MacPaste vs CopyClip:
simple free or capable indie?
CopyClip is the free Mac App Store classic from Fiplab. CopyClip 2 ($7.99) adds a few features. MacPaste sits in a different league: images, tags, hover preview, iPhone sync.
You want a real clipboard tool
- You copy images, screenshots, and files — not just text
- You want a modern panel UI with search and preview
- You want Mac ↔ iPhone iCloud sync
- You want color tags and pinned boards
You want the absolute basics, free
- You only need a tiny text history (last 10-25 items)
- You don't want to install anything outside the Mac App Store
- You prefer the lowest-friction menu bar dropdown
- You don't want any new feature, ever
| MacPaste | CopyClip / CopyClip 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free · Pro $49 lifetime | CopyClip Free · CopyClip 2 $7.99 |
| Distribution | Direct download · notarized | Mac App Store only |
| History size | Unlimited | Up to 25 (free) · 999 (CopyClip 2) |
| Images / screenshots | Yes | No (text only) |
| Color tags | Yes · 7 colors | No |
| iCloud Sync Mac ↔ iPhone | Yes (Pro) | No |
| iPhone app | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Pinned boards | Yes | No |
| Search in history | Yes | Basic |
| Hover preview | Yes (scrollable) | No |
| Auto-exclusion of password apps | Yes | Manual ignore list |
| Modern UI | Yes | Minimal menu bar |
| Last meaningful update | Active | Sparse since 2022 |
CopyClip is the gentle entry point.
For years, CopyClip has been the answer for Mac users who want a free clipboard history with zero learning curve. Install from the App Store, click the menu bar icon, see your last 25 text copies. That's the entire product.
It's perfect for someone who occasionally needs to recover "that URL I just copied" — and that's it. No images, no sync, no labels, no search worth the name.
Where MacPaste delivers more
- Images and files. CopyClip only captures text. MacPaste keeps images, screenshots, and file references — with visual previews directly in the panel.
- Unlimited history. CopyClip free caps at 25. CopyClip 2 caps at 999. MacPaste keeps everything you've ever copied, searchable.
- Color tags + pinned boards. Organize clips by importance, type, or context. CopyClip has none of this.
- iCloud sync + iPhone app. CopyClip is Mac-only. MacPaste Pro syncs across devices.
- Active development. CopyClip 2 has had sparse updates. MacPaste is in active weekly development.
When CopyClip is the right call
Genuinely: if all you need is a tiny text history and you never copy images, you don't need anything bigger. CopyClip free does the job and costs nothing. We won't pretend MacPaste is necessary for that use case.
The moment you notice yourself wishing the clipboard had "that screenshot from earlier" or "the snippet I keep retyping" or "the URL I lost when I copied something else" — that's when MacPaste earns its keep.
Outgrow CopyClip?
Free for unlimited local history. Pay only if you want iPhone sync.
Download MacPaste