Mac disk space analyzers compared
Short answer: DaisyDisk is the polished, inexpensive classic. GrandPerspective is free and open source. OmniDiskSweeper is a free, sorted list. CleanMyMac’s Space Lens comes inside a larger cleaning suite. macOS Storage settings is built in but shows categories rather than folders. DiskTree is a colour-coded treemap that’s free to explore and only ever moves files to the Trash.
We make DiskTree, so we’ve kept this to facts from each developer’s own pages, checked on 28 October 2026, with links below. If something has changed, email support@disktree.app and we’ll fix it.
The main Mac disk analyzers side by side
| DiskTree | DaisyDisk | GrandPerspective | OmniDiskSweeper | Disk Inventory X | CleanMyMac | Storage settings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to explore. $14.99 once to clean up from inside the app. | $9.99 once | Free (open source). $2.99 on the App Store. | Free | Free (open source) | Subscription ($39.99/year on the US App Store) or a one-time option | Built in |
| What you see | Treemap, colour-coded by kind | Sunburst | Treemap | List, largest first | Treemap and list | Bubbles (Space Lens) | Category bars and lists |
| Free version | Scan, explore, reveal in Finder and review. No time limit. | Trial scans and browses; can’t delete or show in Finder | Everything | Everything | Everything | 7-day trial | — |
| Removing files | Moves to Trash after you review a list | Deletes permanently, with 5 seconds to cancel | Optional, set in preferences, with optional confirmation | “Trash or open them” | See the developer’s site | Part of a cleaning suite | Delete from some categories |
| Runs on | Apple silicon, macOS 11 or later | Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 10.13 or later (direct) | Apple silicon and Intel; version 3.8 needs macOS 14 or later | See the Omni Group’s site | Last original release 2019; Intel build runs under Rosetta 2 | macOS 11 or later | macOS 13 or later (earlier: About This Mac) |
| Macs per licence | 2 | Up to 5 personal | — | — | — | Depends on plan | — |
Which one fits you
DiskTree
Best if you want to look around your whole disk for free, see folders colour-coded by what they contain (code, toolchains, caches, git data, synced folders, media, documents), and only pay when you want to clean up from inside the app. Removal always goes through a review list and the macOS Trash. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 11 or later. See DiskTree
DaisyDisk
A long-running, well-reviewed app with an interactive sunburst map. At $9.99 for up to five personal Macs it costs less per Mac than DiskTree, and it runs on Intel Macs too. The full version can reveal hidden and purgeable space and scan cloud storage. Its own guide says it deletes files permanently rather than moving them to the Trash, with a five-second window to cancel. DiskTree vs DaisyDisk
GrandPerspective
A free, open-source treemap that’s actively maintained. The current version needs macOS 14 or later; older versions remain for older systems. Deletion is a setting in its preferences, where you can also require confirmation. A good pick if you want something free and simple and don’t mind a plainer interface.
OmniDiskSweeper
A free utility from the Omni Group that lists files and folders from largest to smallest and lets you “quickly Trash or open them”. No map, just a fast sorted list.
Disk Inventory X
A classic free treemap tool. The original’s last release was in 2019 and it was built for Intel Macs, so on Apple silicon it runs under Rosetta 2. Separate community projects have rebuilt it for newer Macs.
CleanMyMac (Space Lens)
An all-in-one maintenance suite from MacPaw. Space Lens shows folders as bubbles sized by space used, alongside many other cleaning, protection and optimisation tools. It’s sold as a subscription, and its US App Store listing also offers a one-time purchase. Worth it if you want the whole suite, not just a disk map. DiskTree vs CleanMyMac
macOS Storage settings
Built into System Settings → General → Storage. It shows totals by category and recommendations such as Optimize Storage and emptying the Trash automatically. It doesn’t show which folders make up a category, and of System Data Apple’s guide says, “You can’t manage the contents of this category.” How to find what’s taking up space
DaisyDisk vs GrandPerspective
These two are the most common recommendations, and they’re quite different:
- Price: DaisyDisk is $9.99 once for up to five Macs. GrandPerspective is free from SourceForge, or $2.99 on the App Store if you want to support its developer.
- Map style: DaisyDisk draws a sunburst of rings; GrandPerspective draws a treemap of nested rectangles, where area is size.
- Removing files: DaisyDisk deletes permanently after a five-second cancel window. GrandPerspective can delete when its preferences allow it, with optional confirmation.
- Mac support: DaisyDisk’s direct version runs on macOS 10.13 or later. GrandPerspective 3.8 needs macOS 14 or later.
- Free use: DaisyDisk’s trial scans and browses but can’t delete or show files in Finder. GrandPerspective has no paid tier.
If you like GrandPerspective’s treemap but want colour-coding by kind, a review step and Finder reveal in a free version, DiskTree sits between the two.