{"id":237859,"date":"2026-04-01T12:24:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T12:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uninstalr.com\/blog\/?p=237859"},"modified":"2026-04-02T04:41:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T04:41:03","slug":"windows-uninstaller-performance-comparison-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uninstalr.com\/blog\/windows-uninstaller-performance-comparison-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows Uninstaller Performance Comparison 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a followup on the Uninstaller benchmark: What is the best uninstaller for Windows?<\/a> study I did last year and the original A Mad Journey: Comparing Windows uninstallers, getting upset and then deciding to make my own<\/a> from 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If  you have no idea what I\u2019m talking about right now, it\u2019s fine. Relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The premise is very simple: There are many third-party software uninstaller programs available for Windows and a lot of people have a lot of opinions about them.

You know what they say about opinions, so let me just say that opinions are great but I prefer ones that are based on facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An opinion without facts is like a GPS that has lost its signal. It\u2019s still shouting ‘Turn Right!’ with absolute authority, even though you\u2019re currently driving through a cornfield and the road ended three miles ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is the purpose of this uninstaller performance comparison: I want to objectively test different Windows uninstaller programs to gather facts about their efficiency, so you can form your opinions based on facts.

I do not care what these programs say about what they do, what features they say they have, how pretty the user interfaces look or any of that. I am only focusing on the facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And speaking of facts, I need to again start by being very clear about the fact that I\u2019m the developer of Uninstalr, it is one of the uninstallers being tested in this study. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why, I have done these tests in a way you can validate results yourself. More on that later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following Windows uninstaller programs were tested:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program<\/strong><\/td>Version<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Revo Uninstaller<\/td>2.6.8<\/td><\/tr>
Revo Uninstaller Pro<\/td>5.4.7<\/td><\/tr>
Geek Uninstaller<\/td>1.5.3 (build 170)<\/td><\/tr>
BCUninstaller<\/td>6.1.0.0<\/td><\/tr>
HiBit Uninstaller<\/td>4.0.10<\/td><\/tr>
Uninstall Tool (CrystalIDEA)<\/td>3.8.1 (build 5740)<\/td><\/tr>
Total Uninstall Professional Edition<\/td>7.6.2<\/td><\/tr>
Wise Program Uninstaller Free<\/td>3.2.8.272<\/td><\/tr>
Uninstalr<\/td>3.0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All of these programs were the latest versions at the time of this test being conducted (26th March 2026). They were downloaded from their official websites, except for HiBit Uninstaller which was downloaded from a third party website<\/a> because its official website seemed to be offline.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These programs were selected because they seem to represent the most popular Windows uninstallers according to my research (read: browsing Reddit and talking to ChatGPT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, I wish I could include every single app for this type of testing, but I frankly don\u2019t have the time. In fact, I wish I was outside in the forest right now. But here I am, indoors, typing this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Test 1: Portable Software and Leftovers Detection Accuracy<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In a VirtualBox virtual machine, a freshly installed Windows 11 was prepared with all the latest updates installed. The latest version of Notepad++ portable is downloaded from its official website and Brave Portable from https:\/\/portapps.io\/app\/brave-portable\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notepad++ and Brave browsers were chosen, because they are very popular software people commonly use as portable apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The portable Notepad++ is prepared by unzipping its official distribution file to the system\u2019s Downloads folder, and the Brave Portable is installed using its installer with the default settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this, the latest version of CCleaner is downloaded from its official website, it is installed, opened one time and then uninstalled from the Windows Settings Installed Apps. CCleaner was chosen for this test, as it always brings me joy to uninstall CCleaner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the tested uninstaller is run one by one to see which of them are able to detect Notepad++ portable, Brave portable and the leftovers of CCleaner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results are as follows. Just look at that beautiful, unified wall of ‘No.’ It’s like asking a room full of teenagers to take out the trash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program<\/strong><\/td>Detects Notepad++ Portable<\/strong><\/td>Detects Brave Portable<\/strong><\/td>Detects CCleaner Leftovers<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Revo Uninstaller<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
Revo Uninstaller Pro<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
Geek Uninstaller<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
BCUninstaller<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
HiBit Uninstaller<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
Uninstall Tool (CrystalIDEA)<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
Total Uninstall Professional Edition<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
Wise Program Uninstaller Free<\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td>No<\/mark><\/td><\/tr>
Uninstalr<\/td>Yes<\/strong><\/mark><\/td>Yes<\/strong><\/mark><\/td>Yes<\/strong><\/mark><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Only Uninstalr was able to detect both of the portable software as well as the leftovers from CCleaner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, I think I need to point out that there is great irony about CCleaner\u2019s own uninstaller leaving leftovers. You know, CCleaner, the program that was supposed to help you with leftovers, is itself leaving leftovers. Sometimes these bad jokes just write themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to see this test as a video, it is available on Youtube<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Test 2: Software Uninstallation Accuracy<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

In a VirtualBox virtual machine, a freshly installed Windows 11 was prepared with all the latest updates installed. Adobe Creative Cloud and Discord were installed from their official websites. Steam was also installed, and a Steam game called Bongo Cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adobe Creative Cloud was chosen, as it was identified by ChatGPT as a software that people often struggle to uninstall. Discord was chosen because it\u2019s popular and Bongo Cat because cats make every scientific and unscientific study inherently better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this, WinFindr was used with search terms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n