Clone Files Checker Review: Things You Need to Know
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Verdict
Clone Files Checker offers a user-friendly and versatile deduplication solution for Windows users. However, it's expensive especially when compared with its way cheaper alternative that is equally easy to use and powerful.
Pros
- Find duplicate documents, images, songs, and other files
- Offer two methods for comparing files and identifying duplicates
- Support Windows PC, Mac, external storage, and cloud storage
- List duplicates by file type for you to easily view
- Provide image previews
- Offer 5 rules to help users select duplicates for one-click removal
- Easy to use with a straightforward interface
- Customizable
Cons
- Expensive with a price tag of $39.97/year or $89.97/lifetime
- No support for the Photos app in the Mac version
- Some features missing in the Mac version
If your hard drive is nearly full or you want to better manage your files, it's a good idea to delete duplicate files. Is Clone Files Checker an effective tool to help you easily unwanted duplicates? In this review, I will cover things you need to know about Clone Files Checker to help you make an informed decision.
Cisdem Duplicate Finder
Clone Files Checker Not Suitable? Here’s an Alternative
- Identify duplicate photos, videos, documents, audio files, and all other files
- Identify duplicate folders
- Detect similar images
- Support Windows PC, Mac, external storage devices, and cloud drives
- Scan for duplicate files in folders, iTunes, Apple's Music, and Mac's Photos
- Offer 3 modes to viewing duplicates, along with side-by-side photo previews
- Automatically select all expect one file for deletion in each group of duplicates, enabling you to remove all duplicates at once
- Allow you to adjust selections manually, or choose from 8 rules (e.g., Select Newest)
- Easy to use and customize
- Cost $19.99/year, or $39.99/lifetime
Clone Files Checker review
What is Clone Files Checker?
Clone Files Checker is a duplicate file finder app developed by Sorcim Technologies. It's designed to detect and remove duplicate files, helping users free up storage space and better manage their files. It's available for both Windows and Mac computers, but some features are missing in the Mac version, making it less useful for Mac users.
Is Clone Files Checker safe?
It's safe to download and install. The developer is an established and trusted name in the software industry. Also, I haven't noticed anything that raises suspicion during installation or use.
It's safe to use. It's designed with file safety in mind. For example, it allows you to exclude system folders and your chosen folders from the scan for duplicate files, preventing the potential deletion of important files.
Pricing
Clone Files Checker is a paid app, but it provides a free trial, which doesn't expire. With the free trial, you can find duplicate files and delete up to ten groups of duplicates. To access its full version with all features, you need to pay.
| License | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $39.97 |
| 2 years | $59.97 |
| Lifetime | $89.97 |
| Free trial | Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later |
Features: What can Clone Files Checker do?
Find duplicate files
• Scan locations of your choice
Clone Files Checker allows you to scan folders you've specified for duplicate files, whether they are located on your computer, an external hard drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox.
• Exclude files and folders from a scan
After adding a specific folder (e.g., Desktop) to scan, you can exclude certain subfolders (e.g., Backups) within it from the scan if needed. Clone Files Checker also excludes system folders by default. In addition, you can exclude files by extension (e.g., .MP4) and size.
• Choose from three scan modes
Clone Files Checker for Windows provides three scan modes.
- File Search: This mode compares files by hash and accurately identifies duplicate files (exactly the same, regardless of file names) accurately. It can be the most reliable mode, no matter you are managing photos, videos, audio, or other files
- Music Search: This mode is designed to handle songs, audiobooks, and recordings. It detects duplicates by comparing metadata contained in audio files. With this mode, you can find both identical and similar songs (i.e., different versions of the same song).
- iTunes Search: If you want to remove duplicate tracks from your iTunes library, this mode can be the best choice. It uses the same comparison method used by Music Search.
View duplicate files
• View by categories
After scanning, the found duplicates will be displayed by categories, which is convenient for users to view.
• Image previews
Not all types of files can be previewed in Clone Files Checker. You can only view duplicate images and videos with its built-in preview feature. For documents, music and other files, you can view their file names, modified date, or file path to decide which one to remove.
• Export scan result
You can save the scan results by clicking the “Export Result” button on the bottom right corner. Choose a save path and name the file. Currently Clone Files Checker only supports exporting to CSV format in Windows version.
Remove duplicates
• Multiple selection options
The “Select Duplicates” button at the bottom of the window helps to bulk select duplicate files for removal, including retain the newest/oldest file in each group, retain the most/least modified file in each group and select by file locations.
• Multiple removal options
Clone Files Checker offers free deletion of up to 10 duplicate file groups. To clean up more duplicates, you must upgrade to its Pro version. And there’re 2 removal options for you to choose: Permanent Delete or Move to Folder. If you find yourself accidentally removed an important file, don’t worry. Go to the History tab and the record of your last scan. Click on Restore.
Windows version vs. Mac version
Clone Files Checker is available for both Windows and macOS. However, not all features of the Windows version are available for the Mac one. For example, users can only preview duplicate images in the Mac version, while the Windows version supports not only images but also videos. Clone Files Checker for Mac has only the File Search scan mode. In addition, the feature of restoring the deleted duplicate files with a click is only available on Windows.
Ease of use
Clone Files Checker is user-friendly due to its simple, easy-to-understand interface, which combines words and icons to indicate features and options. The interface is divided into three sections, labeled Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3, so users can easily understand the process.
Clone Files Checker vs. its alternative
| Clone Files Checker | Cisdem Duplicate Finder | |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac | Windows, Mac, iOS, iPadOS, Android |
| Identify duplicate files | Yes | Yes |
| Identify similar photos | No | Yes |
| Identify by hash | Yes | Yes |
| Identify by audio metadata | Yes | No |
| Support external storage | Yes | Yes |
| Support cloud storage | Yes (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) | Yes (Dropbox, OneDrive) |
| Support Mac's Photos | No | Yes |
| Exclude files and folders from scans | Yes | Yes |
| View modes | 1 | 3 |
| Side-by-side previews | No | Yes |
| Auto-select | No | Yes |
| Selection rules | 5 | 8 |
| Move to Recycle Bin | Yes | Yes |
| Move to Folder | Yes | Yes |
| Deletion confirmation | Yes | Yes |
| Ease of use | High | High |
| Customizability | High | High |
| Price | 39.97/year, or $89.97/lifetime |
Windows and Mac: $19.99/year, or $39.99/lifetime Mobile: Free |
| Official download | Windows, Mac | Windows, Mac |
Tutorial: How to use Clone Files Checker to find and eliminate duplicate files
This part will show you how to use this app. Let’s take the Windows version as an example.
1. Download and install Clone File Checker on your PC. Launch it. Select from System Scan or Cloud Scan according to your need.
2. Click the Add button to select hard drive(s) or folder(s) to scan. You can also exclude some folders from scanning.
3. Use Search Options to filter files for scanning. You can choose file size range to scan. Click the Start Search button.
4. Once the scan is finished, the app will list the detected duplicates and tell you how much space they have taken. From the selection options, select the one you prefer.
5. Click the Select Action button. You can choose to move the duplicate files to a specific folder or permanently delete them.
With a passion for tech and writing, Sarah joined Cisdem, where she focuses on creating articles about using utility tools to enhance file management and simplify contact management.
Adrian Li is Cisdem’s Chief Engineer and serves as the editorial advisor for Duplicate Finder and ContactsMate. His work and insights have been featured in leading tech publications such as Fossbytes, TUAW, Redmond Pie, SafetyDetectives, and BestForAndroid.