Agents and MCP: let your coding agent see the Mac
Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor know your repository, not your Mac. Room Service runs a local MCP server inside the app, off by default. Turn it on in Settings > Agents and the agent can read storage categories with risk labels, list ports and processes, inspect projects, and run a dry-run cleanup. Reversible actions, such as Move to Trash or stopping a port, run when the agent asks. Permanent actions, such as permanent delete or a Docker prune, open a panel in Room Service and wait for your Allow. Every action lands in the Ops Feed, and Developer Vault has no scope at all. Neither CleanMyMac nor MacKeeper documents an agent interface. MacPaw’s roadmap item is about cleaning files that AI tools leave behind, which is a different thing.
Projects and ports: the view a cleaner does not have
A general cleaner sees caches and logs. Room Service sees projects. The Projects workspace scans local Git repositories and breaks each one into Git data, dependencies, build outputs, caches, and source, so you know why a folder is 12 GB before you touch it. Git Sweep reports uncommitted, unpushed, and stashed work across every repository, and only reports. Dev Ports lists what is listening on localhost, links it to a project where it can, shows whether a port is LAN-shareable, and gives you a LAN URL or QR code. Build Watchers catch build and watch processes that burn CPU or RAM without opening a port. All of it is also in the menu bar, Command Palette, and CLI.
Developer-aware cleanup: risk labels, Trash first, quarantine if you want it
Room Service scans 30 categories. Alongside system caches, logs, and large files, it has dedicated categories for Xcode, Docker, package managers, node_modules, Python environments, Android artifacts, game engines, code editors, language runtimes, and local AI storage. Nothing is preselected. Every row carries a risk label and a note on what it costs to rebuild. The default action is Move to Trash. With Quarantine on, deleted items are parked in a desktop folder and can be restored from the app. CleanMyMac documents Xcode junk and groups other app caches by app; per its help page, Large & Old Files removal bypasses the Trash. MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup covers logs, caches, Trash, languages, and mail attachments. Neither documents Docker or node_modules.
CLI: the same engine in Terminal
The roomservice CLI shares its scan engine, reports, and cleanup history with the app. It has 16 commands, including scan, projects, health, ports --kill, sweep --exit-code, clean --dry-run, and docker preview. Most commands take --json, and completions covers zsh, bash, and fish. Scanning, reports, history, and export are free; CLI cleanup needs Pro, like cleanup in the app. CleanMyMac and MacKeeper are desktop-only today; MacPaw says a CleanMyMac CLI is in development.
When CleanMyMac or MacKeeper may be the better fit
You want malware scanning. CleanMyMac’s Protection module removes malware. MacKeeper includes real-time antivirus and an Adware Cleaner. Room Service has neither.
You want a VPN, ad blocking, or breach monitoring. MacKeeper bundles VPN Private Connect, StopAd, and ID Theft Guard.
You are setting up a Mac for someone who does not write code. Both suites are built for that, with one-click routines.
You want Gmail or Chrome tab cleanup. CleanMyMac added Email Cleanup and Browser Care in 2026.
Pricing at a glance
Room Service: Free ($0) covers every scan, read-only review, smart alerts, and CLI scan, report, history, and export. Pro is $29, lifetime, and unlocks cleanup, uninstall, startup item changes, quarantine restore, CLI cleanup, Developer Vault, Projects, Recipes, and stopping ports and processes.
CleanMyMac: subscription “starting at $3.33/month” on macpaw.com; monthly and one-time licenses are also offered, for one, two, or five Macs.
MacKeeper: $10.95 per month, or $71.40 per year for one Mac, on mackeeper.com on the check date. Promotional discounts change often.