PruneoPruneo vs Mole: speed, idle usage and undo compared
Pick Mole if you want a free, open-source command-line tool, or an app that also updates your apps and controls the fans. Pick Pruneo if you want a free cleaner that scanned 7 times faster in our test, barely used any CPU at rest and sends everything to a quarantine so any cleanup can be undone.
Mole is one of the most popular Mac cleaners right now. It started as a free, open-source command-line tool (mo) with tens of thousands of GitHub stars, and today it also has a paid desktop app with cleanup, an uninstaller, maintenance, disk analysis and a live system status panel. Pruneo is a free cleaner focused on reclaiming disk space quickly and safely, including the space taken by developer and creative apps.
In this comparison we measured Mole’s desktop app, not the command-line tool. Here’s what we measured, where Mole comes out ahead, and how each one handles safety.
The numbers, side by side
| Pruneo 1.0.3 | Mole 1.18.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Scan time (median warm; first cold scan) | 4.2 s (12.4 s) | 91.0 s (1 min 31 s) |
| Junk to clean, general use | 18.0 GB safe (31.2 GB total) | 10.1 GB (34.2 GB total) |
| Idle CPU | 0.1% | 23.7% |
| Peak memory while scanning | ~160 MB | 349 MB |
| Installed size | 10.4 MB | 55.5 MB |
| Helper processes | 0 | 0 |
| Can be undone | Yes, from quarantine | No: caches are deleted permanently (Trash is optional in Settings) |
MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro, 16 GB, macOS 27, 10/21/2026. Pruneo 1.0.3, Mole 1.18.0. Median warm scan. Mole measured on 10/27/2026 on the same Mac.
What the table says, in plain words:
- Scan time. On 10/27/2026, on the same Mac, Mole’s full scan (Clean, “Scan again”) took 91 s until it finished checking. That same day, Pruneo’s Smart Scan had a median of 12.4 s over three runs, while looking at more folders than Mole. That’s about 7 times faster. The 4.2 s in the table is the general-use scan from our earlier test.
- Idle usage. This is the most striking difference. With the app open and doing nothing, Mole averaged 23.7% CPU over 60 s, and Pruneo 0.1%. Mole’s main screen shows a 3D planet that spins all the time, and that has a cost.
- Memory and size. Peak memory while scanning, as Activity Monitor shows it, was about 160 MB for Pruneo and 349 MB for Mole (doing nothing, Mole already used over 200 MB). Installed, Pruneo takes 10.4 MB and Mole 55.5 MB. Neither left helper processes running in the background.
About the junk found
Mole found 34.2 GB in total and pre-selects 10.1 GB to clean: mostly app and browser caches (8.22 GB of 15.8 GB) and developer tool caches (1.37 GB of 15.8 GB), plus the Trash and AI app caches. It shows uninstalled app leftovers (983 MB) and System Data (1.12 GB) unselected.
For general use, Pruneo found 18.0 GB it marks as safe and 31.2 GB in total if you add what it asks you to review. With its professional sections (projects, Docker, Node, Xcode, editors, creative and music apps), Pruneo found 166.9 GB on the same Mac, 65.3 GB of it marked safe. Mole also cleans developer caches and has a separate command in its CLI (mo purge) for project build artifacts; the difference is that Pruneo brings all of it into a single scan. If you want to understand the “System Data” your Mac shows, read our guide on what System Data is on a Mac.
Where Mole wins and where Pruneo is weaker
- A free, open-source command-line tool. Mole was born in the terminal, and its GitHub repository is public, GPL-3.0 licensed, with a huge community. Pruneo also has a command-line tool (
pruneo), but it isn’t open source. - More than cleaning. The Mole app updates your apps across several channels, shows live system status (CPU, memory, GPU, disk, network, battery, temperature) and controls the fans on supported Macs. It also has a Windows version. Pruneo has a monitor, processes, startup items and maintenance, but it doesn’t update apps or control fans.
- Community and track record. Mole has been in many more hands for longer: its website mentions tested leftovers for more than 800 apps. Pruneo is a recent app (current version 1.5.2), with much less real-world use.
- Same system requirement. The Mole app needs macOS 14 or later, like Pruneo, on Apple silicon and Intel. Its command-line tool runs from macOS 12.
Safety and undo
Mole
Mole shows what it will delete before doing it, and leaves the most delicate items unselected, such as uninstalled app leftovers or AI app sessions. According to its website, cache cleanup is permanent by default: the button says “Permanently clean”, and sending things to the Trash is an option you have to turn on in its Settings. Apps it uninstalls and files deleted from its disk analyzer do go to the Trash. Emptying the Trash and some maintenance tasks are also permanent.
Pruneo
Pruneo marks every item with a traffic light: green is safe, yellow means it’s worth reviewing, and the lock means it’s protected and won’t be touched. Everything Pruneo cleans goes to a quarantine first, so you can get it back. Emptying the Trash is the only exception, and Pruneo asks you to confirm first.
Pruneo never touches the system, SSH and GPG keys, credentials, the Keychain, iCloud Drive, Mail, Messages, .git folders, .env files, certificates, the Photos library, the Docker disk, the root of git projects or the Spotlight index.
From the terminal you can simulate a cleanup before running it and restore it afterwards:
pruneo scan # see what can be cleaned
pruneo clean <sections> # without --yes it only simulates
pruneo clean <sections> --yes # cleans and sends it to quarantine
pruneo quarantine restore # restore from quarantineScheduled cleanups only touch green items. You’ll find more details on our security page.
Price
Checked on 10/27/2026 on Mole’s official website, in US dollars.
- Mole. The command-line tool is free. The desktop app costs US$19 once for 2 Macs, with free updates, no subscription and a 14-day refund window. Scanning and reviewing results are free; each paid tool (clean, uninstall, optimize and deleting from the disk analyzer) can be used twice without a license.
- Pruneo. Free, with no account and no subscription. If you want to support the project, there’s an optional one-time contribution starting at US$5.
Which one is right for you?
Pick Mole if:
- You prefer a free, open-source command-line tool.
- You want an app that also updates your apps, shows temperatures and controls the fans.
- You use Windows as well as a Mac.
Pick Pruneo if:
- You want scans that finish in seconds.
- You want an app that barely uses any CPU or memory while it’s open.
- You work with code, video, photos or music and want to reclaim the space those tools leave behind in a single scan.
- You want a quarantine so any cleanup can be undone.
You can also see how Pruneo compares with CleanMyMac, Cleaner One Pro and BuhoCleaner. To try Pruneo, go to the home page.
Mole is a trademark of its owner. Pruneo has no relationship with it. We measured Mole 1.18.0, the desktop app downloaded from its official website, on 10/27/2026 on the same Mac as the rest of the benchmark (MacBook Pro 14” M1 Pro, 16 GB, macOS 27).
FAQ
Is Mole free?
There are two Moles. The command-line tool (mo) is free and open source. The desktop app costs US$19 once for 2 Macs; scanning is free and each paid tool (clean, uninstall, optimize) can be used twice without a license. Pruneo is free, with no account and no subscription.
Which one is faster?
On the same day and the same Mac, Mole's full scan took 91 s until it finished checking. Pruneo's Smart Scan, which looks at more folders, had a median of 12.4 s.
Can a Mole cleanup be undone?
According to its website, Mole deletes caches permanently by default, and moving them to the Trash is an option in its Settings; uninstalled apps do go to the Trash. Pruneo sends everything it cleans to a quarantine you can restore from.