Every great device becomes a tad bit slow and clumsy as time goes by.

And such is the case with Mac as well. Years after using the device, it starts losing its “speedy” behavior and creates problems for us. So much so that it disrupts our work and productivity.

If you’ve been a Mac user for a long time now, you know the real struggle behind it. It’s not just with Mac; it’s with every electronic device. And when it happens, it’s undoubtedly not fun at all.

The good news is, there is a workaround for it. To cope with this problem, I’ve listed some of the best tools that’ll help you optimize your Mac for better usability.

CleanMyMac X

Praised by companies like TechCrunch, Cult of Mac, and iMore, CleanMyMac X can literally make your Mac as good as a newly bought device. Not even kidding!

It is an all in one package that’ll get rid of stubborn junk and other unnecessary elements to speed up your Mac ridiculously. Here’s what it does in a nutshell:

  • Cleans up your Mac
  • Increases speed
  • Protects from virus
  • Manages your installed applications for better use

It’s available in 13 different languages and costs just $34.95 for the entry-level plan. You can also use the software for free with limited features.

MacKeeper

MacKeeper is indeed a keeper for your Mac because it provides security as well as optimization. Here’s what it does all in all:

  • Protects your privacy
  • Protects from virus and other online threats
  • Optimizes for peak performance
  • Removes adware
  • Traces your lost Mac

As if all that great features weren’t enough, they’re also offering a completely free download to the software with slightly lesser features. If you’d like to access more, you can pick any of their premium plans.

AVG TuneUp

AVG TuneUp does a brilliant job of shoving off unwanted files and elements from your Mac to speed things up. It uses this method called “Multilayer” that takes care of:

  • Hidden junk files
  • Duplicate files
  • Low quality and blurry pictures

It costs $79.99/year that includes all the awesome features

MacBooster

This tool cleans up to 20 different types of files and goes in deeper to remove malware and viruses. Not only that, but MacBooster can also optimize your hard disk for a total performance makeover.

No matter how big of a file it is, this software can handle it with ease. If you’ve been cherishing a smoother and lighter Mac device, then this tool can potentially do that for you.

It costs $3.33/month for the entry-level plan. You can also download a free version of it with limited features.

Movavi Mac Cleaner

Another tool that can clean even big GBs of files, Movavi Mac Cleaner, has great optimizing potentials for your Mac. You can either use their one-click clean feature or select specific files individually. Here’s what all this tool can clean up:

  • Cache files
  • Log files
  • Trash bin
  • Unused files
  • Duplicate files

They’re offering a free plan and as well as paid plans starting at $20 only.

MacCleaner Pro

MacCleaner Pro does a handful of tasks such as:

  • Cleaning
  • Optimizing
  • Speeds up device
  • Helps you avoid “Startup disk full” alert

It can also free up your RAM and remove duplicate files. For only $24.99, they’re offering six different cleaning apps in a pack. Other than that, you can also make use of their free plan.

Malwarebytes For Mac

Malwarebytes is literally a kind of superhero that protects and optimizes your Mac in an impressive manner. You can do a ton of things with this tool, including:

  • Detect and remove virus
  • Remove adware
  • Scan the entire device for vulnerability
  • Block application downloads from suspicious sources

You can try out their 14-day free trial and then pick their only paid plan for just $44/year.

Avira Optimizer

Probably one of the most intuitive software in this list, Avira Optimizer does what it says. It can ridiculously speed up your Mac with their impressive features, which includes:

  • One-click scan
  • Junk cleaner
  • Duplicate detector
  • Large file and obsolete file finder
  • Notifications to remind about cleaning
  • CPU usage monitor

Along with all these features, you can get access to Avira Connect, which is their splendid dashboard to keep track of everything from one place. You can download Avira Optimizer for absolutely free.

Additional things you can try to improve the performance of your Mac further

Turn off the “Genie” effect

As much as we love the window minimizing the genie effect, it comes with a cost of slashed speed. The more visual effects you use, the slower your device will be. To turn off this effect, follow the below steps:

  1. Go to system preferences and then click on Dock
  2. Choose scale effect in the Minimize Using field
  3. Disable the Animated Opening Applications option

Disable browser add-ons

These days loading the browsers with unnecessary add-ons has literally become a thing. Though it can be helpful at times, be prepared to compromise on the speed. I highly recommend getting rid of unwanted browser add-ons.

Keep the desktop clean

If you’re like my mom, who likes to jam the desktop page with 70 new photos every day, then you’ll have the same result as mine – turtle-like speed. Try to keep the desktop clean and minimal with fewer icons and applications.

Conclusion

I hope the above tools and tips help you optimize your Mac for speed and performance. Also, check out security software to keep data secure.