What it does
Cleaner Guru is an all-in-one utility designed to reclaim storage space on a user's phone. It goes beyond simple photo cleaning, offering a suite of tools to tackle digital clutter. The app helps users find and delete similar photos and screenshots, organize and compress large videos, merge duplicate contacts, and even unsubscribe from spammy emails.
Where it shines
The app excels in turning tedious tasks into simple, even enjoyable, interactions. The standout feature is the "Photo Swipe" mode (05:43), which gamifies the process of sorting photos with a familiar Tinder-like interface. The app also presents a surprisingly broad set of tools under one roof. For example, the contact management feature (03:08) not only finds duplicate numbers but also identifies incomplete contacts, adding an extra layer of utility. Finally, the animated onboarding (00:05) does a great job of showing the app's value in seconds.
UX highlights
- Gamified Interactions: The swipe-to-keep-or-delete mechanic (05:43) for photos makes a boring chore feel fast and satisfying, reducing decision fatigue.
- Animated Value Props: Onboarding screens (00:05 - 00:18) use animations to simulate cleaning actions, giving users a dynamic preview of the app's benefits.
- Bulk Action Efficiency: The app consistently offers bulk selection and deletion, such as in the Similar Photos (01:25) and Screenshots (02:48) sections, respecting the user's time.
- In-App Safety Nets: Features like an internal trash bin for deleted photos (06:08) and offering to create a backup before merging contacts (03:20) build user trust and reduce the fear of making irreversible mistakes.
- Clear Categorization: The main dashboard (00:57) is well-organized, breaking down complex cleaning tasks into clear, manageable categories like "Similar Photos," "Organize Videos," and "Manage Contacts."
Monetization & growth
The app uses a free trial model with a prominent paywall presented very early in the user journey (00:20), immediately after a brief feature showcase. This strategy likely filters for high-intent users. The paywall offers both weekly and yearly plans, with the yearly option being the default. The app also engages in a clear ecosystem growth strategy by promoting other apps from the same developer within its settings menu (08:42), turning one app download into a potential gateway for others.
Who it’s for
This app is for anyone who frequently struggles with the "Storage Almost Full" notification on their phone. It's particularly useful for users who take a lot of photos and videos and feel overwhelmed by the task of manually cleaning their library. Its comprehensive toolset also appeals to users looking for a single solution to manage not just media, but also messy contact lists and cluttered email inboxes.
Notes & opportunities
While the all-in-one approach is a strength, it requires asking for many permissions (photos, contacts, notifications, tracking) in quick succession, which could be a point of friction for privacy-conscious users. The email unsubscribe feature showed a "Failed" state (05:14) before being retried, suggesting that providing more transparent feedback on background processes could improve the experience. Finally, while the swipe interface is great, adding more sorting and filtering options within it (e.g., by file size) could add even more power.