@aigleeson: CCleaner charges $29.95 a year. Avast Cleanup charges $39.99 a year. Both were caught doing shady things to the users p…
Summary
Kudu is a free, open-source system maintenance suite that replaces paid alternatives like CCleaner and Avast Cleanup, offering features such as cleaning, malware scanning, and privacy hardening across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
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CCleaner charges $29.95 a year. Avast Cleanup charges $39.99 a year.
Both were caught doing shady things to the users paying them.
Someone built the open-source version that beats both for $0.
It’s called Kudu.
It replaces a dozen paid cleaning apps with one free suite. Clear out gigabytes of junk files. Scan for malware with multiple engines. Harden 30+ privacy settings that Windows leaves wide open by default. Update all your installed apps in one click so you never miss a security patch.
It even has a treemap that shows you where every gigabyte on your drive actually went, so you stop guessing what to delete.
The thing paid cleaners will never do: it’s fully open source. You can audit every scan and verify every delete yourself. No hidden data collection. No ads bundled in.
Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. In 30 languages.
MIT License. 100% Opensource.
https://usekudu.com
Kudu — Free System Maintenance Suite
Source: https://usekudu.com/
The free system maintenance suite your PC deserves.
15+ powerful tools to clean, optimize, and protect your Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. Open source, no ads, no bloatware. Just a faster computer.


Powerful features
Deep cleaning, real-time monitoring, and security — all in one app.
Kudu replaces a dozen paid utilities with one free, open-source suite. Here are some highlights.
15+ built-in tools
Everything you need to keep your system running clean.
From deep system cleaning to malware scanning, Kudu replaces a dozen paid utilities with one free, open-source suite.
System Cleaner
Remove temp files, caches, logs, and system junk across 15+ categories.
Malware Scanner
Multi-engine threat detection with 70+ signature patterns.
Performance Monitor
Real-time CPU, memory, disk, and network monitoring with S.M.A.R.T. disk health.
Startup Manager
Control what runs at boot with impact ratings for every startup item.
Disk Analyzer
Interactive treemap visualization shows exactly where your disk space is going.
Privacy Shield
Audit and harden 35+ privacy settings with one click.
Software Updater
Scan installed software for outdated versions and update in bulk.
Debloater
Remove 70+ pre-installed Windows apps safely.
Registry Cleaner
Scan 8 categories of registry issues with automatic backup.
Game Mode
One-click Windows gaming optimizer. 18 tweaks applied and fully reversed with a single toggle.
By the numbers
Built for power users. Trusted by thousands.
Kudu helps individuals and IT teams keep their systems clean, secure, and running at peak performance. Free and open source — no strings attached.
15+
Built-in maintenance tools in one unified suite.
30
Languages supported — built for a global audience.
100%
Free and open source. MIT licensed forever.
Press reviews
Trusted by the tech press.
Reviewers across the web have put Kudu through its paces. Here’s what they found.
“Kudu is a modern take on system maintenance. The program goes very in-depth when it comes to cleanup and system maintenance tasks, as evidenced by its well-rounded toolset. Despite the many options at your disposal, Kudu is not at all confusing to work with, making it a viable choice even for a less knowledgeable user.”
Softpedia> “Kudu will help boost your system’s performance and enhance security, reclaim valuable disk space by pinpointing and eliminating unnecessary files.”
MajorGeeks> “After testing Kudu across two Windows 11 machines over several days, we found it to be one of the most trustworthy free maintenance tools available in 2026.”
Techno360> “Kudu makes a very strong impression. The interface is clean, the tools are numerous and well thought out, the privacy policy is transparent, and the business model is sound. On paper, it’s exactly what many users have been looking for as an alternative to CCleaner.”
Sponsors
Backed by friends of open source.
Kudu is free and open source. Our sponsors help keep development moving and the desktop app free for everyone.
Kudu Cloud
Managing a fleet? Control every device from one dashboard.
Connect your devices running Kudu to a central dashboard. Monitor health, run remote commands, automate maintenance, and stay compliant — all from your browser.
Centralized Dashboard
Live health scores, CPU, memory, disk, and network metrics for every device — updated in real time.
Security & Compliance
SOC 2, CIS, and NIST compliance checks with automatic hardening assessments and audit-ready reports.
40+ Remote Commands
Run cleaners, scans, updates, and maintenance tasks on any device remotely. Schedule or trigger on demand.
Compare featuresKuduCCleanerAvast CleanupPricing & LicensingPriceFree29\.95/yr39.99/yrOpen sourceNo ads or bundled softwarePlatform SupportWindowsmacOSLinuxFeaturesSystem cleanerBrowser cleanerRegistry cleanerMalware scannerStartup managerDebloaterDriver managerPrivacy shieldGame mode (gaming optimizer)Task schedulerCLI modeCloud fleet managementPricing & LicensingPriceFreeOpen sourceNo ads or bundled softwarePlatform SupportWindowsmacOSLinuxFeaturesSystem cleanerBrowser cleanerRegistry cleanerMalware scannerStartup managerDebloaterDriver managerPrivacy shieldGame mode (gaming optimizer)Task schedulerCLI modeCloud fleet managementPricing & LicensingPrice29\.95/yrOpen sourceNo ads or bundled softwarePlatform SupportWindowsmacOSLinuxFeaturesSystem cleanerBrowser cleanerRegistry cleanerMalware scannerStartup managerDebloaterDriver managerPrivacy shieldGame mode \(gaming optimizer\)Task schedulerCLI modeCloud fleet managementPricing & LicensingPrice39.99/yrOpen sourceNo ads or bundled softwarePlatform SupportWindowsmacOSLinuxFeaturesSystem cleanerBrowser cleanerRegistry cleanerMalware scannerStartup managerDebloaterDriver managerPrivacy shieldGame mode (gaming optimizer)Task schedulerCLI modeCloud fleet management
Frequently asked questions
Your PC is begging for a cleanup.
Download Kudu for free and give your system the maintenance it deserves. Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
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