Best Gemini Photos alternatives for iPhone (2026)
Gemini Photos no longer exists: MacPaw replaced it with CleanMy®Phone and moved existing users over automatically. If you want something different, Clean Kit finds duplicates, similar and blurry photos on your device and collects no data. Clever Cleaner offers a lifetime purchase, Cleanup adds contacts and email, and Slidebox suits people who like to swipe.
We make Clean Kit, so we're not neutral. Competitor facts come from each app's US App Store listing in October 2026. How we compare apps.
What happened to Gemini Photos?
Gemini Photos was MacPaw's popular duplicate photo finder. MacPaw has replaced it with CleanMy®Phone, which it describes as an upgrade that keeps Gemini's features and adds new ones. Existing users were moved over automatically, and there's no way to go back to the old app. Some long-time users don't like the redesign or the new pricing, which is why many are looking for alternatives.
The alternatives at a glance
| App | Price (US) | Privacy label | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Kit | Free; optional Pro | Data Not Collected | Private, photo-focused cleanup with Smart Clean, blurry detection and video compression |
| CleanMy®Phone | Free; $7.99/mo or $36.99/yr | Tracks identifiers, usage data | Gemini Photos' official successor, with contact merging |
| Clever Cleaner | Free; $39.99 lifetime | Tracks identifiers | A one-time purchase and swipe mode |
| Cleanup | Free; weekly from $5.95 | Tracks purchases, identifiers, usage data | Photos plus contacts and email in one app |
| Slidebox | Free; from $1.99/week | No tracking listed | Swiping through photos and sorting them into albums |
1. Clean Kit: best for privacy
Clean Kit does what Gemini Photos was loved for (exact duplicates and similar shots, with the best photo picked for you) and adds blurry photo detection, a screenshot cleaner, video compression and bulk Live Photo conversion. Smart Clean bundles it all into one recommendation with a total before you delete. Everything runs on your device, and the App Store privacy label is Data Not Collected. See the duplicate finder.
2. CleanMy®Phone: the official successor
If you liked Gemini and just want it to keep working, CleanMy®Phone is the path of least resistance, and MacPaw keeps the old price for active Gemini subscribers. It adds contact merging and AI categories. Clean Kit vs CleanMy®Phone.
3. Clever Cleaner: best for a one-time purchase
From the makers of Disk Drill, with a lifetime purchase option, swipe mode and photo compression. Clean Kit vs Clever Cleaner.
4. Cleanup: best all-in-one
The most-rated cleaner on the App Store, covering photos, contacts and email, with a private vault. Clean Kit vs Cleanup.
5. Slidebox: best for swiping
Not an automatic cleaner, but a fast way to go through your camera roll by hand and sort photos into albums. Clean Kit vs Slidebox.
What about the iPhone's own Duplicates album?
Since iOS 16, the Photos app has a free Duplicates album. It merges copies of the same image, but it doesn't group similar shots or find blurry ones, which is what Gemini Photos was best at. See how to delete duplicate photos on iPhone.
Try Clean Kit free
Clean Kit finds exact duplicates, similar shots and blurry photos on your device and keeps the best shot in each group. No account, no tracking, and your photos never leave your iPhone.
Download on the App StoreFree to download for iPhone and iPad. Everything runs on your device, and your photos are never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Gemini Photos?
MacPaw replaced Gemini Photos with CleanMy®Phone. MacPaw says Gemini Photos no longer exists in its original form, existing users were moved to CleanMy®Phone automatically, and it is impossible to go back to Gemini Photos.
Do I need to pay again for CleanMy®Phone?
MacPaw says it keeps the old price for users with active Gemini Photos subscriptions, while new users pay CleanMy®Phone pricing. Check your subscription in Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions.
What is the most private Gemini Photos alternative?
Look at the App Store privacy label on each app's page. Clean Kit's label is Data Not Collected. CleanMy®Phone, Clever Cleaner and Cleanup all list some data used to track you.