Is MacKeeper a legitimate program?

Lukian wrote:

And no, you cannot buy it in the AppStore - go and try to find it. (Not in my country version, anyway)

MacKeeper is marketed in the App Store under the name 911 Bundle. I believe it is available worldwide.

It is made by Zeobit, the same developer, and is essentially a 'MacKeeper Lite' that will provide you with persistent nags to purchase its big brother.

I believe that MacKeeper must have a number of satisfied customers, like helenfmb. I fail to see how it could have survived this long without them.

That doesn't change the fact that it has more dissatisfied customers than any other piece of software I've ever come across (at least in the Mac world), and that a large portion of those dissatisfactions are a result of MacKeeper causing severe operational and performance problems that in some cases have led to irretrievable data loss. So much is documented in the comments on my site (link at the end of this post) that others have mentioned, and indeed elsewhere around the web.

If you want to take the risk, go ahead and take the risk. The questions I would ask myself are:

1. What does this program do that really needs doing?

(The answer to this is 'very little', as every mac expert and Genius Store employee will tell you)

2. Can any of the things it does that I actually need be done by either cheaper or safer software?

(The answer to that is yes; just tell us what it is you think you need and we'll tell you what you should actually do; AFAIK, MacKeeper doesn't do anything that can't be done for free).

When people start believing product developers (with an obvious vested interest) over the community of users (who have no obvious vested interest) on the grounds that there must be a "conspiracy", I'd suggest you take a step back and ask yourself which is really the most plausible explanation.

Uninstall instructions for the infected:

http://applehelpwriter.com/2011/09/21/how-to-uninstall-mackeeper

Leaving aside whether its fake or not, These are the reasons why i think u don't need mackeeper.

1. It's costly and all its functions can be got from free apps and mackeeper is not in mac app store.

2. Mac users generally think that Mac is immune to all kinds of malware and virus, Which this software Mackeeper offers to protect ur mac from. And Yes, Mac is immune to many*.

3. Unnecessary pop up advertising of anything is fake and scam and over-marketing somehting which is of less value.

I bought mackeeper at my early days of using mac. I'm a mackeeper user, A neutral Mac user. I have found no problems with Mackeeper yet. But have to agree, It slow down ur mac when using mackeeper but that is what every app does when scanning/functioning.

That being said, Only function i find useful in mackeeper is fastCleanup. It cleans up all kinds of cache, language cutter ( i don't know what this means) but it cleans up more space all the time and I DONT LOSE any files.

Its generally a liesure software rather than any. Not Needed. It just gives u some comfort level.

It neither did harm or went to a level of protecting my mac from anything.

MacKeeper is legitimite, just unscrupulous. They are a bunch of Eastern Block dudes with unethical marketing practices. Each of the software packaged in MacKeeper can be found in similar software at macupdate.com for free. Also, they sell fear of virusus, that you need to clean, optimize, secure and protect files. What a load of balony. Mac OS X has built in utilities to repair disk & software updates for security, OS X doesn't need optimized. Today's Macs need very little maintenance Those guys at Zeobit must be making a bundle selling a software package that is really not necessary. So that's my issue and I advise my clients that it is a big waste of money.

Several folks mention that MacKeeper as "911" something-or-other is available on the Apple App Store. I'm not finding it under either of those names, nor does Zeobit turn up in search results. The website also has the name "Kromtech" which also isn't in the App Store. I'm supicious of anyone claiming this program is legitimate.

Recently, the MacKeeper website opens automatically when I click links on sites and to sites that are completely unrelated to that program. In other words, they are intervening in some way to force me to visit their website.

As far as I'm concerned, Zeobit, Kromtech, MacKeeper, or whatever they call themselves is malware and should be black listed.

I do not believe that orbor, seventy one or half of the people here know what they are talking about at all. Its fear for fear's sake.

Malware? Ha

Lagitamate? Ha

every program is legitamate. PavTube is legitamate but i bet no one in this thread uses it. I bet most would say that it is not legitamate because they dont use it or do not know how. THATS NOT A REASON TO SAY ITS BAD, which most of the post here sound like. These are clown post BRO.

I have used MacKeeper for 8 years with no problem. I didnt read post to figure out what it was. I used it to figure out what it was.

All of you are using macs and if a program can screw your machine up its mostly because you helped it. Macs are tanks inside and out. From the smallest kernal to the hardware itself.

Can anyone here sight a specific timeline of events that prove MacKeeper screwed you computer up? NO

Other than hardware failure there is no one program that will stop your mac from running. Yall sound like PC people who have always had to deal with problems and breaches. Now you want to ascribe your PC logic to a mac. Thats PC SYNDROME and if you have used a mac less than 5 years you still have it. Get a pill or some counseling.

I dont think that there has been over 30 viruses, trojans or malwares to ever effect the operation of a mac. and none of them stopped the mac from working AT ALL. You can go to terminal and **** up a mac but thats rare also.

I have used mac since OS9. I have used Mackeeper on 12 different macs including imac, G5's, mac pro's, mac minis, and the macbook air. On my current macpro I have a 1tb main drive and 600gigs of software. MacKeeper has been on the tower since 2008 with no problems AT ALL.

These negutive oppinions are illegitamate and unqualified. Use it dont read it. You are allowed to see for yourself. If you do not like it after some experimentation then you can be specific about your complaint other wise all of these oppinions are BULL.

seventy one: I do not click links to MacKeeper. As I said, I click a link on a website that has nothing to do with MacKeeper to open another site that has nothing to do with MacKeeper. A separate window for MacKeeper opens, as well as the site I was going to. This has started happening once or twice a day. They are somehow hijacking that click to open their website. It may be one particular website that I visit regularly, but I'm not sure about that. I don't know if they have infected the websites or on my computer. I'm scrubbing anything about them from my system. I am notifying the sys admins of any sites where this occurs. In any case, that constitutes infringement of my privacy, therefore I stand by "malware."

Preditor: There may have been only 1 but that doesn't mean that bad things can't be done particularly on clicking website links, which are particularly vunerable to hijacking in this way…at least from my experience.

Also note that my first point is that this product is not in the App Store by any of the names mentioned here. This is asserted by some as if verifies their reliability. I see no reason to believe these assertions.

ps seventy one: I also was not aware of their reputation until this morning when I got annoyed enough to search about them.

I run plenty of programs that are not in the app store. Apple wants you to believe that their app store makes things safe for mac. If you believe that then you will buy more from them. aka HIGHER PROFITS not better safety.

Find Smoke, C4D, Mpeg clipstream, Studiometry, Divinci Resolve, or even Adobe Creative Suite in the app store, They are not there. Now find people in the movie or broadcast industry that will say these programs are not legitamate. I am not even sure if diskwarrior is in the app store.

So what i am saying is that being in the app store means nadda / nothing other than this is what apple sells.

BTW. Google and Yahoo is spoffing your browser based on what you search. If you are signed in to google while you surf its even worse. Plus not all links are links. Some of them are ads, again based on your searches. They look like they are links to chocolatecake.com but they are ads for ask.com or netflix.

Its a browser filter or addon in most cases.

orbor wrote:

Several folks mention that MacKeeper as "911" something-or-other is available on the Apple App Store.

It used to be, but for whatever reason either Apple or ZeoBIT elected not to make it available through the AppStore a few months ago.

The website also has the name "Kromtech" which also isn't in the App Store.

Apparently they are under new management, but I don't know any more than what it says on the web site. I see they now have offices in the UK and AUS and nothing about their former Ukrainian connection.

Recently, the MacKeeper website opens automatically when I click links on sites and to sites that are completely unrelated to that program. In other words, they are intervening in some way to force me to visit their web site.

They used to be even worse, but are well known for their aggressive approach to advertising. It's possible they are using something new, so take a look at Thomas' Eliminating browser redirects and advertisements paying particular attention to any new Extensions you find in your browser.

orbor wrote:

I click a link on a website that has nothing to do with MacKeeper to open another site that has nothing to do with MacKeeper. A separate window for MacKeeper opens, as well as the site I was going to.

This is what's known as a "Pop-Under" which is a legitimate way to provide advertising content in most all browsers I know. It's different from a "Pop-Up" which can be blocked. Even Netflix resorts to this sort of thing. The site you click on has contracted with a third party to provide this advertising, so you need to take it up with them.

I don't see most of this because I'm using several extensions to block most all advertising. You might want to check into that.

Predator — Naturally, you're missing my point. OTHER people cited the presence of the application of the App Store as if it means something, not me. I trust the App Store is more than some random website, but sure they aren't perfect. In any case, it isn't on the App Store now, if it ever was.

MacMacs0 — Actually it's a "Pop-Over" not a "Pop-Under" and it's the same size as my browser window, which makes it much more annoying. I get plenty of pop-unders…yes, especially NetFlix's little window. However, I'm very confident that one of the sites (there may have been more than one) where I click the link does not have a contract with a 3rd party to provide this advertising. I have notified them. Thanks for the tip on the extensions. I'll look into them.

Thomas Reed.

1st i do not think i have made fun of spelling ever. It has always been my assertion that if you can correct the word then you must have understood and intelligence is understanding the message not the spelling.

I think anyone can tell i dont care about spelling or even syntax in my post.

2nd even apple puts unneccessary files on a device. Its called BloatWare. Also i do not believe apple or mackeeper is correct about junk files and when my mackeeper finds these files THERE IS NEVER A CHARGE.

Maybe thats the problem

YOU SAID:

"Before you start criticizing people's opinions of MacKeeper, you should read all the information that has been posted as to why they have those opinions."

Why would i care what those post say if i have the software myself. Though i have read about 30-40 threads on this only about 10% actually have a well defined reason for disliking it.

YOU Said:

""

Well, you're wrong. By my current count, there are 39, and that's not yet counting the newClapzok proof-of-concept virus that appeared two days ago. See:

Wow, Thats amazing. I'm so impressed that your number was 9 more than my guess. NOT ONE of those have shut down a mac. or impeded a program from running.

You Said:

"" The really nasty stuff can infect your machine and you'll never even know it's there. We still see Flashback infections now and then, despite the fact that the malware hasn't been in distribution for more than a year at this point. ""

If you do not know that malware exist or you have not seen it, then why would it be a problem? I cant see why. Maybe you can explain how something that never effects me is a problem?

There comes a point when you have been using something so long that you know enough to beable to discern what is a real threat and what is not. I pay attention to real threats and not manufactured problems that NEVER EFFECT ME.

People can always point out why something is bad or why you should hate or dislike something. That is the easiest thing in the world to do. We are trained to think that makes us smart. It does not. What makes us smart is how we capitalize on the good in life no matter how small. It is a good thing that i can uninstall programs fully all at once without going to different folders to remove the left overs. That is why i like Mac Keeper.

Any *** can complain or slander or tell you whats wrong. It takes a smart person to assess the good and use that to improve things. Everyone goes negutive but somepeople live by it. i.e. The GOP, TV Networks and the Media. I would add every forum on the web also.

So what do you find good about the program since nothing in it has shutdown a mac?

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when my mackeeper finds these files THERE IS NEVER A CHARGE.

That's because you already bought it.

Why would i care what those post say if i have the software myself.

I don't care. That's not my business. If you like it, fine. However, you are trying to influence others with your opinions of the program at the same time that you are criticizing us for doing the same thing.

I'm so impressed that your number was 9 more than my guess. NOT ONE of those have shut down a mac. or impeded a program from running.

You were off by 25%. That's a not insignificant amount, and it's demonstrative of the fact that what you are stating as fact is not accurate.

As to whether these have impeded a program from running, you're wrong again. Just to name one example, Flashback caused Safari to crash on opening, every time, in many cases. Other malware did far worse things than simply making things not work.

If you do not know that malware exist or you have not seen it, then why would it be a problem? I cant see why. Maybe you can explain how something that never effects me is a problem?

You don't have a problem with a malicious hacker redirecting you to phishing sites, logging your keystrokes, uploading files from your hard drive to a malicious server, capturing all your network transactions, etc? These are all things that malware may do, and you may never know about it. As far as most people would say, those things are far worse than making a program, or even the whole computer, crash.

So what do you find good about the program since nothing in it has shutdown a mac?

What do I find good about MacKeeper? Its anti-virus engine is actually pretty good. When I tested it in January, it caught 95% of my samples, and 98% if I eliminated extinct malware from the sample set. That's because it's using the Avira engine, which is developed by anti-virus professionals. (Prior to this change, their anti-virus engine stank... badly.)

Beyond that, its functions are largely unnecessary or can be duplicated by free or cheaper software. (Even the Avira anti-virus engine is free.) Its "cleaning" functions are frankly scareware, and have been known to damage systems in the past. The developers have used outright fraudulent advertising techniques in the past. They have even tried to pay me to express a different opinion publicly.

Thomas Reed

You Said:

You don't have a problem with a malicious hacker redirecting you to phishing sites, logging your keystrokes, uploading files from your hard drive to a malicious server, capturing all your network transactions, etc? These are all things that malware may do, and you may never know about it. As far as most people would say, those things are far worse than making a program, or even the whole computer, crash.

None of this has ever happened. two words Little Snitch google it an download. Dont forget 600gigs of software. Just because others dont know these programs which are not on the app store is not my problem.

Its like people who try to knock verizon's services cause they cant afford them. Peoples inability to know or afford is not a reason to say something is not good and most of the post on mackeeper are like that.

My quam is not that i am a mac keeper cheerleader. I am just against non researched opinions. People read 5 pages and thing they know something. They dont. Until you are in the water you dont know how it feels.

I am certified in fcp but it ***** now but will i come out here and say you cant do pro work with it? NO

I just dont like it and that does not make FCP a bad program.

MacKeeper is a useful program period. Have you ever once thought that your experience with mackeeper is bad cause you expect the free version to work like the paid version. What it cost is so nominal i dont even remember what i paid. But i would guess less thn 100.

People should educate themselves and stop repeating what they hear or read. most of the opinions on the web are not credible. you can even put mine in that category if you like. But i am not paid by who ever makes MacKeeper and i would do the same defence of mac, adobe, maxon, autocad, smoke, panasonic, sony, red, samsung, motorola, verizon, dodge, range rover, ecco, duluth trading or any of the products i have had GREAT results with.

No everyone does not have the same experience but in most cases its because they dont know what they are doing or how to use what they have.

MOTTO:

It is more important to do what you can with what you have, than it is to talk about what you could do with what you dont have.

Motto 2:

Knowledge plus action = wisdom.

Stolen Motto:

Its not that i am smarter than you its just that i stick with the problem longer.

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Preditor wrote:

This is the day i switched from a 500gb hard drive to a 1 tb hard drive.

OK, I can accept that, but I don't understand what point you are making? You've used it since Aug 2011? That's quite a bit less than 8 years.

I downloaded MacKeeper 1.0 on Jan 18, 2011. I also spoke with their Tech Support desk at length shortly after that as they are located about a mile from my home and I needed to understand more about their anti-virus module to solve a conflict I was troubleshooting. I also spent some time talking to the CEO about a variety of subjects at Macworld 2012.

Preditor wrote:

Wiki can be edited by anyone...

But the Better Business Bureau records cannot: ZeoBIT, LLC and now they are into Cloud computing.