Among the eight iPhone cleaner apps we compared using US App Store data from 6 October 2026, Cleanup has by far the most ratings (729,289), Slidebox (4.81) and Clever Cleaner (4.78) have the highest average ratings among the seven apps with thousands of ratings, and Slidebox lists the lowest weekly price ($1.99). Six of the eight declare data used to track you in their App Privacy labels; only Slidebox and PhotoGO AI do not. Swipe-style review is described by Cleaner Kit, AI Cleaner, Swipewipe, Clever Cleaner, Slidebox and PhotoGO AI. Contacts or email cleanup is described by Cleanup, Cleaner Kit, AI Cleaner and CleanMy®Phone. We did not test the apps. PhotoGO AI is our app and is included on the same terms as the others.
How we compared
Everything below comes from each app's US App Store page and Apple's public lookup data on 6 October 2026. We did not install or test the apps, so we say nothing about how well any of them finds duplicates or how fast it works. Features are what each developer's description states. Prices are the in-app purchases the page lists. Privacy information is the App Privacy label the developer published.
We chose the apps by a rule, not by preference:
- The three most-rated photo and storage cleaners that appeared in at least six of eight US App Store searches we ran (photo cleaner, iphone cleaner, duplicate photos, storage cleaner, swipe photo cleaner, clean up photos, free up storage iphone, photo cleanup): Cleanup, Cleaner Kit and AI Cleaner.
- Four apps that Google's AI Overview or ChatGPT named for "best photo cleaner app for iphone" on 3 October 2026: Clever Cleaner, CleanMy®Phone, Slidebox and Swipewipe.
- PhotoGO AI, because we publish this guide.
The App Store shows up to ten in-app purchases and several price points under the same name, so the prices below are ranges from that list. The price you see in an app can differ.
Ratings and updates
| App | Average rating | Ratings | Last updated | Needs iOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanup: Phone Storage Cleaner | 4.65 | 729,289 | 22 Sep 2026 | 15.0 |
| Cleaner Kit - Clean Up Storage | 4.44 | 351,441 | 30 Sep 2026 | 15.0 |
| AI Cleaner: Clean Up Storage | 4.58 | 209,976 | 1 Oct 2026 | 15.0 |
| Swipewipe: Photo Cleaner | 4.69 | 95,793 | 22 Sep 2026 | 18.0 |
| Clever Cleaner: AI CleanUp App | 4.78 | 83,092 | 5 Oct 2026 | 16.0 |
| CleanMy®Phone: Cleanup Storage | 4.59 | 22,786 | 12 Jun 2026 | 17.0 |
| Slidebox: Photo Cleaner App | 4.81 | 16,577 | 22 Sep 2026 | 15.0 |
| PhotoGO AI – Photo Cleaner | 5.0 | 1 | 3 Oct 2026 | 17.0 |
PhotoGO AI has one rating in the US store, so its 5.0 says almost nothing yet. All eight are free to download.
What each description says it does
| App | Duplicate or similar photos | Swipe review | Video compression | Contacts or email cleanup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanup | Yes (duplicates, similar screenshots, groups with a best shot) | Not mentioned | Yes | Yes (contacts and email) |
| Cleaner Kit | Yes (duplicates, blurry shots) | Yes | Yes | Yes (contacts and email) |
| AI Cleaner | Yes (duplicates) | Yes | Yes | Yes (contacts and email) |
| Swipewipe | Yes (similar photos, blurry shots) | Yes, month by month | Not mentioned | Not mentioned |
| Clever Cleaner | Yes (duplicates and similar, best shot) | Yes | Yes | Not mentioned |
| CleanMy®Phone | Yes (duplicates and similar) | Not mentioned | Yes | Yes (contacts) |
| Slidebox | Yes (compare similar photos) | Yes | Not mentioned | Not mentioned (album organizer instead) |
| PhotoGO AI | Yes (duplicates and similar, best shot) | Yes, month by month | Yes | Not mentioned |
"Not mentioned" means the description does not say it, not that the app lacks it. Two details stand out in the descriptions. Clever Cleaner says it sorts videos by size from largest to smallest, and Slidebox says it has an undo for every action.
Prices listed on the App Store
| App | Plans listed (US) |
|---|---|
| Cleanup | Pro 1 Week $5.95 to $11.99 depending on the variant; Pro 1 Year $29.99; the description also mentions a lifetime option |
| Cleaner Kit | Premium $4.99 to $5.99; Pro $6.99 (names do not state the billing period) |
| AI Cleaner | 1 Week plans $6.99 to $10.99 (some with a free trial); 1 Year $34.99 to $39.99 |
| Swipewipe | Weekly $3.99 to $9.99; 1 year $29.99; Premium $5.99 to $9.99 |
| Clever Cleaner | Weekly with trial $6.99; Lifetime $39.99 |
| CleanMy®Phone | Monthly $2.99 to $7.99; Yearly $19.99 to $39.99; Unlimited access $34.99 (period not stated); some plans still carry the old Gemini Photos name |
| Slidebox | 1 week $1.99 to $2.99; 1 year $19.99 to $29.99; Lifetime $29.99 to $49.99 |
| PhotoGO AI | Weekly Pro $6.99; Yearly Pro $34.99; Lifetime Pro $59.99; Special Offer $24.99 |
Lifetime or one-time options appear for Cleanup (in the description), Clever Cleaner, Slidebox and PhotoGO AI. Clever Cleaner's description says no subscription is mandatory, and Slidebox's says you can unlock the full version with a one-time purchase.
Privacy labels
Every App Store page carries an App Privacy label that the developer fills in. Six of the eight list data used to track you:
| App | Data used to track you, as listed |
|---|---|
| Cleanup | Purchase history, user ID, device ID, product interaction |
| Cleaner Kit | Purchase history, coarse location, user ID, device ID, usage data, performance data, other data |
| AI Cleaner | User ID, device ID |
| Swipewipe | User ID, device ID, product interaction, advertising data, other data |
| Clever Cleaner | Device ID |
| CleanMy®Phone | User ID, device ID, product interaction |
| Slidebox | None listed |
| PhotoGO AI | None listed |
Read the label and the description as two different answers. A description says where photos are processed; the label says what data the app and its partners collect, such as identifiers, purchases and usage. Several apps here say their processing stays on the iPhone and still list data used for tracking, so one statement does not replace the other. Check the label on the App Store page before you install any cleaner.
Which one fits what
- The largest user base: Cleanup (729,289 ratings), then Cleaner Kit (351,441) and AI Cleaner (209,976).
- Swipe through your library month by month: Swipewipe and PhotoGO AI both describe a month-by-month flow. Slidebox, Cleaner Kit, AI Cleaner and Clever Cleaner also describe swiping.
- Find the largest videos in an app: Clever Cleaner says it sorts videos by size, and PhotoGO AI lists your largest videos. Our guide to finding large videos on iPhone shows how to do it without an app.
- No data-used-for-tracking listed: Slidebox and PhotoGO AI.
- A one-time purchase: Slidebox, Clever Cleaner and PhotoGO AI list one; Cleanup mentions a lifetime option.
- Contacts and email too: Cleanup, Cleaner Kit and AI Cleaner. CleanMy®Phone covers contacts.
Disclosure: PhotoGO AI is our app, and this comparison runs on public data that anyone can check on the App Store pages above. It is the newest app on the list, so ratings cannot tell you much about it yet.
Try the free tools first
iOS 16 and later has a Duplicates album in Photos, and iOS keeps deleted photos for 30 days. Our guides to deleting duplicate and similar photos on iPhone and to iPhone storage that stays full after deleting photos cover what Photos can do on its own and where an app saves time.
FAQ
What is the best iPhone cleaner app?
It depends on what you need. By US App Store data, Cleanup has the most ratings, Slidebox and Clever Cleaner have the highest average ratings among the apps with thousands of ratings, and only Slidebox and PhotoGO AI list no data used to track you. We did not test the apps, so we do not rank them by performance.
Are iPhone cleaner apps safe?
They need access to your photo library, so read the App Privacy label before you install. Six of the eight apps here list data used to track you. Processing photos on the iPhone and collecting data about how you use the app are separate questions.
Which iPhone cleaner apps have a one-time purchase?
Slidebox, Clever Cleaner and PhotoGO AI list a lifetime or one-time plan, and Cleanup's description mentions a lifetime option. CleanMy®Phone lists "Unlimited access" without stating the period.
Are iPhone cleaner apps free?
All eight are free to download and list in-app purchases. What the free version includes differs by app, so check the description and the plans on each page.
Do I need a cleaner app at all?
Not always. Apple's Photos has a Duplicates album on iOS 16 and later, and iPhone Storage shows what uses the space. An app saves time when you have thousands of photos or want swipe-style review.
Why is PhotoGO AI on this list?
Because we publish this guide, and leaving it out would hide a conflict of interest. It is held to the same sources and the same table as the other seven apps.
