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Doppelgone vs PicSweep: duplicate photo cleaners for Google Photos and iCloud (2026)

Updated November 8, 2026 · 7 min read

PicSweep and Doppelgone are both Chrome extensions that find duplicate photos in Google Photos and in iCloud Photos, so they are close rivals. PicSweep is ahead on a daily free allowance, a $4.99 30-day pass, a blurry-photo finder, duplicate videos and adjustable similarity. Doppelgone adds apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, shows the reason for each shot it keeps, and sells Pro as one payment of $9.99 for up to 3 libraries. The two describe privacy differently, and the wording is worth reading before you sign in.

We make Doppelgone, so for PicSweep we've stuck to its Chrome Web Store listing and its own website, both read on 8 November 2026. We haven't run a side-by-side test, so we don't claim either tool finds more duplicates. Features and prices change, so check them before you buy.

Start with the free options

On an iPhone, Apple's Duplicates album in the Photos app is free. Apple says that from iOS 16 the Photos app detects duplicate photos and videos, and that detection needs the iPhone to be locked and connected to power. Google's own organising feature is Photo Stacks, which groups similar photos taken close together and picks a top shot. For a clean-up of icloud.com or photos.google.com from a computer, you need a tool such as the two compared here. More in Google Photos duplicate remover alternatives.

At a glance

Doppelgone PicSweep
Runs on Chrome extension (Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS), plus Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps Chrome extension
Cloud library or local Google Photos and iCloud Photos in the browser; local photos in the apps Google Photos and iCloud Photos in the browser
Price model Free: unlimited scans, 200 clean-ups in total. Pro: one payment of $9.99, up to 3 libraries, no subscription Free: 1,000 photo hashes and 50 deletions a day. $4.99 for 30 days, $3.99 a month or $34.99 a year
What it keeps The best shot of each set (eyes open, sharp, well lit), with the reason shown Selects duplicates for you, with adjustable similarity. Favourited or starred items protected by default
Videos Not part of clean-ups Groups videos by duration, time and visual similarity
Privacy Your photos never leave your device. Listing: media "never leaves your device". Site FAQ: anonymous hashes are sent to its servers

What PicSweep says about itself

On 8 November 2026 the Chrome Web Store listing showed about 1,000 users and a rating of 4.7 from 6 ratings. The version was 2.9.3, updated on 8 November 2026, and the listing offers 24 languages. The developer is Burak Sezin Ovant, at algorythmio.com.

Selected items go to the Google Photos trash or to iCloud's Recently Deleted. Doppelgone's removals work the same way: removed photos wait 30 days in the service's own trash, with one-click Undo. Google frees the space once its trash is emptied; Apple doesn't count Recently Deleted toward iCloud storage, so iCloud space comes back straight away.

Privacy: the two statements side by side

This is the one place where PicSweep's own pages don't match, so here are both.

  • Chrome Web Store listing: "Your media never leaves your device and is never uploaded to an external server."
  • PicSweep website FAQ: "Only lightweight, anonymous mathematical hashes are sent to our servers for similarity grouping." It adds that the actual images are never transmitted or stored.

The two can be read together: the pictures stay put, while hashes go to its server. But someone who reads only the store listing could get a different idea of what leaves the browser. If that matters to you, read PicSweep's privacy policy.

For Doppelgone, your photos never leave your device. Our privacy page lists the little that does go to our server.

Where PicSweep is the better choice

  • A daily free allowance. The free plan resets each day, with 1,000 photo hashes and 50 deletions a day. Doppelgone's free plan scans everything but allows 200 clean-ups in total. If you want to clear a big library slowly, for free, PicSweep's daily limit may suit you.
  • A short-term pass. $4.99 buys 30 days of unlimited scans and deletions, with no renewal. If you only need one big clean-up, that's a fair deal.
  • A blurry-photo finder. PicSweep's site lists blur detection on its free tier. Doppelgone's clean-ups cover duplicates, similar shots and bursts.
  • Duplicate videos. The listing says videos can be filtered and grouped by duration, time and visual similarity. Doppelgone doesn't clean up videos.
  • Adjustable similarity. You can group only near-identical images, or widen the threshold to catch sequential shots and edits.

Where Doppelgone is different

  • Beyond the browser. There are apps for Windows (Microsoft Store), Mac, iPhone (iOS 17 or newer) and Android (Android 11 or newer). They clean the photos on the device itself, such as camera imports, old phone backups, bursts and pictures saved from chats. The Mac app also cleans the Apple Photos library. The Windows, Mac and Android apps don't reach Google Photos or icloud.com in the cloud. The Chrome extension does that.
  • The reason is shown. In each set Doppelgone keeps the best shot and says why. You approve every clean-up. Sets it is less sure about are marked "Your call". PicSweep's pages don't say whether it explains its picks.
  • Protected photos. Favourites, videos, motion photos and Live Photos, and photos shared with you are never touched.
  • One payment. Pro is $9.99 once, with no subscription, for unlimited clean-ups on up to 3 libraries. That covers Google Photos and iCloud accounts, your computers and Android phones, together. PicSweep's $4.99 pass lasts 30 days, and its other plans renew monthly or yearly.

Who should pick which

Pick PicSweep if you want a free daily allowance, a cheap 30-day pass for one big job, a blur finder, duplicate videos, or control over how strict the matching is.

Pick Doppelgone if you also want to clean photos on your Windows PC, Mac or phone, you want to see why each shot was kept, or you'd rather pay once and be done.

Use both if you like. Don't run two clean-ups on the same library at the same time, and review each one before you approve it.

Frequently asked questions

Is PicSweep free?

Partly. PicSweep's website lists a free plan with 1,000 photo hashes and 50 deletions a day. Paid options are $4.99 for a 30-day pass, $3.99 a month or $34.99 a year. The Chrome Web Store listing itself doesn't state these limits, so check the site. Doppelgone is free for unlimited scans and 200 clean-ups in total, and Pro is one payment of $9.99.

Is PicSweep safe to use?

PicSweep's listing says your media is never uploaded, and its website says only anonymous hashes are sent to its servers for similarity grouping. Both say your images stay on your device. Read its privacy policy, and note that removals go to the Google Photos or iCloud trash, where you can restore them.

Does PicSweep work on iCloud Photos?

Yes. Its listing and site say it supports Google Photos and iCloud Photos. Doppelgone's Chrome extension does too, and the Mac and iPhone apps also clean the Apple Photos library.

Does PicSweep find duplicate videos or blurry photos?

Its listing says videos can be grouped by duration, time and visual similarity, and its website lists blur detection. Doppelgone doesn't clean up videos; its clean-ups cover duplicates, similar shots and bursts.

Can I undo a clean-up?

Both send removals to the service's own trash. With Doppelgone they wait 30 days, with one-click Undo. See iCloud Recently Deleted explained and Google Photos trash explained.

What to do next

Add Doppelgone to Chrome, open Google Photos or iCloud Photos and run a free scan. Nothing moves until you approve it. For folders on a PC or Mac, or for your phone, use the download page. The free plan covers 200 clean-ups, and Pro is one payment if you need more.

Sources

Checked on 8 November 2026:

Google Photos is a trademark of Google LLC; iCloud is a trademark of Apple Inc. Doppelgone is not affiliated with Google or Apple. PicSweep is a product of its developer, and Doppelgone is not affiliated with PicSweep.