicate photos and videos [source]
How cleanup works	You review each group and confirm what to remove	Merge a set or Select All and merge; iOS keeps the higher-quality version [source]
Video compression	Yes	No [source]
Contacts and private vault	Contact organizer, plus an encrypted photo and contact vault with device authentication	Not part of the Duplicates album [source]
Availability	Works as soon as you grant photo access (limited-library access supported); iOS 15.2 or later	iOS 16 or later; the album appears only after Photos has found duplicates, which can take hours or days [source]

Choose CleanMasterX if

Your library is full of near-identical shots and old screenshots, not exact copies
Large videos are taking the space and you want to keep them in smaller form
You also want to tidy contacts or keep some photos in a private vault

Choose Apple Photos Duplicates if

You only need to remove exact duplicates
You do not want to install anything or give another app access to your library
You want a free tool with no limits or plans

Questions

Where is the Duplicates album on iPhone?

In Photos, under Utilities, on iOS 16 or later. It only appears once Photos has found duplicates, which can take some time after updating. CleanMasterX is an option when you also want to clear similar shots and screenshots.

Does Apple's Duplicates find similar photos?

It is built for duplicates, not for picking the best of a burst of similar shots. CleanMasterX groups similar photos and screenshots so you can choose which to keep.

Can I use both?

Yes. Merge exact duplicates in Photos first, since it is free, then use CleanMasterX for similar shots, screenshots and video compression.