An honest, side-by-side look at the popular macOS clipboard managers — and where a free, open-source option holds its own.
The essentials at a glance. Maccy is highlighted; competitors are listed exactly as they position themselves.
| Feature | Maccy | Paste | Pastebot | CopyClip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Subscription | One-time | Free |
| Open source | Yes (MIT) | No | No | No |
| Native AppKit / Swift | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fuzzy search | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Keyboard-first | Yes | Partial | Yes | Partial |
| Pinned items | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Images & rich text | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Local-only by default | Yes | Cloud default | Local | Local |
| iCloud sync | Optional | Own cloud | No | No |
| Password-manager safety | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Telemetry | None | Yes | Optional | None |
| App footprint | ~8 MB | Larger | Larger | Small |
Reflects publicly documented positioning as of 2026. Features and pricing change — verify on each vendor’s site.
Each of these is a good app. Here is what they do well — and what you trade by choosing Maccy instead.
A beautiful, feature-rich suite with cloud pinboards, multi-device sync, and an iOS companion. The most refined design in the category.
vs Maccy: Paste is subscription-based and cloud-first. Maccy is free, open source, local by default, and far lighter — at the cost of the extra pinboard tooling.
A one-time purchase from Tapbots with powerful paste filters, sequences, and quick-paste palettes. Built for people who script their pastes.
vs Maccy: Pastebot wins on advanced filters and sequences. Maccy is deliberately simpler, free, and open source — a fast history, nothing to configure.
A free, no-frills history app from the Mac App Store. It quietly stores what you copy and does the basics reliably.
vs Maccy: Both are free, but Maccy adds fuzzy search, pinning, password-manager safety, and open-source transparency that CopyClip lacks.
If you want a clipboard manager that is free, open source, private, and out of your way, Maccy is the easy pick. It covers the everyday essentials — searchable history, pinning, plain-text paste, keyboard-first navigation — without a subscription, telemetry, or a cloud account you did not ask for.
The paid apps justify their price with extras like cloud pinboards (Paste) and scripted paste sequences (Pastebot). If you genuinely need those, they are excellent. For the other 90% of people who just want their copy history one keystroke away, Maccy does exactly that, costs nothing, and lets you read every line of its source.
Yes — Maccy. It is free and open source, and covers the everyday essentials: searchable history, pinning, and privacy controls. You give up Paste’s cloud pinboards and iOS app, but you pay nothing and nothing leaves your Mac by default.
For core clipboard history, search, and pinning — yes, Maccy holds its own. Paste and Pastebot add premium extras (cloud sync, paste sequences). Maccy intentionally stays focused, free, and open source instead of matching every feature.
No. Maccy is deliberately narrow: a fast, searchable history and nothing else. If scripted paste sequences and advanced filters are central to your workflow, Pastebot is purpose-built for that.
You can audit exactly how your clipboard data is handled, there is no telemetry, and there is no vendor lock-in or subscription. Maccy is MIT licensed and developed in the open on GitHub.
There is nothing to try — it is free. Download it, use it alongside your current app for a day, and keep whichever fits. Uninstalling is a drag to the Trash.