CCleaner vs Wise Care 365 vs Glary Utilities — Our Pick: CCleaner
PC Cleaner Guide
Updated for 2025 PC cleaning • optimization Windows maintenance & privacy

CCleaner vs Wise Care 365 vs Glary Utilities

We compared cleanup depth, performance optimization, privacy tools, and ease of use. Our pick: CCleaner for the best overall balance of cleaning power, simplicity, and cross-platform support.

Best overall PC cleaner

Why we prefer CCleaner

  • Fast junk-file cleanup that removes temporary files, cache, and other clutter to free up space.
  • Built-in tools for startup management, app uninstalling, and basic system analysis.
  • Available on Windows, macOS, and Android, with both free and Professional editions.
  • Simple, beginner-friendly interface that still gives power users plenty of options.
Heads-up: Want a deeper all-in-one tune-up suite with lots of tools in one dashboard? Wise Care 365 goes heavy on extra utilities. Prefer a lightweight toolkit with a strong free tier? Glary Utilities offers many maintenance tools at no cost.

At a glance

CCleaner

Best overall

Top pick for users who want a trusted, easy-to-use cleaner that handles junk files, browser clutter, and basic optimization without being overwhelming.

  • One-click cleanup for temporary files, cache, and system clutter.
  • Tools for managing startup items and installed applications.
  • Clean, straightforward interface suitable for most Windows users.
Get CCleaner

Wise Care 365

Best for deep tune-ups

A full PC tune-up suite that bundles cleaning, registry tools, privacy erasing, and performance tweaks into one colorful dashboard.

  • Deep cleaning for junk files, registry entries, and system traces.
  • Extras like system monitoring, privacy eraser, and optimization tools.
  • Interface can feel busy for beginners but powerful for tinkerers.
Explore Wise Care 365

Glary Utilities

Best free toolkit

A lightweight bundle of maintenance tools — from cleanup and registry repair to file shredding and undelete — with a strong free version.

  • 1-click maintenance to run several cleanup routines at once.
  • Utilities for file recovery, shredding, encryption, and more.
  • Windows-focused toolkit; interface is a bit more old-school.
See Glary Utilities
What to compare CCleaner Wise Care 365 Glary Utilities
Primary strength Best overall: popular, simple cleaner with broad features All-in-one tune-up suite with many advanced tools Lightweight utility bundle with a strong free tier
Cleaning coverage Junk/temp files, browser caches, history, cookies, and more Junk files, registry, browser traces, and system leftovers Disk cleanup, registry cleaner, broken shortcuts, and more
Performance optimization Startup manager, app uninstaller, disk analyzer Startup and service manager, system tune-up, defrag tools Startup manager, memory optimizer, context-menu manager
Privacy & browser cleaning Good browser cleaning with control over history and cookies Privacy eraser for browser and app usage traces Tracks eraser, file shredder, and history cleaning
Extras & utilities Software updater, duplicate finder, system tools (edition-dependent) Registry defrag, password generator, system monitoring File shredder, encryption, undelete, and multiple tweak tools
Automation & scheduling Automatic cleaning and monitoring in Professional plans Scheduled cleanups and auto-optimization options 1-click maintenance and support for scheduled tasks
Interface & ease of use Very simple layout; friendly for non-technical users Colorful dashboard with many options for power users Tabbed interface; slightly more technical but still accessible
Platforms Windows, macOS, and Android (different apps) Primarily Windows-focused Primarily Windows-focused
Free vs paid Free version plus Professional editions with extra features and support Free core features; Pro adds more tools and support Robust free version; Pro adds automation and priority support
Best for Most Windows users who want a trusted, easy system cleaner Tinkerers who want a deeper tune-up and optimization suite Budget-focused users who like lots of tools in one free package
Editorial stance: Want the most straightforward, widely known cleaner? Choose CCleaner. Prefer a heavier all-in-one tune-up suite with lots of tools? Start with Wise Care 365. Want a broad, mostly free toolkit with many utilities? Glary Utilities is a solid option.

Pick by use-case

Best overall cleaner

Ideal if you want quick, reliable cleanup and basic optimization without having to learn a complex suite — CCleaner keeps things simple.

Get CCleaner

Best for deep tune-ups

Wise Care 365 is great if you enjoy tweaking your system, running extra tools, and squeezing out every bit of performance.

See Wise Care 365

Best free utility bundle

Glary Utilities suits users who want a wide range of maintenance tools — from cleanup to file recovery — with a strong free option.

See Glary Utilities

FAQ

What does a PC cleaner do?
A PC cleaner scans your computer for temporary and junk files, browser cache, logs, and other clutter that can safely be removed. Cleaning this up can free disk space and sometimes help your system feel snappier, but it’s not a magic fix for every performance problem.
Is CCleaner safe to use?
Used with its default or recommended settings, CCleaner is generally safe for typical users. As with any cleaner, you should review what’s being removed and be cautious with advanced options like registry cleaning or aggressive system tweaks — if you’re unsure, leave those at their defaults.
Do I still need a cleaner if Windows has built-in tools?
Windows already includes tools like Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup that can remove some temporary files. Third-party cleaners such as CCleaner, Wise Care 365, and Glary Utilities bring more granular control, additional maintenance tools, and a single dashboard to manage multiple tasks — some users prefer that convenience, others are happy with the built-ins.
Which one should I choose?
Pick CCleaner if you want a widely used, straightforward cleaner with a gentle learning curve. Choose Wise Care 365 if you like deep tune-ups and plenty of extra utilities. Go with Glary Utilities if you want a broad toolkit and are especially interested in what you can get for free.

© PC Cleaner Guide — Clear, honest system utility comparisons.

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