No ads · No prompts · Open source
An Open-Source CCleaner Alternative for Windows
Worm Cleaner is a free, open-source (MIT) alternative to CCleaner for Windows 10 and 11. It runs 66 scan rules across 12 categories with full per-item control, sends deletions to the Recycle Bin, and includes a real uninstaller that runs each app's own registered uninstall string. No advertising, no nag prompts, no telemetry.
By Naman Namdev
Clepsydra Technologies
Updated
Version 1.0.4
Why people look for a CCleaner alternative
Mostly advertising and prompting. The cleaning itself is not hard; being told what will be deleted, and being able to refuse it, is the part worth paying attention to. Worm was built around that: everything is listed with its size and path, every target has its own checkbox, categories have tri-state selection, and nothing is removed that you have not selected.
Worm Cleaner compared with CCleaner | Worm Cleaner | CCleaner |
|---|
| Price | Free, MIT | Free tier + paid Pro |
|---|
| Source code | Public | Closed |
|---|
| Advertising | None | See vendor site |
|---|
| Telemetry in the app | None, works offline | See vendor site |
|---|
| Scan rules | 66 across 12 categories | Vendor-reported |
|---|
| Per-item checkboxes | Yes, every target | Category-level |
|---|
| Deleted items go to | Recycle Bin | Recycle Bin |
|---|
| Audit log | Yes, TSV, per operation | Partial |
|---|
| Uninstaller runs vendor uninstaller | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Disk analysis & large-file finder | Yes, read-only | Partial |
|---|
| Windows Update cache | Excluded by design | Offered |
|---|
| Registry cleaning | No | Yes |
|---|
| Framework | .NET 9 AOT + WPF | Native |
|---|
| Idle memory | Under 42 MB (measured) | Vendor-reported |
|---|
Worm's column is verifiable from the repository. CCleaner's column links to the vendor rather than asserting figures we cannot confirm.
Where Worm is the weaker choice
Two genuine gaps, stated plainly. Registry cleaning: Worm does not touch the registry. Registry cleaning tools have a deservedly poor reputation, and a cleaner that cannot prove a key is orphaned should not be editing it — but if you relied on that feature, you will miss it. Browser and app “privacy” cleaners: Worm clears caches but does not strip cookies or fingerprinting data, because deleting cookies logs you out of everything and rarely helps.
The safety model, in detail
Eight rules govern what can be deleted on Windows, all of them in source you can read:
- Inspect before action. Cleaning touches only ticked items.
- Protected paths are resolved through the Windows known-folder registry keys, so a relocated OneDrive or domain-redirected Documents folder is still protected. Matching is prefix-aware and case-insensitive.
- Running processes warn, they do not silently pass. An open file handle is never deleted.
- Recycle Bin first. Recoverable by default.
- Registry cross-check on orphans. Leftovers are proven by token matching against every registered app plus a check against each install location — deliberately not substring matching, which both hid real orphans and flagged live ones.
- Local audit log. Every destructive operation appended to
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Worm\Logs\deletions.tsv. - Blast-radius allowlist. Every path a rule produces is checked against a cleanable-root set derived from the rules themselves, so a wrong rule still cannot delete outside a folder the catalog declares cleanable.
- Open source. Verify it yourself.
What the system tray shows
Left-click the tray icon for a live panel: CPU, memory, free disk, uptime and total bytes reclaimed. The reclaimed figure is read back from the audit log, so it only ever reports bytes that were genuinely removed — not an estimate, and not a running total that drifts.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free CCleaner alternative without ads?
Yes. Worm Cleaner is MIT licensed and open source, with 66 scan rules across 12 categories, per-item checkboxes, Recycle Bin deletion and a local audit log. It has no advertising and no upsell, and because the source is public you can confirm the absence of both rather than taking it on trust.
Does Worm Cleaner clean the Windows registry?
No. It does not modify the registry at all. Registry cleaning has a deservedly poor reputation because a tool cannot reliably prove a key is orphaned, and 'cleaning' a live key causes exactly the kind of breakage users then blame on malware. Worm does read the uninstall registry keys, but only to enumerate installed apps and to cross-check leftovers.
Is Worm Cleaner safe on Windows 11?
Yes. Deleted files go to the Recycle Bin, running processes are flagged rather than deleted through, open file handles are never removed, and every path is checked against a cleanable-root allowlist derived from the scan rules themselves. Personal folders are resolved through the known-folder registry keys so a redirected Documents folder is still protected. It is also portable and needs no administrator rights.
Why does Worm Cleaner skip the Windows Update cache?
Because file age cannot prove an update package is unused. Clearing C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution while an update is staged can leave Windows unable to install it, and recovering from that is a long manual process. Worm excludes the tree by design. Use Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files, or the built-in Disk Cleanup, if you want that space.
Download Worm Cleaner
Worm Cleaner is free, MIT licensed and runs on macOS 14+ and Windows 10/11. No account, no subscription, no telemetry in the app.
