dupeGuru alternative for Mac: 4 options that still get updates
dupeGuru's last release was in 2022. Four Mac alternatives that are still updated, free and paid, with what each finds and what it costs.
Disclosure: we make Sweepy. Other apps are described from their makers' own pages and App Store listings, with links in Sources.
- dupeGuru still runs on Apple silicon Macs, but its last release, 4.3.1, came out in July 2022.
- The closest free alternative is Duplicate File Finder by Nektony: free in the Mac App Store, scans folders and Photos libraries, and deletes after review.
- For duplicate photos only, the Duplicates album in the Photos app is free and already on every Mac running macOS 13 or later.
- For a full-featured paid pick, Gemini 2 adds similar photos, Music and one-click cleanup for $19.99 a year.
- For Downloads and Desktop with undo, Sweepy is free for two folders and $9.99 once. We make Sweepy.
Why people look for a dupeGuru alternative#
dupeGuru earned its reputation: it is free, open source, works on Mac, Windows and Linux, and its fuzzy matching finds copies other tools miss. Many people still use it happily. But three things send Mac users looking for something else.
- No new releases since 2022. The latest version on GitHub is 4.3.1, released July 9, 2022. It runs natively on Apple silicon, but nothing new has shipped since.
- The macOS warning. The release notes say the Mac build is signed "however not with a paid developer subscription", so macOS may make you confirm before it opens.
- The interface. dupeGuru gives you modes, thresholds and reference folders. Powerful, but a lot for someone who just wants the extra copies gone.
If none of that bothers you, keep dupeGuru. If it does, here are four alternatives that are still maintained.
The alternatives at a glance#
| Price | Scans | Similar photos | Deletes for you on the free tier | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photos (built in) | Free | Photos library | Yes | Yes, merge |
| Duplicate File Finder (Nektony) | Free, Pro $34.99 once | Disks, folders, Photos libraries | Preview | Yes, after review |
| Gemini 2 | Free download, $19.99 a year | Whole Mac, Photos, Music | Yes | No, Reveal in Finder only |
| Sweepy (ours) | Free for 2 folders, $9.99 once | Folders you pick | No | Yes, with undo |
Prices are US Mac App Store prices checked on October 13, 2026.
1. Photos: free, for duplicate pictures#
If you used dupeGuru's Picture mode on your photo folders, check whether those photos already live in the Photos app. On macOS 13 Ventura and later, Photos lists duplicates under Utilities › Duplicates in the sidebar. Merge one group or press ⌘ A to merge them all. Photos keeps one copy and moves the rest to Recently Deleted, where they stay for 30 days. It costs nothing, but it only sees the Photos library.
2. Duplicate File Finder by Nektony: the closest free swap#
This is the nearest thing to dupeGuru's "scan any folder for free" promise, in a current Mac App Store app that needs macOS 11 or later. The free version scans several disks, folders and Photos libraries in one session, lets you skip folders and file types, previews similar folders and photos, and deletes duplicate files after you review them. It keeps a removal history.
What you give up without paying: bulk selection, removing or merging duplicate folders, moving copies to another folder and restoring removed files. Those are in Pro: $34.99 once, $14.99 a year or $7.99 a month.
3. Gemini 2: the polished paid pick#
Gemini 2 from MacPaw is what you get if you want dupeGuru's Picture and Music modes in an app that does the choosing for you. It scans the whole Mac, external and network drives, the Photos library and Music, and finds similar photos and tracks. Smart Selection keeps the original based on rules you can change, and removed duplicates can be restored.
The free download only lets you remove copies through Reveal in Finder. One-click cleanup is the Yearly Access purchase, $19.99 a year. We compare the two head to head in Gemini 2 vs dupeGuru.
4. Sweepy: for the folders that fill up#
Disclosure: we make Sweepy. It is not a dupeGuru replacement for scanning an archive drive; it is for the everyday mess in Downloads and Desktop. It matches duplicates byte for byte, never by name, and also finds old .dmg and .pkg installers, files not opened in 90 days and files over 500 MB. Every file goes to the Trash and History can undo a whole cleanup. It does not need Full Disk Access because it only reads the folders you choose.
Sweepy is free with every feature for two folders. Pro is $9.99 once for unlimited folders and 30 days of undo. It needs macOS 14 or later.
Which alternative fits you?#
- You used dupeGuru for photos: try the Photos Duplicates album first.
- You want free and folder-based: Duplicate File Finder's free tier.
- You want the most features and do not mind a yearly plan: Gemini 2.
- Your problem is Downloads and Desktop: Sweepy, or the manual steps in Mac storage full.
Still deciding? The full five-way comparison is in best duplicate file finder for Mac.
Sweepy finds duplicate files, old installers and forgotten big files in your Downloads and Desktop, and cleans them up in one click. Nothing is deleted for good: every file goes to the Trash, and any cleanup can be undone..
FAQ
Is dupeGuru discontinued?
There is no announcement that it is discontinued, but the newest release on GitHub is 4.3.1 from July 9, 2022. It still works on current Macs, so you do not have to replace it if it does what you need.
What is the best free alternative to dupeGuru on Mac?
For photos, the Duplicates album in Photos. For any folder, Duplicate File Finder by Nektony has the most generous free tier, and Sweepy is free for two folders such as Downloads and Desktop.
Does any alternative have dupeGuru's fuzzy file-name matching?
None of the four alternatives here advertises fuzzy name matching. They compare file contents instead, which is safer for deleting but will not pair two different files that only have similar names.
Why does macOS warn me when I open dupeGuru?
The dupeGuru release notes say the macOS build is signed, but not with a paid Apple developer subscription. macOS treats that more cautiously than apps from the Mac App Store or notarized apps.
Sources
- Oct 13, 2026: First published. Versions and prices checked on GitHub and the Mac App Store.
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