This handy uninstall utility is as easy to install as it is to use: just drag and drop.
AppZapper is one of our top choices among Mac OS X utilities that uninstall apps. Why? Because it's easy to use, affordable, and fast.
Whether you opt to use an uninstall utility Mac depends on how picky you are about what doesn't get removed when you simply move an unwanted app to the Trash - uninstalling software this way can leave a host of files associated with the deleted application on your hard drive. If you want to stick with the free, manual method of deleting software, you can add a Spotlight search for files associated with that app and delete any that turn up. Of course, this assumes that Spotlight can actually find the files you're looking for, which can be a hit or miss proposition, depending up on how that app names its helper files.
AppZapper ($12.95, www.appzapper.com) automates the process of removing applications and their associated helper files. Its creators tell us that it's "far more than just a name searcher." AppZapper uses techniques to find related files that include identifier matching, receipt cross-checking, and intelligent name-based searches.
The prime reason we like AppZapper is that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to use it. Deleting an app is almost as simple as dragging it to the trash: Just launch AppZapper and drag the app to the AppZapper window.
If you want to select the app or apps to delete from a list, click on the icon that looks like a genie's lamp. A list of apps appears, excluding any "safe" apps, which are those that you designate as off-limits for deletion. You check the box next to the apps you want to get rid of, then, when you click Go, AppZapper goes out and finds all the files associated with those apps and presents you with a list, which you can approve before clicking Zap.
If there are files associated with apps that you want to keep, you can always uncheck the box next to an item before you click Zap.
Method #2 - SuperPop: And, since you asked, there are a couple of other utilities that perform similar tasks as AppZapper. SuperPop ($15, www.fecktory.com) isn't quite as drag-and-drop easy as AppZapper, but works in a similar way. When you install SuperPop and launch it, a list of your apps appears. You can also view all the apps on that Mac and a list of orphan files (although the app offers no clear direction on what to do with these orphan files).
To uninstall an app, select the software title in the list of your apps. A pane slides out of the right side of the window and provides information on the app - how large it is, where it's located, and when it was installed and used last. To uninstall it, click the black button with a picture of a gear (representing an app) with an arrow pointing to the trash can. SuperPop generates a list files associated with the app so you can pick and choose which ones to get rid of, then click Continue. One oddity we encountered when we tested SuperPop is the labels for file names and sizes: They appear to be in Portuguese.
You can opt to delete all associated files that SuperPop locates for a given app, or pick and choose only the ones you want to delete.
Method #3 - Yank: Yet a third option is Yank ($19.95, www.matterform.com). Instead of just serving as an uninstaller used after the fact, the idea behind Yank is that once you install it, it keeps tabs on all new apps you install afterward, making uninstalling those apps later a lot easier. When you have Yank installed and then install a new app on your Mac, Yank creates a "Yank file," which is a list of all files associated with the app you're installing. It's a simple concept, but can definitely come in handy, especially if you're a shareware junkie. If you want to trash a program you installed pre-Yank, you can visit Yank's free file-sharing service, which very likely has the Yank file required to get the job done.
If you frequently install and try out shareware, but discover that you don't want to keep most of it, Yank can save you tons of time, headaches, and disk space.
