HEVCut vs phone cleaner apps
Phone cleaner apps are a crowded category: Cleanup alone lists about 740,000 ratings. This page compares five of them with HEVCut: Cleanup (Codeway), Boost Cleaner, Clever Cleaner (CleverFiles), and two different apps both called Smart Cleaner, one by Skyrocket Apps and one by NAICOO. CleanMyPhone has its own page.
Compression
| App | Video compression | Photo compression | Output format |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEVCut | Yes | Yes | HEVC for video; HEIC or AVIF for photos |
| Cleanup | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Boost Cleaner | Not listed | Not listed | n/a |
| Clever Cleaner | Yes | Yes (photos, screenshots, Live Photos) | Not listed |
| Smart Cleaner (Skyrocket) | No | No | n/a |
| Smart Cleaner (NAICOO) | "Compress largest files" (media type not stated) | Not listed | Not listed |
As listed on the US App Store, checked 19 October 2026. “Not listed” means the source doesn’t mention it, not that the app can’t do it. Sources: Cleanup, Boost Cleaner, Clever Cleaner, CleverFiles, Smart Cleaner (Skyrocket), Smart Cleaner (NAICOO), HEVCut.
Cleanup
| App | Duplicates | Bursts | Screenshots, blurry and other clutter | Swipe | Live Photo to still |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEVCut | Exact, Similar, Near and Burst tiers; explained Keep Best Copy pick | Yes; keeps your picks as standalone photos | Screenshots, screen recordings, blurry, QR codes and barcodes, messaging and social downloads | Yes | Yes, when compressing |
| Cleanup | Yes, "Best" marked | Not listed | Screenshots, large videos | Not listed | Not listed |
| Boost Cleaner | Yes | "Bursts & Selfies" | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Clever Cleaner | Yes, "Best Shot" | Not listed | Screenshots | Yes, no daily limit | Yes |
| Smart Cleaner (Skyrocket) | Yes | Delete category | Screenshots, blurry, closed eyes | Yes ("Swipe Wipe") | Delete only |
| Smart Cleaner (NAICOO) | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
As listed on the US App Store, checked 19 October 2026.
None of the cleaner listings we checked mentions detecting photos saved from messaging or social apps. HEVCut's Clutter screen reads where each item came from (WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Instagram, TikTok and others) using Photos' own import records, and falls back to the filename.
Platforms and listed prices
| App | Rating | Platforms | Widgets | Paid options as listed (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanup | 4.7 (740K) | iPhone only | Battery, storage | Every in-app purchase is "Cleanup Pro 1 Week", $5.95–$11.99; 7-day trial |
| Boost Cleaner | 4.5 (67K) | iPhone, iPad; iPad app on Mac | Not listed | Weekly $5.99 or $6.99; monthly $9.99 or $12.99; yearly $34.99–$49.99 |
| Clever Cleaner | 4.8 (84K) | iPhone; iPhone app on iPad and Mac | Not listed | Weekly with trial $6.99; lifetime $39.99 |
| Smart Cleaner (Skyrocket) | 4.4 (10K) | iPhone, iPad; iPad app on Mac; last updated 26 March 2025 | Battery | Weekly $3.99 or $4.99; monthly $10.99; yearly $19.99; lifetime $49.99 |
| Smart Cleaner (NAICOO) | 4.6 (21K) | iPhone; iPhone app on Mac | Not listed | Weekly $5.99–$9.99; monthly $12.99; yearly $19.99–$34.99; 3-day trial |
As listed on the US App Store, checked 19 October 2026.
HEVCut runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac (as a native Mac app) with iOS, iPadOS or macOS 26, and has four widgets: Savings, Storage Forecast, Library Growth and Capture Activity. It's free to download with free compressions to try; Pro comes as a subscription or one-time purchase. Check the App Store for current prices.
All five cleaners list a weekly option, and some list several prices for the same length of plan. A weekly plan adds up fast over a year. HEVCut Pro is also available as a one-time purchase, so you can pay once and keep it.
What HEVCut adds
Compression you can check
HEVCut says what it makes: HEVC video (10-bit for HDR sources, so HLG and HDR10 stay HDR) and HEIC or AVIF photos, encoded on your device. None of the cleaner listings we checked names an output format, and none mentions AVIF.
Nothing is replaced until you say so
Each compressed file is saved next to its original. Compare them (a slider for photos, a synced player for videos), then tap Keep Compressed or Revert. For a whole batch, delete the originals from the dock once you're happy, or tap Undo to remove the compressed copies and keep your originals. HEVCut only offers items it estimates will shrink by at least 5%, and discards any result that comes out larger.
Your library stays organized
The compressed version keeps the capture date, location, favorite status, albums and filename. Spatial Audio is passed through.
Duplicates with reasons
HEVCut sorts duplicates into Exact, Similar, Near and Burst tiers. Its Keep Best Copy pick weighs favorites, Shared Library, location, edits, Live Photo, resolution and size, and tells you why it chose that copy. Deleting some frames of a burst keeps the ones you chose as standalone photos (this needs full Photos access).
Mac, external drives, no ads
HEVCut is a native Mac app, compresses folders on external drives and SD cards, and shows no ads.
Want to see how much your library could shrink before you delete anything? HEVCut shows the total up front.
Why HEVCut is the better choice
- Deleting only frees so much. Once the duplicates and screenshots are gone, a cleaner has nothing left to offer, but the photos and videos you keep still take most of your storage. HEVCut compresses them, which is where the big savings are.
- You know what it makes. None of these cleaners says what format it compresses to, so you can't tell whether HDR survives or where the file will open. HEVCut uses HEVC, HEIC and AVIF, the formats Apple's own Camera uses plus a newer, smaller one.
- Your originals are safe until you decide. Every compressed file sits next to its original until you compare them and tap Keep Compressed. Any result that comes out larger is thrown away.
- It finds clutter they don't look for. No cleaner listing mentions photos saved from WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram or TikTok. HEVCut's Clutter screen sorts them out, along with screenshots, screen recordings, blurry photos and QR codes.
- It runs everywhere you keep media. A native Mac app, folders on external drives and SD cards, and widgets that forecast your iCloud plan. None of the cleaners has a native Mac app.
- No weekly plan pressure. Try HEVCut with free compressions on your own library, then choose a subscription or a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Do phone cleaner apps compress videos and photos?
Some do. Of the five here, Cleanup and Clever Cleaner list video compression, Clever Cleaner also lists photo compression, and Smart Cleaner by NAICOO mentions compressing your largest files. None of the nine cleaner and swipe apps we checked names the format it compresses to.
Why does the output format matter?
The format decides how much smaller a file gets, where it will open, and whether HDR survives. HEVCut tells you: HEVC for video, and HEIC or AVIF for photos. HEVC and HEIC (a HEIF format) are the High Efficiency formats Apple's own Camera uses.
Does HEVCut detect blurry photos or closed eyes?
Blurry photos, yes: HEVCut uses the analysis Apple Photos already runs on your device, so nothing extra is computed or uploaded (photos that Photos hasn't analyzed yet aren't flagged). It doesn't score faces, eyes or smiles: which shot of a person to keep is your call.
Which cleaner apps run on Mac?
None of the cleaner apps we checked has a native Mac app. Boost Cleaner and Smart Cleaner by Skyrocket run their iPad app on Mac, and Clever Cleaner and Smart Cleaner by NAICOO run their iPhone app. Cleanup is listed for iPhone only. HEVCut is a native Mac app.
Can I find duplicates for free?
Apple Photos' Duplicates album merges exact copies for free, but it doesn't find similar shots or bursts. In HEVCut, finding duplicates in all four tiers (Exact, Similar, Near and Burst) is free, so you can see everything you'd clear before you upgrade; deleting them needs Pro.
Are weekly plans the only option?
No. As listed on 19 October 2026, Clever Cleaner and Smart Cleaner by Skyrocket also offer lifetime purchases, and Boost Cleaner and both Smart Cleaners list monthly and yearly plans. Every in-app purchase on Cleanup's listing is labelled as a one-week plan. HEVCut Pro comes as a subscription or a one-time purchase; check the App Store for current prices.