I make Shiny, so you should weigh this comparison accordingly. I've tried to write it the way I'd want it written if I were the buyer: honest about where Memory Cleaner wins, honest about where Shiny does, and clear about who each tool is right for.
At a glance
| Shiny | Memory Cleaner (Nektony) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 once, forever | Free tier + ~$5-7 paid upgrade |
| Macs covered | Up to 3 personal Macs | Typically 1 Mac per license |
| Auto-clean | No (manual click only) | Yes, on paid tier (threshold-based) |
| Telemetry | None | Some anonymous usage data |
| Made by | THEODOREHQ | Nektony (Ukrainian software company) |
| Upsell pressure | None | Some (free-to-paid prompts) |
| Free tier | No | Yes (live monitor + manual clean) |
| Notarized by Apple | Yes | Yes |
Where Memory Cleaner wins
I want to start here because comparison posts that skip the other side's genuine strengths are not useful. Memory Cleaner is a real product from a real company, and there are clear cases where it is the better choice.
It has a free tier. Memory Cleaner's free version is genuinely functional, not a stripped demo. You get a live memory pressure reading in your menu bar and a one-click manual clean. That is the same core feature that Shiny's paid version provides. If budget is the priority, starting with Memory Cleaner free costs nothing.
Auto-clean by threshold. The paid upgrade adds a setting that watches your available RAM and cleans automatically when it drops below a number you choose. Say you set it to 500 MB: whenever free memory falls below that, Memory Cleaner runs a clean without you having to do anything. Shiny does not have this feature. If you want your Mac to self-manage memory pressure in the background, Memory Cleaner is the better fit.
Additional monitoring. The paid tier also surfaces more detailed memory stats and usage history. If you like to understand your Mac's memory patterns over time, Memory Cleaner gives you more data to look at.
Established company. Nektony is a Ukrainian software company with a wide portfolio of Mac utilities. They have been building Mac apps for years. That is a meaningful signal of ongoing support and maintenance.
Where Shiny wins
Price, long-term. Shiny is $4.99 once, covering up to three Macs you personally use. Memory Cleaner's free tier is usable, but the features most people want (auto-clean, richer stats) are behind the paid upgrade at around $5-7. On raw price for full features, they're close. Where Shiny pulls ahead is the three-Mac coverage: one $4.99 purchase for a MacBook, a desktop, and a partner's Mac, with no repeat payments.
No upsell pressure. Shiny has one tier. There are no prompts to upgrade, no banners, no "unlock auto-clean" nags. You buy it, it works, that is the entire relationship. Memory Cleaner's free tier includes reminders about what the paid version can do, which is fair product design but not everyone's preference.
Zero telemetry. Shiny collects no analytics, no usage stats, nothing. Memory Cleaner collects some anonymous data. If telemetry-zero matters to you, Shiny is the stricter option.
Simpler UI. Shiny's interface is intentionally minimal: a memory reading, a clean button, a brief result. No settings panels, no stat breakdowns, no threshold sliders. Some people find that freeing. Others want the controls. Know which camp you're in.
Single price, no tiers to think about. With Shiny there is no free-vs-paid mental overhead. You either have it or you don't. With Memory Cleaner, you'll at some point face the upgrade decision, which is a small but real piece of friction.
Who Shiny is for
You'll probably prefer Shiny if:
- You want a single one-time payment with no upsell prompts, ever.
- You have two or three Macs and want one license to cover them all.
- You prefer a minimal interface: one button, one job, no settings to configure.
- Zero telemetry is important to you.
- You're happy to click manually when memory pressure edges yellow; you don't need auto-clean.
- You like indie software made by a single developer.
Who Memory Cleaner is for
You'll probably prefer Memory Cleaner if:
- You want to try a free version before spending anything.
- Auto-clean by threshold matters to you: you want your Mac to handle memory pressure without a manual tap.
- You like detailed memory stats and usage history in one interface.
- You want a tool from an established company with a broad Mac portfolio.
- You only need coverage for one Mac and the free tier already covers your use case.
Should you switch?
If you are currently using Memory Cleaner free and the manual-clean workflow is fine: the honest answer is that Shiny is not a meaningful upgrade for you. You're already getting the core feature for nothing. Switching to Shiny gets you zero telemetry, three-Mac coverage, and no upsell prompts, but you give up the ability to upgrade to auto-clean later.
If you are considering paying for Memory Cleaner's upgrade specifically for auto-clean, that is the one case where Memory Cleaner is clearly the better choice. Shiny does not compete on that feature.
If you are comparing them from scratch and auto-clean isn't important to you, the choice comes down to pricing model. Memory Cleaner free covers the basics at no cost. Shiny covers three Macs at a flat fee with no tiers to navigate. Neither is a bad answer.
For more context on this category in general, the best Mac memory cleaner for 2026 roundup compares five options side by side, including both of these. And if you're weighing the broader cleaner-app question, are Mac cleaners worth it gives an honest take on when they help and when they don't.
Bottom line
If auto-clean matters to you: Memory Cleaner paid. It does something Shiny doesn't, at a fair price.
If budget matters and auto-clean doesn't: Memory Cleaner free. The core feature costs nothing.
If pay-once and simpler UI matter more than auto-clean, and you have more than one Mac: Shiny. $4.99 once, three Macs, no upsells, no telemetry, forever.
Both apps are notarized by Apple, both are made by real teams, and both free RAM the same way under the hood. This is a genuinely close comparison on the core job. The decision is almost entirely about auto-clean, and how much the pricing model matters to you. See also the Shiny vs CleanMyMac comparison if you're weighing a broader suite, and CleanMyMac alternatives for a wider view of the category.