If you’re using CCleaner Free you may have seen some messages that state CCleaner Free is only free for home use.
CCleaner is free for all users using CCleaner at home on their personal PC. It is not free for use in a business environment or on a PC which is used for any commercial purposes.
Enforcing our license terms and asking commercial users to correctly purchase a valid license helps us to keep offering CCleaner, for free, to millions of home users.
Contents:
Who is allowed to use CCleaner Free?
I am using CCleaner Free at home. What should I do?
I am using CCleaner Free in a business. What should I do?
Can I upgrade to CCleaner Professional to use CCleaner in a business?
What is defined as ‘commercial use’ or ‘home use’?
Which version of CCleaner is right for my business?
I use my laptop for both work and at home. Do I have to buy a license?
I require a CCleaner license but these kinds of purchases are usually something that my IT department usually takes care of. What should I do?
I have a very small business. Do I have to buy a license?
Where does it say that CCleaner Free is only for home use?
Why does my business have to start paying now?
Can I use CCleaner Professional at work?
Can I install CCleaner Free on other computers if that computer is only used at home?
FAQs:
Who is allowed to use CCleaner Free?
Our free version is for anyone who would like to use CCleaner on their home computer (as long as the computer is not used for work).
I am using CCleaner Free at home. What should I do?
If you are using CCleaner on your personal PC and it’s not used for commercial purposes, you don’t need to do anything. You can ignore these messages and continue using CCleaner for free.
I am using CCleaner Free in a business. What should I do?
If you are using CCleaner Free for commercial use, you are required to buy a commercial license. Find out which CCleaner is right for your business.
Can I upgrade to CCleaner Professional to use CCleaner in a business?
Like our Free products, our Professional products are also licensed only for use on home computers. As such, these products are not suitable for use by a business or in work-at-home situations.
What is defined as ‘commercial use’ or ‘home use’?
Our End User License Agreement states that: ‘no Consumer Solution is provided or licensed for use by any: (i) natural person for commercial purposes; or (ii) business, company, government entity, nongovernmental organization or other not-for-profit entity, or educational institution.’
We define ‘commercial use’ as using CCleaner for any purposes that are either directly or indirectly paid for. This includes, but not exclusively, the following use cases:
- Using CCleaner on a machine used for business purposes
If you use CCleaner on a business machine owned by your employer, commercial use applies. It also applies if you use your personal home computer for work purposes or your business machine, owned by your employer, for personal home use. - Providing support to customers and colleagues
If you are using CCleaner Free to clean and optimize your customers' or colleagues' devices, it qualifies as a paid service. - Use in non-profit organizations:
If you work for a non-profit organization, the use of CCleaner can be commercial if you or another person in the organization receive a salary from the organization.
We define ‘home use’ as using CCleaner at home on your personal computer, which is not used for commercial purposes. Additionally, home use includes helping family and friends install CCleaner for free (only when not charging for your service).
Which version of CCleaner is right for my business?
This depends on what type of business you are in and how you intend to use CCleaner.
If you are looking to use CCleaner on a handful of individual computers, CCleaner Business Edition is right for you. If you’d like to install and centrally manage CCleaner on several computers, CCleaner Cloud is best suited to your needs.
If you're a managed service provider (MSP) looking to provide proactive cleaning as part of a paid service, you can use CCleaner Cloud as a standalone tool, or integrate CCleaner Business Edition with an RMM tool.
If you provide break-fix services on a reactive basis, CCleaner Technician Edition is the best option.
Our website can help you find out which CCleaner is right for your business. If you have any questions, please contact our business team.
I use my laptop for both work and at home. Do I have to buy a license?
Yes. In this situation, you need to buy a commercial license. Find out which CCleaner is right for your business.
I require a CCleaner license but these kinds of purchases are usually handled by my IT department. What should I do?
We have a range of different solutions depending on your requirements. We also offer discounts for not-for-profits, educational institutions, and government organizations.
We recommend that you ask your IT department to see which version of CCleaner is right for your business and if they have any questions, to contact our business team.
I have a very small business. Do I have to buy a license?
Yes, anyone using their computer for commercial purposes is required a valid license. We offer discounts for not-for-profits, educational institutions, and government organizations. Find out which CCleaner is right for your business.
Where does it say that CCleaner Free is only for home use?
Our End User License Agreement states that CCleaner Free is strictly prohibited for commercials use.
‘2.1.2.… no Consumer Solution is provided or licensed for use by any: (i) natural person for commercial purposes; or (ii) business, company, government entity, nongovernmental organization or other not-for-profit entity, or educational institution.'
Why does my business have to start paying now?
Our End User License Agreement has always prohibited the use of CCleaner Free in a commercial environment. However, mistakes happen so from time to time we’ll politely remind users that CCleaner Free is for home use only.
If your computer is being used in a commercial environment, then you will need to buy a business license. Find out which CCleaner is right for your business.
Can I use CCleaner Professional at work?
No, CCleaner Professional is a paid product for home use only.
We offer different business versions of CCleaner that are suitable for all scale of businesses, as well as independent technicians and service providers.
Our business versions are CCleaner Business, CCleaner Cloud, and CCleaner Technician. Find out which CCleaner is right for your business.
Can I install CCleaner Free on other computers if that computer is only used at home?
We really appreciate that you are using CCleaner and like it enough to help others use it.
If you charge for your time or services, then you will need a CCleaner Technician license. This means you can use an advanced CCleaner on multiple computers via a USB stick. If you have any questions, please contact our business team.
