MacKeeper review: Is it safe and worth it in 2026?

Where the bad reputation came from

ZeoBIT, and later Kromtech, sold MacKeeper through affiliates who earned a 50% commission on each sale. In a 2016 post, Malwarebytes documented fake virus alerts and fake Flash Player updates that affiliates used to push MacKeeper onto Macs. In the early to mid‑2010s, MacKeeper pop‑up ads were a common sight on the web.

The scan itself drew a lawsuit. A 2014 class action, Yencha v. ZeoBIT, alleged that the free scan flagged fake problems to push people into buying. ZeoBIT settled for $2 million in 2015 and denied any wrongdoing. US buyers could claim a refund of up to $39.95.

In December 2015, under Kromtech, a researcher found a MacKeeper database that exposed the records of more than 13 million customers. The records held names, email addresses, and scrambled (hashed) passwords. Kromtech said it closed the database within hours and that the researcher was the only person who accessed it. It also said payment card data was never stored on those servers.

Malwarebytes has classified MacKeeper as a potentially unwanted program, or PUP, since at least 2016. Its threat page still lists that detection and names aggressive advertising as the reason. I found no public test from 2025 or 2026 that shows whether current Malwarebytes still flags version 7.8.

The Apple Community user tip “Do not install MacKeeper” has been online since at least 2013. A community member wrote it, and it describes MacKeeper under ZeoBIT and Kromtech.

What changed under Clario Tech

Clario Tech bought MacKeeper’s code and took on its team in December 2019. MacKeeper 7, released in April 2025, brought native support for Apple silicon. Three outside checks back the app:

• Apple notarization. Each MacKeeper build goes through Apple’s automated scan for known malware before macOS lets it open without a warning.
• AppEsteem certification. AppEsteem lists MacKeeper 7.8 as certified as of September 1, 2026. It checks apps for deceptive advertising, installation, billing, and uninstall practices. Those are the areas behind MacKeeper’s old reputation.
• AV‑TEST results. MacKeeper 6.8 scored the maximum 18 of 18 points in AV‑TEST’s March 2025 macOS test. It caught 100% of 842 malware samples with no false alarms. MacKeeper has been absent from every AV‑TEST round since, so no MacKeeper 7 release has an AV‑TEST score yet.

AV‑Comparatives gives a less flattering picture. It last tested MacKeeper in 2021, when it detected every Mac malware sample yet was rated Not Approved. According to PCMag, the reason was that real‑time protection was off by default. MacKeeper has been missing from AV‑Comparatives reports since then.

How often the app asks you to upgrade falls outside all three checks.

What users and reviewers say

Trustpilot reviews mostly judge MacKeeper’s support team and its billing. MacKeeper holds a 4.2 rating from 2,361 reviews there, and 83% of them give five stars. Trustpilot notes that the company has not invited reviews recently and warns that the reviews may not be representative.

The praise centers on the 24/7 chat support. Many reviewers name the agent who helped them, and MacKeeper has replied to 96% of its negative reviews, usually within 24 hours.

One‑star reviews make up 8% of the total. Those from 2026 repeat three complaints: auto‑renewal charges, upsell offers during cancellation chats, and pressure to buy paid tech support.

On Apple Community, the distrust outlasted the change of owner. In an August 2024 thread, a MacKeeper user suspected the app of creating problems to set up another sale. None of the replies defended it. A 2021 user tip titled “MacKeeper is actually okay now” argued the opposite, and a Level 10 community contributor disputed it the same day.

Expert opinion has improved slowly. TechRadar’s 2021 review praised the fast on‑demand scan and the built‑in VPN but found MacKeeper more expensive than its rivals. PCMag’s February 2025 review rated it 3.5 out of 5, up from 2.5 in 2021, and praised its feature set and built‑in VPN.

Macworld’s August 2026 guide to Mac antivirus software says MacKeeper has worked hard to repair its reputation. The guide still leaves it off the recommended list because, in Macworld’s view, better options are available.

Upgrade prompts inside the app

MacKeeper promotes upgrades and paid support throughout the app. On my test Mac, panels, pop‑ups, and a chat window with upgrade offers kept appearing, and at times their number became irritating.

At one point, a panel titled “MacKeeper’s getting better!” slid over half of the main window. It listed improvements and ended with a Scan button.

During a later Find & Fix scan, a pop‑up offered to check “the 13 email addresses linked to your Mac” for data breaches. The scan kept running behind it, and the pop‑up has a Don’t Show Again button. MacKeeper’s privacy policy says it sends its breach‑data provider only a hash of each address. A hash is a scrambled code made from the address.

A chat panel titled “Welcome to the MacKeeper chat!” took up the right side of almost every screen I opened. The Premium Services tab goes further and advertises a free checkup with a tech expert.

The free checkup is the entry point to Premium Services, a separate paid remote‑support plan that covers all your devices. PCMag priced it at $696 a year in 2025 and called it disproportionately expensive. Each prompt closes with one click, yet together they keep a sales pitch on screen while you work.

How to install and check it safely

After installing, you can confirm that your copy is notarized. App Cleaner & Uninstaller by Nektony shows an app’s Apple notarization status when you select it in the Applications section, with no Terminal needed.

spctl -a -vv /Applications/MacKeeper.app

Cleaning tools

Safe Cleanup found 5.56 GB of junk on my test Mac, most of it in caches.

Caches made up 4.26 GB of the total. Language files added 664.3 MB, installer files 473.9 MB, logs 134.3 MB, and mail attachments 22.4 MB. The Trash was already empty, so its checkbox stayed unchecked.

Apps rebuild their caches as you use them, so expect part of that space to come back within days. The same holds for cache cleanup in any app, including the alternatives below. The installer files are the more lasting win, because old disk images and install packages stay on the disk until you delete them.

Duplicates Finder listed 171 items on the same Mac, and it also groups similar photos. Smart Uninstaller removes apps together with their support files.

Security tools

The Antivirus scans on demand and can also watch files in real time. PCMag found real‑time protection switched off by default in its 2025 test, so check that it is on after you install. Adware Cleaner is the tool that flagged the single item on my test Mac.

MacKeeper has no firewall and no parental controls. PCMag’s 2025 review also found no protection against malicious or phishing websites. macOS covers two of these gaps for free: the built‑in firewall sits in System Settings → Network → Firewall, and Screen Time handles parental controls.

Privacy tools

ID Theft Guard checks your email addresses against known breaches. A one‑off check is free, while 24/7 breach monitoring needs a paid plan.

Private Connect is MacKeeper’s VPN, and it works only in the paid version. MacKeeper advertises more than 300 server locations in 50 countries. Its license agreement caps VPN use at 500 GB of data per account per month. I found no no‑logs promise for Private Connect on MacKeeper’s site, which matters if privacy is your main reason for a VPN.

StopAd is a browser extension for Safari and Chrome. It blocks ads, trackers, and site notification requests.

Performance tools and speed impact

Memory Cleaner frees RAM on demand. Update Tracker found 18 apps with updates available on my test Mac, and Login Items listed 27 items that start with the system.

While my M1 test Mac with 8 GB of RAM sat idle, MacKeeper’s background processes put no noticeable load on the CPU.

What the free version does

The free download is a limited version rather than a timed trial. It scans your Mac, lets you run each tool once, and includes one week of real‑time malware protection. The VPN and 24/7 breach monitoring stay locked.

Macworld’s 2021 review noted that fixing flagged issues requires paying and called the paid subscription expensive. It also found no obvious scareware tactics in the version it tested.

MacKeeper refunds and the six‑month rule

MacKeeper’s refund policy gives you 30 days from your first purchase to get your money back on a 12‑month plan. The monthly plan has a 14‑day window. Those windows match CleanMyMac’s, and two conditions matter more than the numbers:

• Renewals fall outside the 30 days. The window counts from the first purchase, so an annual renewal is refunded only at MacKeeper’s discretion. By renewal time, the license has also been in use for 12 months, which trips the next rule.
• Six months of use ends refunds. The policy says a license used for more than six months becomes non‑refundable.

Send refund requests through the form on the refund policy page or to billing@mackeeper.com. MacKeeper says a review takes 1 to 5 business days, and the money arrives within 5 to 15 business days.

How to cancel a MacKeeper subscription

You can turn off auto‑renewal yourself in your MacKeeper account on the web:

1. Go to account.mackeeper.com and sign in.
2. Click Manage subscription on your license card.
3. Click Turn off your auto‑renewal protection.
4. Choose a reason, click Continue, and then click Turn Off Auto‑renewal.

MacKeeper’s cancellation page lists three other routes: live chat, email to billing@mackeeper.com, and phone (1-800-787-8041 in the US). Several 2026 Trustpilot reviewers who canceled through chat describe upsell offers during the conversation. The account page skips that conversation.

Method 1: Use MacKeeper’s own uninstaller

MacKeeper’s official uninstall guide describes these steps:

1. Quit MacKeeper from the app menu or with Command+Q. The guide warns that quitting from the menu‑bar icon stops the uninstall from finishing.
2. Open Finder → Applications.
3. Drag MacKeeper to the Trash, or right‑click it and choose Move to Trash.
4. Click Continue in the confirmation window and enter your password or use Touch ID.
5. If MacKeeperUninstaller asks for permission, click Allow.

On my test Mac, MacKeeperUninstaller never started after the app went to the Trash. That means I can’t confirm the official route removes everything. MacKeeper’s guide says the permission prompt appears on newer macOS versions only when the StopAd Safari extension is installed. If the uninstaller does not appear for you, finish the job with method 2 or 3.

Method 2: Remove MacKeeper manually

The manual route needs your admin password and a few minutes in Finder:

1. Quit MacKeeper with Command+Q. Then open Activity Monitor and quit any process with MacKeeper in its name, such as MacKeeperAgent.
2. Move MacKeeper from the Applications folder to the Trash.
3. In Finder, press Shift+Command+G and go to each location in the table below. Move the MacKeeper items you find there to the Trash.
4. Open System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions. Remove or turn off any MacKeeper entries that are left, including the MacKeeper Real‑Time Protection extension.
5. Empty the Trash and restart your Mac.

~/Library

/Library

~/Library/Application Support

MacKeeper

com.mackeeper.MacKeeper

com.mackeeper.MacKeeperAgent

~/Library/LaunchAgents

com.mackeeper.MacKeeperAgent.plist

~/Library/Caches

com.mackeeper.MacKeeper

com.mackeeper.MacKeeperAgent

~/Library/Preferences

Containers

Group Containers

Logs

Saved Application State

mackeeper

/Library/LaunchDaemons

/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools

/Library/Application Support

mackeeper

vpnwholesaler

Delete only items that carry MacKeeper’s name. Other files in these folders belong to your other apps.

Method 3: Remove MacKeeper with App Cleaner & Uninstaller

App Cleaner & Uninstaller by Nektony finds an app’s support files, launch agents, and extensions in one scan. You remove everything from one window:

1. Quit MacKeeper, then download and open App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
2. Select MacKeeper in the Applications section. The right side shows every related file the scan found.
3. Click Remove and confirm.
4. Empty the Trash.

If you already moved MacKeeper to the Trash, open the Remaining Files section, select MacKeeper, and click Remove.

MacCleaner Pro

MacCleaner Pro by Nektony takes the opposite approach to MacKeeper: six focused apps instead of one window. The bundle includes MacCleaner Pro itself for junk cleanup and App Cleaner & Uninstaller. It also adds Duplicate File Finder, Disk Space Analyzer, Memory Cleaner, and Funter for hidden files.

It costs $39.95 a year or $85.95 once, and it has no antivirus or VPN. Choose MacCleaner Pro if you want cleanup and uninstalling, and you are happy to rely on macOS for malware protection.

CleanMyMac

CleanMyMac by MacPaw is MacKeeper’s closest match. It combines cleanup, an uninstaller, an app updater, and malware removal powered by MacPaw’s own Moonlock engine. It costs $39.95 a year or $119.95 once, and the Mac App Store sells it too.

CleanMyMac has no VPN. In a MacKeeper vs. CleanMyMac choice, pick CleanMyMac if you want cleanup and malware protection in one app and can do without a VPN. Its first year costs $39.95, against $71.40 for MacKeeper.

BuhoCleaner

BuhoCleaner by Dr.Buho is another all‑in‑one cleaner, closer to MacKeeper in format than in price. It covers junk, app removal, large files, duplicates, and startup items. Its Toolkit adds a disk space analyzer, a RAM cleaner, and a Spotlight reindex tool.

The list price is $39.99 a year or $67.99 for a lifetime license. In September 2026, Dr.Buho’s Summer Sale cut those to $17.99 and $25.99. The free version removes up to 3 GB of files, and BuhoCleaner has no malware scanner or VPN.

Free tools built into macOS

macOS covers part of MacKeeper’s job at no extra cost:

• Malware protection: XProtect checks apps when they first open, when they change, and when its list of known malware updates. Apple updates that list automatically, separately from macOS updates.
• Storage cleanup: open System Settings → General → Storage for Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, and Empty Trash Automatically.
• Firewall: the firewall in System Settings → Network → Firewall blocks unwanted incoming connections.
• Parental controls: Screen Time in System Settings → Screen Time sets limits and content filters for a child’s account.
• Duplicate photos: the Photos app lists duplicates under Utilities → Duplicates in the sidebar.

The gaps are a VPN, email breach monitoring, and a clean uninstaller. Dragging an app to the Trash leaves its support files behind. App Cleaner & Uninstaller by Nektony removes apps together with those files, for $14.95 a year or $34.95 once.