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Paste alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Paste: no free tier beyond the trial, and apple platforms only. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Paste, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Maccy currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Maccy logoMaccyOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 466.5
2CopyQ logoCopyQOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 457.2
3Raycast logoRaycastFree plan + paidNomacOS, Windows, iOS5 of 552.2
4Alfred logoAlfredFree plan + paidNomacOS4 of 450.3
  1. Maccy logo

    1. MaccyTop pick

    Best for: Mac users who want fast, private clipboard history without extras

    Open sourcemacOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Paste

    Free, open-source and minimal if you do not need sync or pinboards.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Very fast keyboard search and paste
    • History stays on your Mac
    • Respects password managers clearing secrets

    Cons

    • No sync to iPhone or other Macs
    • Minimal features by design
    • Recent versions need macOS 14 or later
    Visit Maccy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Maccy a good Paste alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026maccy.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Requirements
    macOS Sonoma 14 or later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026maccy.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Data storage
    Local only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026maccy.app(opens source in a new tab)
  2. CopyQ logo

    2. CopyQ

    Best for: Power users who want a scriptable clipboard manager on any desktop OS

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Paste

    Free and cross-platform, useful if you also work on Windows or Linux.

    Pros

    • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Tabs, tags and notes for organising clips
    • Command-line and scripting for automation
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • Dated, busy interface
    • No built-in sync between computers
    • Scripting takes effort to learn
    Visit CopyQ Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CopyQ a good Paste alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Linux, Windows, macOS 10.15+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hluk.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Formats
    Text, HTML, images and custom
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hluk.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Scripting
    CLI and scripting API
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hluk.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Raycast logo

    3. Raycast

    Best for: Mac or Windows users who want one launcher for apps, clipboard, snippets and windows

    Free plan + paidmacOS, Windows, iOS

    52.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Paste

    Free clipboard history inside a launcher, with snippets alongside.

    Pros

    • Free tier includes clipboard history, snippets and window management
    • Large extension store for popular work tools
    • Extensions are easy to write in TypeScript and React
    • Fast, polished interface with good defaults

    Cons

    • AI features and sync are locked behind a subscription
    • Requires an account for sync and team features
    • Windows version is newer and has fewer extensions
    Visit Raycast Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Raycast a good Paste alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, for personal and work use
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro price
    From $8/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Teams Pro price
    $12 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, iOS and iPadOS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Student discount
    50% off Pro
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Alfred logo

    4. Alfred

    Best for: Mac users who want a powerful, local launcher with workflows and no subscription

    Free plan + paidmacOS

    50.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Paste

    One-off Powerpack licence covering clipboard history and snippets.

    Pros

    • One-off Powerpack licence instead of a subscription
    • Visual workflow editor with thousands of community workflows
    • Fast, stable and keeps everything on your Mac

    Cons

    • Clipboard history and workflows need the paid Powerpack
    • Mac only
    • Major versions are paid upgrades unless you buy the lifetime licence
    Visit Alfred Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Alfred a good Paste alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Powerpack price
    £34 (single licence)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026alfredapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Lifetime licence
    £59 with free lifetime upgrades
    Checked Oct 25, 2026alfredapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Clipboard history
    Powerpack feature
    Checked Oct 25, 2026alfredapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Developer
    Running with Crayons Ltd
    Checked Oct 25, 2026alfredapp.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Paste alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Maccy logo

Best Paste alternative for most people

Maccy

Free, open-source and minimal if you do not need sync or pinboards.

CopyQ logo

Best Paste alternative for a free option

CopyQ

Free and cross-platform, useful if you also work on Windows or Linux.

Raycast logo

Best Paste alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Raycast

Free clipboard history inside a launcher, with snippets alongside.

Maccy logo

Best Paste alternative for open source

Maccy

Free, open-source and minimal if you do not need sync or pinboards.

Alfred logo

Best Paste alternative for Mac

Alfred

One-off Powerpack licence covering clipboard history and snippets.

CopyQ logo

Best Paste alternative for Windows

CopyQ

Free and cross-platform, useful if you also work on Windows or Linux.

CopyQ logo

Best Paste alternative for Linux

CopyQ

Free and cross-platform, useful if you also work on Windows or Linux.

Paste alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Paste?

Maccy ranks first right now. Free, open-source and minimal if you do not need sync or pinboards. CopyQ and Raycast follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Paste?

Yes. Maccy (open source), CopyQ (open source), Raycast (free plan + paid) and Alfred (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Paste?

Yes: Maccy and CopyQ.

Which Paste alternatives work on Linux?

CopyQ runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Paste?

The complaints we hear most: no free tier beyond the trial; apple platforms only; visual card layout uses more screen space than a simple list.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Paste, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.