MacPaw is this a scam? Review and Customers Reviews

MacPaw – a project of Ukrainian start-up Oleksandr Kosovan. It was launched in 2008. Today, among the company’s clients are even large corporations like Facebook, which purchased a license for CleanMyMac for its 3,000 employees.

Based in Kiev and San Francisco, the organization works with users all over the world – legal entities, individuals, and professionals (administrators, content managers, analysts, etc.). Are the developer’s products worth their money or is MacPaw a scam? Let’s study everything in the public domain and draw our own conclusions.

Why MacPaw?

MacPaw – inexpensive, in the range of 4500 rubles for an annual license, programs with a rich set of options. The client does not need to configure anything additionally: the software is already ready to work and gives recommendations on its own, if processes can be optimized. It is multilingual (from 9 to 19 language versions) and does not require Internet access because it is installed directly in the system.

Benefits of McPave programs

Developer software MacPaw software includes all additional costs in the license: once purchased, there is no need to pay extra for software upgrades to new versions and other options – only to renew the subscription. The advantages of MacPaw software products also include:

• There are free demo versions and full-featured applications like CleanMyDrive 2, The Unarchiver, Encrypto and Gemini Photos. The latter you just install and run – no activation for money is needed.
• 30-day refund period. Payment minus the usage period will be refunded if the product does not perform as claimed or is not suitable for your platform.
• You can buy an unlimited license. Pay once – use until you get bored.
• Round the clock support.
• Seasonal discounts and special prices for students.

Types of programs from MacPaw Com

The MacPaw catalog includes multilingual programs for cleaning Macs, PCs, smartphones and cameras on them, removing duplicate files, fast unpacking of archives, AES-256 encryption and even installing photo wallpaper on your screen. Let’s talk about each product.

CleanMyMac

The program looks for unnecessary and space-consuming files, outdated logs and cache, analyzes them and removes what you do not use, without leaving behind “garbage” in the form of residual components. As a result, it increases the performance and speed of all programs and reduces the startup (loading) time of Mac devices. Presented in three versions:

• CleanMyMac Classic – basic functionality for macOS 10.4 to 10.8. Supports 9 languages: English, German, Spanish, Russian, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Japanese. Annual license for one Mac costs 2246 rubles, for two – 3746 rubles, for five – 5620 rubles.
• CleanMyMac 3 – added cleanup of photo and email attachments, option to destroy confidential data. Version for macOS 10.9-10.14. Supports 12 languages: English, German, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Danish, Chinese and Japanese. Annual license for 1 device costs 2996 rubles, for 2 – 4496 rubles, for 5 – 6745 rubles.
• CleanMyMac X – removes 2.5 times more programs (as stated on the website), compatible with macOS Big Sur. System requirements: macOS 10.10 and later. Supports 13 languages: English, German, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Danish, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. An annual subscription for 1 Mac will cost 2,996 rubles, unlimited – 5,245 rubles on special offer.

CleanMyPC

The same scanning and cleaning program, but for PCs. Works with the system registry, removes uninstallers, autorun programs, extensions, hibernation files and other useless files. Developed in 12 languages, installs on Windows version 7 and higher, requires 21.2 MB of free space. Annual license for installation on 1 computer costs 2996 rubles, for 2 – 4496 rubles, for 5 – 6745 rubles, including discounts. Unlimited subscription – 6745 roubles/1 device, 10 120 roubles/2 devices, 14 994 roubles/5 devices.

CleanMyDrive 2

Disk manager: examines their statistics and automatically removes “garbage”. Works with SSDs, SD cards, USB sticks, and almost all types of storage. Displays not only the amount of free space and files, but also the types and volume of the latter. Supports the same 12 languages. System requirements: macOS 10.10 and higher, 8 MB of memory. Installed for free

ClearVPN

VPN to unblock sites, protect your Internet connection and work with games, applications. Automatically selects the most suitable server, preserving the user’s privacy on the network. Uses company protocols, IKEv2 and OpenVPN (“point-to-point”, “site-to-site”). Works on macOS 10.14 and up, iOS 13.0 and up, Windows 10, Android 6.0 and newer. Monthly subscription costs 971 rubles, annual – 4496 rubles, for 2 years – 6295 rubles on offer.

Gemini

Deletes duplicate files on Mac devices. The program is easy to use: drag and drop file folders into it and click “Auto Select”. Checking, as the developer promises, takes seconds. You can add exceptions, enable previews, work with system and removable disks. Like CleanMyMac, it comes in 3 versions:

• Gemini Classic – basic functionality and support for 10 languages. Requires macOS versions 10.7-10.9. Annual license for 1 device costs 746 rubles, for 2 – 1121 rubles, for 5 – 1721 rubles.
• Gemini 2 is an updated version for macOS 10.10 and later and includes 12 language packs. Requires macOS 10.10 or later. Annual subscription for 1 Mac costs 1,496 rubles, 2 Mac – 2,246 rubles, 5 Mac – 3,371 rubles. Unlimited – 3371 rubles /1 device, 5020 rubles /2 devices, 7495 rubles /2 devices.
• Gemini Photos – a free download for mobile devices running iOS 11.0 and later, removes unwanted (similar, low-quality) images, collects and sorts the library.

Setapp

A set of 200+ applications for Mac, capable, as the site says, of solving any user problem. The apps are already set up and ready to go. They are automatically installed on your device after you install Setapp. Software product system requirements: MacOS 10.11 or newer, 500 MB of free space. A one-month subscription for 1 Mac costs $9.99 USD. It requires online registration.

The Unarchiver

Unpack archives for Mac. Supports ZIP, Zipx, RAR, XAR, RPM and 38 formats, free to install on devices with macOS 10.7 and newer, requires 15 MB of free space. Translated from English into 19 languages.

Encrypto

Free data encryptor for Mac (from macOS 10.9) and PC (Windows XP or newer) from MacPaw. Allows you to protect sensitive data when sending files via e-mail, IP, Airdrop, Dropbox and Internet uploads. Uses AES-256 symmetric encryption algorithm, accepted as standard in the USA.

Wallpaper Wizard 2

A collection of desktop wallpapers (backgrounds) for macOS 10.11 and newer devices. There are 25,000 images in the collection, and it is replenished every month. There are wallpapers in 4K resolution. Purchased with an annual subscription: 748 rubles for 1 device, 1123 rubles for 2 devices, 1724 rubles for 5 devices.

How do I buy software from McPave?

Purchases are made through macpaw.com, in the MacPaw Store section of the top menu. You pay for a subscription for the selected period or an unlimited license (available for individual programs). To do this, click on the Buy Now button from the product card, specify the type of subscription and click “Buy” again on the page that opens. The system will ask you to enter a valid e-mail address, to which the license will be bound, and your country of location. And then it will offer the available payment options – in our case these are VISA, MasterCard, AmericanExpress cards, electronic payment system PayPal and bank transfer via UnionPay.

All you have to do is enter the details (or log in to your system account) and confirm the transaction. After the payment is credited to the company’s account, a personal activation code is sent to the client’s email address. The paid version is unlocked directly in the downloaded version (free installation). To do this, click “Activate Now” and enter the code.

Personal account at macpaw.com

Registration is required only to subscribe to the developer’s Setapp program – otherwise you will not be able to create a personal account. To register, open my.setapp.com or click the Sign Up Now button in the software product card. The registration form includes 3 fields: name, e-mail address (you will need to confirm it by clicking the link in the letter) and a password. You also accept the conditions of the service policies and subscribe to the newsletter for free if you wish. Signing in via Facebook and Google is also possible – you log in to your account and give MacPaw access to your personal data. Setapp’s personal account includes 8 sections:

• “Subscription. Activate a paid license and save the payment details.
• “Account Settings. Change your password, language, personal information you specified during registration, and your password.
• “Manage Devices. Connect additional Macs, iPhones, iPads. During the trial period, you can connect up to 4 devices.
• “Family Subscription. Connection of a single subscription for 3 family members.
• Earn rewards. Description of the conditions of the referral program and the exchange of bonus points for a subscription.
• “Gift Cards. Purchase and activate e-certificates to subscribe to Setapp for 1, 3 or 12 months.
• “Payments. Transaction history and electronic receipts with the possibility of downloading.
• “Contact Support. Navigate to the Setapp knowledge base.

McPave software installation instructions

MacPaw programs are downloaded from the pages of macpaw.com. with their description. You click “Try” and a .dmg or .exe file is installed on your device (subject to compatibility). Free mobile apps are downloaded from the App Store and iTunes. After installation they are run in free (test) mode if there is such an option. Or they are activated with a key (code), which comes by e-mail after the payment for the license. It is valid for the entire subscription period and allows you to work from devices on which the software was first installed (based on the quantity specified in the license).

How do I run the program?

It takes a few seconds to launch the developer’s programs. After installing, you just click on the shortcut with the name and, if it is a paid version, enter the activation code. The program will do the rest.

Additional MacPaw services

In addition to paid and free software, MacPaw offers subscription to an advertising newsletter, online tutorials and manuals, the ability to send files with viruses for analysis, license management through the site, and several types of collaboration programs.

Subscription to the newsletter

When making a purchase on the site and registering a profile (for Setapp users), you’re offered a free subscription to receive email notifications from the company. Letters with announcements of news and promotions, as well as special offers, will be sent several times a month.

Manuals and instructions

Topical articles on how to delete all Mac messages, work with Dropbox, calibrate the battery on your MacBook, etc., have been collected in several blogs at macpaw.com. The developer even compiled his own encyclopedia of malware, where he collected all the programs that can destabilize macOS.

Malware Lab

By filling out the form in the “Submit Request” section of the Company section of the bottom menu, the user can submit a request for analysis of a malware sample. Or just a suspicious file. Laboratory macpaw.com. will study the code. And in a reply letter from support you will receive answers to your questions and recommendations on fighting and preventing the spread of the virus.

Managing licenses online

Renewal, activation, and deletion of licenses issued at macpaw.com are done either by request to support or through the site service. To manage subscriptions, you must enter the e-mail address to which the activation key was sent.

A program for business and academia

For organizations with a full-time staff, MacPaw offers corporate licenses for CleanMyMac X. Both annual and unlimited subscriptions are available. The price depends on the number of devices the program will be installed on. The same format of cooperation is offered to members of the academic community: teachers and students of educational institutions.

Gift cards with a Setapp subscription

You can buy a bundle of 200+ applications for Mac Setapp not only for yourself, but also as a gift for another user. To this end, cards (certificates) are issued in myAlpari. For a 1-month subscription you’ll give $9.99 for the card, for 3 months – $29.97, and for a year – $107.88 (about 8 thousand rubles).

McPave Bonuses

The developer’s clients have access to bonuses: promo codes for discounts and seasonal sales, student discount, gifts for repeat orders and upgrades, referral rewards, etc. Let’s look at the details.

Discount promo codes

On holidays and special events, MacPaw gives out discount promo codes (coupons). They are activated when you sign up or renew licenses in the developer’s programs themselves, in the store, and through “Subscription Management” on the site. Current promo codes can be found on aggregators.

Student discount

Allows you to save 30% off the cost of MacPaw programs. To take part in the program, you need to specify your e-mail on the promotion page and confirm it by clicking the link from the e-mail. After that the discount can be applied in MacPaw Store (button “Did you find the coupon?” at the bottom of the page).

30% discount for repeat orders

Customers who have previously subscribed to MacPaw software also get a 30% discount on any product in the store. The procedure is the same as above: you confirm your e-mail address and activate the coupon through the form on the program page.

Seasonal sales up to 73%

There are discounts available for almost all of the developer’s apps – their size depends on the seasonal offerings. For example, a subscription for CleanMyMac X for 2 devices is now 1,499 rubles less than usual, and for 5 devices – 8,248 rubles. An annual subscription to ClearVPN costs 7,170 rubles less, and a two-year subscription costs 17,040 rubles less.

Discount 50% to upgrade to CleanMyMac X and Gemini 2

Upgrading already purchased CleanMyMac X and Gemini 2 to the new formats is offered at half the price as usual. To activate the promo, you need to confirm the email address from which the purchase was made.

40% discount for switching to CleanMyMac X

By the fact that you already use another cleaning program or a competitor’s antivirus, macpaw.com. gives you a 40% discount for switching to CleanMyMac X. The bonus is available upon request, accompanied by a screenshot of your payment receipt or invoice, license code, or other proof of purchase of third-party software.

Referral program

Its members are individuals, Setapp users. They have a unique referral link in their personal account, which they can copy to share with their friends and acquaintances. If a new customer uses this link to go to macpaw.com and sign up, the partner will get 500 bonus units – gems. And from each of his subscriptions (purchased licenses) – another 100 gems. The one who is added, will get a free month of use of Setapp. You can redeem 50 gems for an e-book manual for Mac users, 100 gems for 1 month of Setapp subscriptions, 300 gems for 5 months of subscriptions, 500 gems for 10 months of subscriptions.

Affiliate Program

The company cooperated with the CPA network Admitadand here the conditions were as follows: paid order – 35.1%.

Complaints about macpaw.com

Reviews of MacPaw products are contradictory. Some users are happy with CleanMyMac and have purchased all the updates to the program. They write that the software copes with system cleanup, and support promptly solves problems. There are also those who consider buying the developer’s software a useless waste of money. And they complain about automatic renewal (which, in fact, there is a warning on macpaw.com), as well as the need to pay, even when unlimited is connected. The company simply releases new versions that are not included in the license. In addition, the commenters say, the software does not solve the problem – for example, Gemini leaves duplicates behind and does not see the files, although there are thousands of them in the gallery.

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Regulatory agencies and laws

Developer macpaw.com. is registered in Ukraine and is subordinate to the Government and legislative acts of the country, as well as to the local authority: Solomenskiy District Administration in Kiev. The site’s user agreement states that the primary law applicable to the relationship between the company and the users is the law of the State of California, USA. Proceedings are conducted by the American Arbitration Association.

Legal information about the company McPave

The legal name of the company is MacPaw Inc. The latter is registered in the Unified State Register of Ukraine under record number 10731020000017997 on state registration of legal entity dated 16.10.2009. It was assigned on 19.10.2009. MacPaw licenseThe company’s registered activities in the Registry of Ukraine include:

• Computer programming.
• Replication of sound and video recordings, software.
• Retail sales of computers, peripherals and software in specialized stores.
• Advice on informatization issues.
• Data processing, web posting and related activities.

All of the above is not subject to licensing, but the work with the personal information of customers is based on the Federal Law “On Protection of Personal Data”, and trade – on the basis of the Federal Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”, the Constitution and the Civil Code of the country.

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User Agreement

The document is not russified. It establishes the mutual rights and obligations of the developer’s representatives and the users of its products (licenses). Thus, the Software section defines software as a set of programs, downloads, files, disks and other media with them, as well as any updates, modifications and copies of the programs.

The License block states that the licensee (client) is granted a non-exclusive right to use, not to own, the software products. The copyright remains with the company. One user may use a maximum of 10 licenses, unless otherwise specified in the agreement with him.

You may not transfer access to or lease the software to outside users, sublicense it, or sell it. The exception, again, is the contractual right with MacPaw.

Failure to comply with the rules of the agreement can lead to the loss of the right to use the license – it will be blocked without notice.

Service is provided “as is,” with no guarantees as to the smooth operation of the products or their compliance with customer expectations.

Customer Service

MacPaw customer support is provided:

• Call the California office at +1-877-62-27-29.
• E-mail [email protected] (support) and [email protected] (for advertisers and media).
• Through the feedback form and online chat on the site.
• In the company’s communities on social networks.
• In the physical offices in San Francisco and Kiev.

Popular questions are answered in the FAQ and Knowledge Base.

Is MacPaw a scam?

MacPaw – officially registered company, but it is entered in the Ukrainian registry of legal entities, and the office with telephone support is located in California. The developer is also guided by California law when interacting with users. Reviews of the company’s programs are not always positive. There are complaints that they do not perform their tasks: they do not remove all duplicates or unnecessary files. And on the need to pay extra for the connection of updated versions, although the client has already bought unlimited.

There is also dissatisfaction with auto-renewal subscriptions, when the money for the next license renewal is deducted without prior approval from the account owner. At the same time, most clients praise the promptness and responsiveness of the support team. It is necessary to communicate with them online or via e-mail – calls to the U.S. number are not available to everyone. The user agreement contains no guarantees as to the smooth operation of the software and its correspondence to the consumer’s tasks. There is no serious reason to claim that MacPaw is a scam. However, we advise you to carefully study the developer’s license purchase conditions before providing your details.

Conclusion

MacPaw – are software licenses with automatic renewal: funds will be deducted from the details you specify each time your subscription period expires and until you cancel it. The developer honestly warns about this on the site. He also promises that upgrades to new versions will be made without additional fees. But this is contradicted by the comments on the network, whose authors just complain about the need to spend, although they bought unlimited. There are also dissatisfied with the efficiency of the software.

Most apps are available in demo versions, and a third are downloaded and installed for free. There are seasonal discounts, bonuses for repeat orders, switching from third-party programs, student status, and other privileges. The rate in the affiliate program reaches 35%.Among the disadvantages – the availability of a call-center only in America, the lack of russification for most pages macpaw.com and regulation under California law (although the legal entity is registered in Ukraine).