CCleaner was the standard recommendation for Windows PC cleaning for over a decade. Almost every tech forum thread about “how do I speed up my Windows PC” included CCleaner as step one. For a long time, that recommendation was reasonable — CCleaner was a competent, lightweight tool that did what it said without much risk.
That changed when Avast acquired Piriform (CCleaner’s developer) in 2017. The product that emerged from that acquisition is recognisably the same tool but with significant additions: the Kamo privacy protection tool that installs alongside it, a browser extension that tracks searches, upsell notifications throughout the interface, and an account system tied to Avast’s platform. CCleaner went from being a simple cleaning utility to being a distribution channel for Avast’s other products.
That trajectory was part of what motivated me to build Aurora PC Cleaner Pro — a cleaning tool that does the cleaning job and nothing else. Here is the direct comparison.
CCleaner: What It Gets Right
The core cleaning functionality in CCleaner remains solid. Temporary file cleaning, browser cache cleaning, registry scanning — these features work correctly and have been refined over many years. The application detects a broad range of installed browsers and applications and presents appropriate cleaning options for each.
The free version provides meaningful functionality without a time limit. For users who want basic cleaning, the free CCleaner does the job. The interface is familiar to millions of Windows users who have used it for years.
CCleaner strengths:
- Very broad application detection — cleaning options for hundreds of applications
- Long track record and large user base
- Free tier with functional cleaning capabilities
- Driver updater and software updater in paid version
- Scheduled automatic cleaning in paid version
CCleaner’s Problems in 2026
Bundled software and upsells
The current CCleaner free installer offers to install Kamo — Avast’s “privacy protection” tool — by default. Users who do not uncheck this during installation get Kamo installed alongside CCleaner. Kamo installs a browser extension and background process. The average user who installs CCleaner to clean their PC does not understand that they are also installing a second piece of software that runs continuously.
In-app upsell prompts for CCleaner Professional are persistent. The free version regularly surfaces reminders about features available in the paid version. The user experience of the free CCleaner today is substantially different from what it was five years ago — it is a free tier of a subscription product rather than a free standalone utility.
Aggressive registry cleaning
CCleaner’s registry cleaner is on the more aggressive end of the spectrum. It flags a broad range of entries, including some that are legitimately used by installed software. The well-known recommendation to use CCleaner carefully — always back up the registry first, always review the results before cleaning — exists because CCleaner has a history of false positives in its registry scanning.
Privacy concerns post-acquisition
In 2017, shortly after the Avast acquisition, CCleaner suffered a supply chain attack in which malware was distributed through the official CCleaner download. This event was resolved, but it raised questions about the security practices at the newly acquired company. The subsequent integration with Avast’s platform — telemetry, account systems, browser extension distribution — has continued to raise privacy questions among users who remember CCleaner as a simple local utility.
Aurora PC Cleaner Pro: Built to Avoid These Problems
Aurora PC Cleaner Pro was designed around a simple principle: clean what is actually safe to clean, leave everything else alone, and install nothing else on the machine. The choices that distinguish Aurora from CCleaner come directly from observing what has gone wrong with CCleaner over time:
- No bundled software: The Aurora installer installs Aurora. Nothing else. No browser extensions. No companion applications. No account creation prompts.
- Conservative registry cleaning: Aurora flags registry entries that are definitively orphaned — pointing to paths that do not exist, referencing uninstalled application GUIDs. It does not use aggressive pattern matching that produces false positives.
- No telemetry: Aurora does not connect to any external server. No usage analytics, no error reporting to a remote endpoint, no licence activation that phones home.
- Automatic backup before registry changes: Every registry cleaning session creates a timestamped backup file. One double-click restores any removed entries.
- Active file detection: Aurora checks whether files are in use before flagging them for removal. Files that are currently locked by a running process are not targeted.
Aurora PC Cleaner Pro vs CCleaner: Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Aurora PC Cleaner Pro | CCleaner Free | CCleaner Professional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary file cleaning | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Browser cache cleaning | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Registry cleaning | Yes (conservative) | Yes (aggressive) | Yes (aggressive) |
| Automatic registry backup | Yes (always) | Yes (prompted) | Yes (prompted) |
| Active file detection | Yes | Limited | Limited |
| Startup manager | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scheduled automatic cleaning | Yes | No | Yes |
| Driver updater | No | No | Yes |
| Software updater | No | No | Yes |
| Bundled software (Kamo, etc.) | No | Yes (opt-out) | Yes (opt-out) |
| In-app upsell prompts | No | Frequent | Minimal |
| Telemetry / phone-home | No | Yes | Yes |
| Account required | No | Optional | Required |
| Price | One-time | Free | $30-$40/year |
The “Free” Question
CCleaner’s free tier is free in the sense that you do not pay money for it. The actual cost is: your usage data (telemetry), exposure to bundled software installation (Kamo), and regular upsell prompts. For users who understand this trade-off and are comfortable with it, CCleaner free remains a functional option.
Aurora PC Cleaner Pro is a paid product. The cost is one-time, not a subscription. What you get for that cost: no bundled software, no telemetry, no upsells, conservative registry cleaning with automatic backup, and an application that installs, cleans, and uninstalls cleanly without leaving its own traces.
Who Should Use Which
Choose CCleaner if:
- You want the broadest application detection library for unusual software
- You need driver or software update management (paid version)
- Free is a hard requirement and the trade-offs (bundled software, telemetry) are acceptable
Choose Aurora PC Cleaner Pro if:
- You want a cleaner that installs nothing else and calls home to no one
- You prefer conservative registry cleaning over aggressive scanning
- Automatic registry backup before any changes is important to you
- You want to pay once rather than subscribe or accept ad-supported free software
Quick Summary
- CCleaner has the broadest application detection library and the most familiar interface — but post-Avast acquisition it bundles companion software, runs telemetry, and serves persistent upsells. The cleaning engine is aggressive in registry scanning.
- Aurora PC Cleaner Pro cleans conservatively with automatic backup, installs nothing extra, phones home to nothing, and charges once rather than recurring. Application detection library is narrower than CCleaner’s.
- The choice is primarily about what you are willing to trade: breadth and free vs. privacy and conservative safety.
CCleaner became what it became because it was acquired by a company with a different business model. Aurora PC Cleaner Pro is built by a developer who uses Windows every day and wants a cleaner that simply does its job.