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Retroactive vs Pearcleaner

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

Retroactive

6.0
Utilities

Run Apple apps on incompatible OS versions

Pearcleaner

8.0
Utilities

Utility to uninstall apps and remove leftover files from old/uninstalled apps

Metric Retroactive Pearcleaner
Category Utilities Utilities
AI Score 6.0 8.0
30-day Installs 10 4.4K
90-day Installs 20 10.7K
365-day Installs 86 40.1K
Version 2.1 5.4.3
Auto-updates No Yes
Deprecated Yes No
GitHub Stars 2.3K 11.7K
GitHub Forks 130 279
Open Issues - 43
License NOASSERTION
Language Swift Swift
Last GitHub Commit 1y ago 3mo ago
First Seen Nov 2, 2020 Aug 3, 2024

Reviews

Retroactive

Retroactive allows users to run older Apple applications like Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on newer macOS versions where they would otherwise not function. It is particularly useful for users who rely on legacy software that Apple no longer supports natively.

Enables the execution of Apple apps on macOS versions they were not originally designed for.

Pros

  • + Works with older versions of Apple apps that are no longer supported
  • + Supports multiple macOS versions
  • + Free and open-source

Cons

  • - Discontinued, with no active development
  • - No auto-update feature
  • - Low recent installs

Pearcleaner

Pearcleaner is a free, source-available macOS utility that helps users uninstall apps and remove leftover files. It's unique for its transparency, fair-code licensing, and integration with Homebrew, making it ideal for users seeking a reliable app cleaner.

Uninstalls apps and removes leftover files.

Pros

  • + Free and open-source
  • + Integrates with Homebrew
  • + Active community support

Cons

  • - Unclear license terms
  • - Some user-reported issues