Maccy vs CopyClip 2 (2026): Free vs Paid Mac Clipboard Manager
CopyClip 2 is one of the most-downloaded clipboard managers on the Mac App Store. It costs $8.99, stores only text, and has no privacy controls. Maccy is free, open source, supports images and files, and has a password-manager ignore list. Here is the complete comparison.
Quick verdict. CopyClip 2 costs ~$8.99 and is text-only with no app exclusion. Maccy is free, open source, supports images, and has a full privacy ignore list. There is no situation where CopyClip 2 is the better choice for a new install — unless you are specifically required to install apps from the Mac App Store only.
What is CopyClip 2?
CopyClip 2 is a Mac App Store clipboard manager from FIPLAB, updated from the original CopyClip. It sits in the menu bar, keeps a scrollable list of recently copied text, and lets you click any item to re-copy it. It is simple, lightweight, and has been around for years.
The “2” in CopyClip 2 adds search, themes, and a few additional settings over the original. The core limitation from the original remains: text only.
Maccy vs CopyClip 2 — full comparison
| Feature | Maccy | CopyClip 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | ~$8.99 one-time |
| Open source | Yes — MIT licence | No |
| Text history | Yes | Yes |
| Images | Yes | No — text only |
| Files | Yes | No |
| Rich text (RTF/HTML) | Yes | No |
| App exclusion (privacy) | Yes — ignore list | No |
| Regex search | Yes | No |
| Pinned items | Yes | No |
| Plain-text paste | Yes | No |
| iCloud sync | Optional | No |
| History size | Up to 999,999 | Up to 1,000 |
| macOS Tahoe compatible | Yes | Yes (App Store updated) |
| App Store distribution | No (direct/Homebrew) | Yes |
| RAM usage (typical) | 14–22 MB | ~10–15 MB |
The text-only limitation is a dealbreaker
In 2026, a clipboard manager that only stores text is functionally incomplete. Modern workflows involve copying screenshots, images from design tools, file references from Finder, and rich text from productivity apps. CopyClip 2 silently drops all non-text content — it stores nothing when you copy an image or file.
Maccy captures all content types. When you copy a screenshot and want to paste it elsewhere later, it is in Maccy’s history.
No privacy controls
CopyClip 2 has no app exclusion feature. When you copy a password from 1Password or Bitwarden, CopyClip 2 stores it in plaintext in its history. Maccy’s ignore list prevents this by default.
This is a significant security difference. If you use a password manager, Maccy’s built-in password manager exclusion is not optional — it is a core safety requirement for a clipboard manager.
The one reason to choose CopyClip 2
If your organisation or school requires that all software be installed through the Mac App Store only, and cannot add exceptions for direct downloads or Homebrew, CopyClip 2 is available there and Maccy is not.
This is a narrow, IT-policy-driven scenario. For individual users or organisations with standard policies, there is no functional reason to pay for a less capable app.
Migrating from CopyClip 2 to Maccy
- Download Maccy from maccymanager.com/download or
brew install --cask maccy - Grant Accessibility permission
- In CopyClip 2, identify any important recent items — copy each one, Maccy captures it
- Pin the important ones in Maccy (⌘P)
- Uninstall CopyClip 2 from the Mac App Store to avoid shortcut conflicts
Questions
Is CopyClip 2 worth $8.99?
No, not for most users. Maccy is free and more capable in every category except Mac App Store availability. If you need an App Store clipboard manager, CopyClip 2 is functional but limited. Otherwise, Maccy is the better choice at $0.
What happened to the original CopyClip (v1)?
The original CopyClip is still on the App Store as a free app. It is even more limited than CopyClip 2: smaller history, fewer features. CopyClip 2 is the paid upgrade. Neither matches Maccy’s feature set.
Does Maccy show promotions like CopyClip 2?
No. Maccy has no ads, no upsells, and no promotion of other apps. It is open source — the code does not contain advertising infrastructure.