DevCleaner for Xcode alternatives

Part of: Mac disk cleanup for developers: every cache, what it costs to rebuild (Developers)

If you want to clear Xcode data, you have four honest options: do it by hand, use DevCleaner for Xcode, use a general Mac cleaner, or scan first with a tool that only reports. This article compares them fairly. DiskJoy is our product, and it is the one that cannot clean anything yet, so read that part as the maker’s view.

We have not tested every tool listed here. Where we describe another tool, we say what its own page claims, and you should check the current page before you rely on it.

What you are trying to clear

Xcode data is mostly four things: DerivedData (build output), device support files (debug symbols copied from devices), simulator runtimes and devices, and archives. The Xcode guide explains each and what recreating it costs. The first three can be recreated. Archives cannot, so be careful with any tool that offers to remove them.

A good tool for this job should show what each item is, how big it is, and what removal costs. It should not select archives for you.

Option 1: do it by hand

Check sizes with du -sh ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/* ~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator, list simulators with xcrun simctl list devices, and move chosen folders to the Trash in Finder.

• Good: nothing to buy or install, and you see every step.
• Less good: you must remember which folders are safe, and it is slow if you do it often.

Option 2: DevCleaner for Xcode

DevCleaner for Xcode is an app for Xcode caches. Its project page says it lets you inspect auto-generated files and clean them, lists the Mac App Store as a place to get it (we did not check its current store price or macOS requirement, so treat both as UNVERIFIED), and names these areas: device support files, archives, derived data, documentation cache, old simulator and device logs, and old documentation downloads. It says device support is selected by default except for the latest version of each system, and that its archive view lets you inspect archives and delete older ones. The project is published under GPL-3.0. We have not run it for this comparison.

• Good: focused on Xcode, so the list is short and relevant.
• Less good: its page describes Xcode areas only, not Gradle, Homebrew, node_modules or the rest of a developer’s disk. Archives are not disposable, so review them before deleting anything.

Source: DevCleaner project page, github.com/vashpan/xcode-dev-cleaner, accessed 2026-10-05. The page also warns that the app relies on undocumented Xcode folder structures and recommends a backup before use.

Option 3: a general Mac cleaner

General Mac cleaners list system junk and, in some products, developer data. They cover more than Xcode.

• Good: one tool for many kinds of junk.
• Less good: developer data is one section among many, so check whether a given product explains what each item costs to rebuild. Products differ, and we have not reviewed any of them here.

Option 4: scan first with DiskJoy

DiskJoy is our product. Its scan reads your disk and shows how much space folders and categories take, without changing anything. Where it shows a reclaimable figure, that is a lower-bound estimate that leaves out shared extents, not an exact number. That makes it useful for the “what is taking space?” step. It does not clean today: cleanup is not built, so DiskJoy does not remove Xcode data or anything else.

• Good: read-only, so a scan cannot delete the wrong file. It reports allocated size on disk, which can overstate what you would get back when files share data (for example APFS clones).
• Less good: you must remove the folders yourself or with another tool. It is not an Xcode-only tool.

Comparison at a glance

The last column is about reviewing before removal. Check each tool’s current documentation, because features change. DevCleaner details are from its project page as accessed on 2026-10-05.

Which should you pick?

• If you only want Xcode data gone and like an app for it, look at DevCleaner for Xcode.
• If you want to understand what is big first, scan, then use the guides here: the developer cleanup guide lists every folder and what it costs to rebuild.
• If you are comfortable with Terminal, the manual route costs nothing to try and is enough for most people.

Whatever you use, keep your Archives unless you are certain, and remember the Trash does not free space until it is emptied. For simulators in particular, see the CoreSimulator guide, and for the whole Developer folder, see whether it is safe to delete it.