llms.txt
# Strata
> A native macOS disk space analyzer. It scans a volume, draws what is using the
> space to scale, and lets you remove what you do not want. No account, no
> telemetry, no subscription. Made by Kapybara LLC.
Strata answers one question: what is actually filling this Mac. It reads the
file system directly with `getattrlistbulk`, reports allocated size rather than
apparent size, and counts hardlinked files once. On the M2 MacBook Air it is made on,
a full scan of the 494 GB internal drive takes about 12 seconds.
## Key facts
- Requires macOS 13.0 or later. Apple silicon and Intel.
- One-time purchase, not a subscription. A licence never expires.
- One licence covers every Mac you personally own.
- Two versions: free, and Strata Pro at $9.99 USD, paid once. The first 200 Strata Pro licences are $5.
- There is one paid plan, so there is nothing to upgrade to. People who bought the earlier Charon, Hades or Atlas tiers already have Strata Pro.
- Fourteen day refund, no reason required, whether or not the software was downloaded and used.
- The app has no account, no sign-in, no telemetry, no analytics and no crash reporting. Nothing it reads about your files leaves your computer.
- Its only network requests are its own updates: an hourly check of this website (daily before Strata 1.0.17) and the download of a new version, installed by itself while Strata is not in use, or on quit (from Strata 1.0.5). One switch in Settings turns them off.
- Licence keys are verified on the Mac itself with an Ed25519 signature. Activation never contacts a server, so it works offline.
- The website sets no cookies. Its one script, SnowAnalytics, counts visits without cookies or any lasting identifier, and records nothing when the browser sends Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.
- Payment is handled by Dodo Payments as merchant of record.
- Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Apple Inc.
## What each version unlocks
- **A 14-day trial of everything**, from the first launch, with no account and no card (from Strata 1.0.4). Since Strata 1.0.19 the trial can move up to 40 GB to the Trash in those days; Put Back gives back what it returns. After it, the free version below remains.
- **Free**, forever, no account: scanning any folder or drive, internal or external, the space map (as cards, or as a detailed treemap), search, the large file list, unused apps, live readouts in the window and the menu bar, whether the Mac needs optimizing (Optimize shows red or green, and what it would do), and Recently Removed (from Strata 1.0.30: what Strata moved to the Trash, with where each item came from, and Put Back for it). It is not a trial and does not expire.
- **Strata Pro**: deleting files to the Trash with undo, the app uninstaller, Finder integration, the Night theme, junk files (caches, logs, build data and old installers, added in Strata 1.0.3), Optimize, System Data and what Storage settings counts beside it (device backups, Mail and Messages attachments, Time Machine's local snapshots and the Trash, added in Strata 1.0.19), leftover installers and keeping Apple's apps closed (added in Strata 1.0.4: one press moves junk to the Trash and asks idle apps to quit, never an app in use; installers in Downloads whose app is already installed; and Music, TV and macOS's other own apps, which nothing can remove, quit whenever they open), and the seven tools added in Strata 1.0.1: the duplicate finder, hidden files, startup items (launch agents, daemons and helpers), leftovers of apps you already removed, installer receipts, snapshots to compare a drive over time, and exportable reports. What only an administrator can move is shown in Finder, where you delete it yourself, so Strata never asks for a password (from Strata 1.0.14). The AI Data Sweeper, added in Strata 1.0.16, moves the models AI apps downloaded to the Trash (Ollama 0.40 and later keeps its models in a way only Ollama removes safely, so for those Strata gives the ollama rm command, from Strata 1.0.20), and shows what Apple's own AI keeps, with the System Settings pane where you turn off what uses each part.
## Things people get wrong
- **Full Disk Access is required to see everything.** macOS hides parts of the file system from any app without it. Strata explains this and links to the setting; no app can grant it to itself.
- **A scan total can legitimately exceed the disk's used space.** On APFS a clone is two files sharing the same blocks, and every per-file API reports each one at full size. Files duplicated in Finder share blocks this way, as do virtual machine disks and container images from tools that clone, so the overlap can be large. Strata says so when it happens rather than hiding it.
- **Removal goes to the Trash**, so it is reversible until you empty it.
## Pages
- [Home](https://stratamaccleaner.com/): what Strata does, with the download.
- [Download](https://stratamaccleaner.com/download): the current version, how to install it, and Full Disk Access.
- Homebrew: `brew install --cask pankaj-kholiya/strata/strata`, from Strata's own tap (github.com/Pankaj-Kholiya/homebrew-strata, since 2026-10-07).
- [Features](https://stratamaccleaner.com/features): the full feature list.
- [Pricing](https://stratamaccleaner.com/pricing): free, and Strata Pro, and what each includes.
- [Licences](https://stratamaccleaner.com/licences): buying Strata Pro, and what to do if you bought an earlier tier.
- [FAQ](https://stratamaccleaner.com/faq): the questions people actually ask.
- [Changelog](https://stratamaccleaner.com/changelog): what shipped and when.
- [Documentation](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs): every room, setting and shortcut in Strata, in the words the app uses.
- [How-to guides](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to): one task per page, step by step, with the app's own screens.
- [Blog](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog): guides to Mac storage, and comparisons with other disk tools.
## Guides
- [What is taking up space on my Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/what-is-taking-up-space-on-my-mac): where the space actually goes, and why About This Mac disagrees with Finder.
- [How to find large files on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/find-large-files-on-mac): the built-in ways, their limits, and what to do instead.
- [How to uninstall Mac apps completely](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/uninstall-mac-apps-completely): why dragging to the Trash leaves things behind, and where they hide.
- [How to delete files safely on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/delete-files-safely-on-mac): what is safe to remove, what is not, and how to tell.
- [Full Disk Access explained](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/full-disk-access-explained): what the permission is, why apps need it, and why it cannot be requested.
- [Hidden files on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/hidden-files-on-mac): what is hidden, why, and how to look without breaking anything.
- [Mac startup items explained](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/mac-startup-items-explained): login items, launch agents and daemons, and which is which.
- [How to find duplicate files on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/find-duplicate-files-on-mac): how duplicate detection works and where it goes wrong.
- [How to clear cache on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/clear-cache-on-mac): which caches are safe to clear, how, and the developer caches worth more.
- [What System Data is on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/system-data-on-mac): what Apple counts in it, what is not in it, and what is safe to shrink.
- [Purgeable space on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/purgeable-space-on-mac): what macOS clears by itself, why it can block a copy, and how to clear it now.
- [Where iPhone backups are stored on a Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/iphone-backups-on-mac): the hidden folder, deleting old backups by name, and what to keep.
- [How to delete Ollama models and other AI models](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/delete-ai-models-on-mac): where Ollama, LM Studio, Hugging Face and others keep models, and the commands that remove them.
## Comparisons
Written by the maker of Strata. Other tools' facts come from their developers' own pages, and each article names any other source and the date it was checked.
- [The best disk space analyzers for Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/best-disk-space-analyzer-mac): eighteen apps compared on how they show the disk, how they delete, price and macOS support.
- [The best Mac cleaner apps](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/best-mac-cleaner-apps): suites, free tools and one-time indies compared on deleting, background helpers and data collection.
- [The best uninstallers for Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/best-uninstaller-for-mac): eight uninstallers compared on the Trash, undo, price and macOS 27 support.
- [DaisyDisk vs Strata](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/daisydisk-alternative): the same price, and permanent deletion against the Trash.
- [CleanMyMac vs Strata](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/cleanmymac-alternative): a yearly suite against a one-time map and cleaner.
- [DaisyDisk vs GrandPerspective](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/daisydisk-vs-grandperspective): a $9.99 sunburst against a free treemap.
- [GrandPerspective alternatives](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/grandperspective-alternative): for older Macs, labelled maps and cleanup.
- [OmniDiskSweeper alternatives](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/omnidisksweeper-alternative): size-sorted disk lists on the Mac.
- [AppCleaner vs Strata](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/appcleaner-alternative): two ways to uninstall an app completely, and the look-alike names.
- [WinDirStat for Mac](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/windirstat-for-mac): the closest macOS equivalents for people coming from Windows.
- [Disk Inventory X on Apple silicon](https://stratamaccleaner.com/blog/disk-inventory-x-apple-silicon): Rosetta, the forks, and native alternatives.
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## Documentation
- [Install, update and remove Strata](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/install): Download, open, updates, and removing it completely.
- [Your first scan](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/first-scan): The tour, Full Disk Access, and what a scan covers.
- [Permissions](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/permissions): Full Disk Access, and why Strata never asks for a password.
- [Free, the trial and Strata Pro](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/free-and-pro): What is free, the 14-day trial, and entering a key.
- [The Overview](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/overview): Scan, Optimize, and the whole disk on one screen.
- [The Space Map](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/space-map): Every folder drawn to scale, four ways.
- [Search and Large Files](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/search-and-large-files): By name, by extension, by kind, by size.
- [Junk Files](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/junk-files): Caches, build data, old downloads, and what starts ticked.
- [AI Data Sweeper](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/ai-data-sweeper): Models AI apps downloaded, and Apple's own AI data.
- [System Data](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/system-data): Backups, attachments, simulators, sounds, snapshots and the Trash.
- [Leftovers](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/leftovers): What apps you already deleted left behind.
- [Duplicates](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/duplicates): Identical contents, whatever the names, in three passes.
- [Hidden Files](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/hidden-files): The dot folders Finder never shows, and what each one is.
- [Unused Apps](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/unused-apps): Apps not opened in 3 months, 6 months or a year.
- [Optimize](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/optimize): Junk and idle apps in one press, shown first.
- [The Uninstaller](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/uninstaller): An app and everything it left, graded before it moves.
- [Startup Items](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/startup-items): Everything that starts itself, and who owns it.
- [Installers](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/installers): Old DMGs and PKGs, ticked only when what is inside proves it.
- [The Monitor](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/monitor): Processor, memory, disk, battery and network over time.
- [Report](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/report): What changed since last time, and exporting a scan.
- [The menu bar](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/menu-bar): Free space by the clock, and a panel of live readouts.
- [Settings](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/settings): Every option, what it does and its default.
- [Keyboard shortcuts](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/keyboard-shortcuts): Every shortcut, in one table.
- [How deleting works](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/deleting-and-put-back): The Trash, Put Back, and what Strata will never touch.
- [What Strata sends over the network](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/privacy): Only its own updates, and one switch turns them off.
- [Troubleshooting](https://stratamaccleaner.com/docs/troubleshooting): Short totals, frozen copies, stubborn items, failing keys.
## How-to guides
- [How to free up space on your Mac with Strata](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/free-up-space-on-mac): The whole job in one pass: scan, junk, apps, installers, duplicates.
- [How to clear junk files safely](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/clear-junk-files): Caches, logs and build data, with nothing anyone will miss.
- [How to delete AI models you no longer use](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/remove-ai-models): Ollama, LM Studio, Hugging Face and Apple's own AI data.
- [How to find and remove duplicate files](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/find-and-remove-duplicates): Identical contents, whatever the names, and which copy to keep.
- [How to find your largest files and folders](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/find-large-files): Every file over the size you pick, biggest first.
- [How to delete installers you no longer need](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/remove-old-installers): DMGs and PKGs for apps you already installed.
- [How to uninstall an app completely](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/uninstall-an-app): The app and everything it left in your Library.
- [How to clean up after apps you already deleted](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/remove-leftovers-of-deleted-apps): What apps you dragged to the Trash left behind.
- [How to stop apps starting by themselves](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/stop-apps-starting-at-login): Agents, daemons and helpers, and the orphans among them.
- [How to stop Music opening by itself](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/keep-music-from-opening): Keep Music, TV or any of Apple's apps closed.
- [How to use Optimize to free memory and clear junk](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/quit-idle-apps): Idle apps and junk, in one press, after a look.
- [How to scan an external drive or a single folder](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/scan-an-external-drive): Any drive or folder, not just the startup disk.
- [How to see what changed on your disk](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/see-what-changed-on-your-disk): What grew, what shrank, and when.
- [How to export a disk report](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/export-a-disk-report): A spreadsheet, a web page, or a few lines to paste.
- [How to give Strata Full Disk Access](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/give-full-disk-access): So the scan sees every folder, and the totals add up.
- [How to enter your Strata Pro licence key](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/activate-strata-pro): Paste it, press Activate, on every Mac you own.
- [How to put back something you removed](https://stratamaccleaner.com/how-to/undo-a-removal): Put Back now, or later from Recently Removed.
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## Policies
- [Refunds](https://stratamaccleaner.com/refunds): fourteen days, and why we do not ask EU and UK customers to waive their right of withdrawal.
- [Privacy](https://stratamaccleaner.com/privacy): what is collected when you buy, which is very little, and the rights you have over it.
- [Terms](https://stratamaccleaner.com/terms): the licence you are buying.
## Contact
support@stratamaccleaner.com
On X: [@Panku005](https://x.com/Panku005)
On YouTube: [Strata](https://www.youtube.com/@StrataMACCleaner)
