head to head · open source
BleachBit vs Reef
BleachBit has 6,940 GitHub stars, 454 forks, 313 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Reef has 603 stars, 31 forks, 37 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. BleachBit leads on adoption by 1,051% (6,940 vs 603 stars). BleachBit is written in Python under GPL-3.0; Reef is written in Swift under MIT. BleachBit has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, Reef 5%. BleachBit was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| BleachBit | Reef | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 6.9K | ★ 603 |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Python | Swift |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-06-28 |
| Forks | ⑂ 454 | ⑂ 31 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick BleachBit if
- You weight community size — 6.9K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Reef if
- You want the Reef feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Swift
- You evaluated both and Reef fits your workflow better
About BleachBit
BleachBit is a free, GPL 3.0 system cleaner written in Python that deletes files on Windows and Linux to free disk space and protect privacy, made for desktop users and administrators who want a cross platform alternative to commercial cleanup tools.
read the full BleachBit overview →
About Reef
Reef is a free, MIT licensed macOS window manager that binds applications to number keys and gives each app its own Alt Tab style switcher, aimed at Mac users who want to refocus any window of any app from the keyboard instead of hunting through the Dock or Mission Control.
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Frequently asked questions
Is BleachBit or Reef more popular?
BleachBit has 6,940 GitHub stars and Reef has 603. BleachBit has the larger community by that measure.
Are BleachBit and Reef free?
Both are open source. BleachBit is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Reef under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between BleachBit and Reef?
BleachBit is written in Python and Reef in Swift. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, BleachBit or Reef?
Choose BleachBit if you want the larger community (6,940 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Reef if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.