Customer Reviews (500)

Wanda216 • 2025-04-28T16:47:43-07:00

It was very easy to use I really enjoyed it it’s like spring cleaning

dagould60 • 2025-04-28T11:56:03-07:00

Setting do not allow to setup for email except GMail.

Edd28863 • 2025-04-28T04:52:13-07:00

In the commercial says “ don’t buy extra storage “ the word “buy”…this is almost 30$a month and it doesn’t do much, is a rip off

Summary of Key Insights

Cleaner Guru aims to optimize device performance by cleaning up storage. While many users find it easy to use and effective at deleting duplicate photos and large files, there are significant concerns regarding its pricing model, deceptive advertising, and functionality issues. A large number of users report being charged immediately after downloading the app despite being promised a free trial, and many struggle to cancel their subscriptions. Functionality issues include crashes, inability to clean emails from non-Gmail accounts, and failure to properly delete duplicate photos or clean email inboxes. Overall sentiment is mixed, with a significant portion of users giving 1-star ratings due to these problems. The app has a concerning number of reports suggesting potential scam-like behavior.

Overall Rating: Leans Negative due to numerous complaints about billing practices and functionality.

Score Distribution:

  • 5-star: 51.2% (256 reviews)
  • 4-star: 4.8% (24 reviews)
  • 3-star: 2.8% (14 reviews)
  • 2-star: 4% (20 reviews)
  • 1-star: 37.2% (186 reviews)

The high number of 5-star reviews is offset by a large number of 1-star reviews, indicating a polarized user experience.

Key Strengths:

  • Easy to use interface (mentioned by many positive reviewers)
  • Effective at finding and deleting duplicate photos and large files (when it works)

Key Weaknesses:

  • Deceptive advertising about pricing and free trials
  • Aggressive and potentially misleading subscription model (weekly charges are perceived as excessive)
  • Functionality issues, including crashes, inability to clean non-Gmail emails, and ineffective email cleaning
  • Difficulties in canceling subscriptions
  • Reports of deleted contacts or photos without recovery options
  • Customer Support is often unresponsive

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Reviews appear to be recent, spanning from 2024 to early 2025.
  • Analysis Methods: Primarily qualitative analysis of user reviews, focusing on identifying recurring themes, sentiment (positive, negative, neutral), and frequency of specific complaints and praises. Keyword extraction was used to identify common topics and issues.

Key User Pain Points

  • Deceptive Pricing/Billing: The most frequent complaint is about being charged immediately after downloading the app, despite advertisements and in-app messaging promising a free trial. Many users feel misled and consider this a scam.
  • Difficulty Canceling Subscriptions: Numerous users report problems canceling their subscriptions, even during the trial period. The "cancel subscription" button is sometimes unresponsive, leading to unwanted charges.
  • Limited Email Support: The app primarily supports Gmail, which is a problem for users with other email providers (Yahoo, Microsoft, etc.).
  • Functionality Issues/Crashes: Many users experience crashes, freezes, and errors that prevent them from using the app effectively.
  • Ineffective Email Cleaning: Many users report that the email cleaning function doesn't work as advertised, either getting stuck in a "scanning" loop or failing to delete spam emails.
  • Data Loss: Some users report losing contacts or photos due to the app's actions, with no way to recover them.
  • Manual Deletion Required: Many users complain that the app requires them to manually delete items, defeating the purpose of an automated cleaning tool.
  • Aggressive Weekly Subscription Model: The weekly subscription cost is perceived as very expensive compared to other apps with monthly or annual billing options.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Support for Multiple Email Providers: Users want the app to work with Yahoo, Microsoft, and other email services besides Gmail.
  • Improved Email Cleaning Functionality: Users want a more effective way to clean out spam and junk emails.
  • Reliable Cancellation Process: Users need a straightforward and reliable way to cancel their subscriptions.
  • Data Recovery Options: If the app accidentally deletes important data, users need a way to restore it.
  • Clearer Pricing Information: Users want transparent pricing information upfront, before downloading the app.
  • Automated Deletion: Users want the app to automatically delete duplicate photos and other junk files without requiring manual selection.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Easy to Use Interface: Some users find the app easy to navigate and use, especially for deleting duplicate photos.
  • Effective Duplicate Photo Detection: When it works, the app is praised for quickly identifying and deleting duplicate photos.
  • Time-Saving: Some users find the app to be a time-saver compared to manually cleaning their devices.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Fix Deceptive Pricing and Billing Practices: Immediately address the issue of users being charged before the free trial period ends. Provide clear and transparent pricing information upfront.
  • Improve Subscription Cancellation Process: Ensure that the "cancel subscription" button is always responsive and that users can easily cancel their subscriptions without being charged.
  • Address Functionality Issues and Crashes: Fix the bugs and errors that cause the app to crash or freeze, especially during email cleaning and duplicate photo deletion.

Medium Priority:

  • Expand Email Support: Add support for Yahoo, Microsoft, and other email providers.
  • Enhance Email Cleaning Functionality: Improve the effectiveness of the email cleaning function and ensure that it can properly delete spam and junk emails.
  • Implement Data Recovery Options: Provide a way for users to restore accidentally deleted contacts or photos.
  • Improve Customer Support: Respond to user inquiries promptly and provide helpful assistance.

Low Priority:

  • Add More Automated Deletion Options: Provide options for automatically deleting duplicate photos and other junk files without requiring manual selection.
  • Offer More Flexible Subscription Options: Consider offering monthly or annual subscription options in addition to the weekly subscription.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Transparent and Fair "Cleaner" App: A cleaning app that prioritizes transparency in pricing, offers a genuine free trial, and provides reliable functionality. This could be a strong differentiator in a market filled with deceptive practices.
  • AI-Powered Smart Cleaning: An app that uses AI to intelligently identify and delete junk files, duplicate photos, and spam emails, while minimizing the risk of accidental data loss.
  • Cross-Platform Email Management Tool: A tool that provides a unified interface for managing multiple email accounts from different providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Microsoft, etc.), with advanced features for cleaning and organizing inboxes.
  • Family-Friendly Subscription Model: Offer a family subscription plan for a cleaning app, allowing multiple family members to use the app at a reasonable price.

Trends and Observations

  • Language Preferences: A significant portion of the reviews are in Spanish, indicating a strong user base in Spanish-speaking countries.
  • Negative Sentiment Trend: The high number of 1-star reviews suggests a growing trend of negative sentiment towards the app due to pricing and functionality issues.
  • Recurring Complaints: The same complaints about deceptive pricing, difficulty canceling subscriptions, and functionality issues are repeated throughout the reviews, indicating persistent problems.

Conclusion

Cleaner Guru has the potential to be a useful tool for optimizing device performance, but it is currently plagued by significant issues related to pricing, functionality, and customer support. The high number of negative reviews and complaints suggests that the app's current practices are harming its reputation and user experience. To improve its standing, Cleaner Guru needs to prioritize transparency, fix its billing practices, and address the functionality issues that are causing frustration for its users. Without these changes, the app is likely to continue receiving negative feedback and losing potential customers.

Overall Recommendation: Avoid using this app in its current state due to the risk of unexpected charges, subscription cancellation difficulties, and potential data loss. Look for alternative cleaning apps with more transparent pricing and reliable functionality.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cleaner-guru-clean-up-storage/id1476380919?uo=2