Pros & Cons
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- Easy to use.
- Effective system cleaning.
- Community-based features.
- Windows 10-specific data protection.
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- License limitations.
- Can only uninstall unwanted apps one at a time.
The average tune-up utility improves your PC's overall system performance by repairing the problematic Windows registry, defragging the hard drive, and deleting junk files. However, SlimWare Utilities SlimCleaner Plus goes the extra mile by including community-based recommendations, the ability to recognize out-of-date antivirus software, and new Instant Alerts that let you know when suspicious software tries to latch onto your PC's startup process. Overall, SlimCleaner Plus is easy to use and has effective computer clean-up chops, but its license limitations prevent it from toppling the reigning paid tune-up king, Iolo System Mechanic 15.5.
System Requirements and Setup
Compatible with Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP PCs, SlimCleaner Plus requires an Internet connection for downloading the software and any updates that may be required during installation. Unlike Iolo System Mechanic 15.5, our Editors' Choice for paid tune-up utilities, SlimCleaner Plus limits the number of installation licenses you receive for your money. You get one PC license for $29.97, three for $34.95, five for $56.95, 10 for $100.95, and 25 for $230. Iolo, on the other hand, lets you install its System Mechanic 15.5 software on as many PCs as you'd like—that's a sweet, potentially money-saving deal in the age of the multi-PC home. I wish SlimCleaner Plus, and other tune-up utilities, would adopt this model.
View All SlimCleaner Plus vs. SlimCleaner Free
If you're wondering about the differences between SlimCleaner Plus and SlimCleaner Free, here's the skinny: SlimCleaner Plus has a one-click scan and fix button, laptop power-consumption settings, the ability to deactivate unneeded features for greater computing efficiency, and Windows 10-specific protection that lets you customize the operating system's privacy settings to disable, or limit, features that collect and report data to Microsoft. For example, you can nix the "Getting to Know You" feature, which prevents Microsoft from gathering speech, contacts, and calendar information. If you're concerned about your digital footprint, this is a very useful feature.SlimCleaner Free lacks those features, as well as SlimCleaner Plus' ability to identify inactive or out-of-date antivirus software, and the new Instant Alerts, which leverages community recommendations to notify you that unwanted software (such as a toolbar that came packaged with an application) tries to insert itself into the bootup process. In my tests, Instant Alerts triggered a pop-up window when it detected a browser toolbar (a toolbar that I didn't intentionally install, by the way). Instant Alerts gave me the option to either keep the toolbar or uninstall it, so I removed it. It's an incredibly useful feature.
