CleanMasterX vs Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App
Which is better, CleanMasterX or Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App?
Choose Clever Cleaner if you mainly want to clear duplicate and similar photos with on-device processing, an unlimited free swipe mode and a Mac version; choose CleanMasterX if you also want a contact organizer, a private photo and contact vault and a paid plan with no weekly option. Both group similar photos so you pick what to keep, compress videos and handle screenshots. Clever Cleaner adds Live Photo conversion and photo compression, and sells a weekly plan with a trial, a yearly plan and a lifetime purchase to remove its daily limits. CleanMasterX runs on iPhone and iPad with Home Screen widgets; Premium is $4.99 a month, $29.90 a year or $89.99 lifetime (US App Store, Nov 2026), and free use has a daily swipe limit. In both apps you review items before anything is deleted.
CleanMasterX and Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App side by side
| CleanMasterX | Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS | iOS |
| Price to download | Free to download | Free to download |
| Store rating | n/a | 4.8 (84,561 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Similar and duplicate photos | Groups similar photos and screenshots for review; nothing is deleted automatically | Groups duplicates and similar photos and marks a Best Shot; deleted items go to Recently Deleted [source] |
| Video and photo compression | Video compression | Video, Live Photo and photo compression; Live Photos can be converted to stills [source] |
| Contacts | Contact organizer | Not mentioned on the listing [source] |
| Private vault | Encrypted photo and contact vault with device authentication; device-local backups, no cloud recovery | Not mentioned on the listing; a Skip List keeps chosen items out of cleanups [source] |
| Free use | Review and clean with a daily swipe limit | Free within daily limits; swipe mode has no daily limit [source] |
| Paid plans | Monthly, yearly or one-time lifetime; no weekly plan | Weekly plan with a 3-day trial, yearly plan or one-time lifetime purchase [source] |
| Devices | iPhone and iPad, iOS 15.2 or later, with Home Screen widgets | iPhone on iOS 16 or later, iPad in compatibility mode, and Apple silicon Macs [source] |
Choose CleanMasterX if
- You want contacts and a private vault in the same app as photo cleanup
- You would rather not see a weekly plan at all
- You clean up on an iPad as a native app, or want Home Screen widgets
- Your iPhone runs iOS 15
Choose Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App if
- You want unlimited swiping through your library for free
- You also want to compress Live Photos and still photos
- You want to clean photos on your Mac too
- Local, on-device processing is a priority for you
Questions
Is Clever Cleaner still free?
It is free to download and use within daily limits, and its swipe mode has no daily limit. To remove the other limits it sells a weekly plan with a trial, a yearly plan and a lifetime purchase, according to its App Store listing.
Does either app delete photos automatically?
No. CleanMasterX asks you to review and confirm every change. Clever Cleaner groups items and marks a Best Shot, and deleted items go to Recently Deleted in Photos, where you can recover them.
Which one can clean contacts?
CleanMasterX has a contact organizer. Clever Cleaner's listing does not mention contacts.
Sources: apps.apple.com, igeeksblog.com, apps.apple.com