Many users install disk cleaning utilities to optimize system performance. Ironically, several popular commercial suites install persistent background daemons that run 24/7, consuming RAM and battery even when the application is closed.
Understanding macOS LaunchDaemons
In macOS, LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents are background jobs registered with the system init daemon (launchd). Once installed, these helper processes start at boot and remain active indefinitely.
These background processes periodically poll disk space, monitor memory thresholds, transmit telemetry to remote servers, and display promotional banners. On Apple Silicon laptops, frequent CPU wakeups prevent the processor from dropping into its lowest low-power idle states.
The Zero-Daemon Standard
XrayMac operates with zero background services. When you quit the app, all processes terminate immediately. It uses 0 MB of RAM and 0% CPU cycles until you deliberately launch it again.