ClipboardFusion vs CopyQ (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick CopyQ: it is second in our ranking of desktop utilities, though ClipboardFusion grades higher (3.0 against 2.8) on features and platforms.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
CopyQ grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ClipboardFusion
Windows clipboard manager with macros, triggers and syncing
Which one is for you
Pick ClipboardFusion if
- Fits if you want clipboard text cleaned up automatically on Windows
- Works for people who will write small macros to save repetitive steps
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you work mainly on a Mac, as the main app is Windows only
- Tight if you stay free, since custom-code macros and app ignoring are Pro
- Watch out: Pro Standard is licensed per machine, and Pro Personal is for personal use only
- Pricey if you deploy widely, at $199 per site or $899 for enterprise
Pick CopyQ if
- Fits if you want the same clipboard manager on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Works for people who script what happens to copied content and want history kept on their own device
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want clips to move between your devices, as a tab can only be mirrored to a folder on disk
- Not for you if you're on a Mac and dislike re-granting permissions, since the unsigned build needs Accessibility again after updates
- Tight if you're on Wayland, because pasting, global shortcuts and clipboard monitoring can need workarounds
- Watch out: tab data is stored unencrypted unless you turn encryption on, and the Mac build needs macOS 13 or later
- Not for you if you want it on a phone or in a browser, since it's desktop only
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAClipboardFusionVery good | 2.8GPACopyQGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro Standard is $19 one-time per machine, under a year of what the category's middle subscription charges. A free version stays too. | AIt costs nothing, and it's a download you install and run. The whole app is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. There's a Liberapay page if you'd like to donate, and that's the only place money comes into it. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe free version keeps working after the 30-day Pro trial, which asks for no key. | AYou get the complete clipboard manager on all three systems, and there's no paid tier. Nothing is held back, so there's no limit to hit. |
| Features | BFormatting removal, text replacement, macros, triggers and sync. Custom-code macros and ignoring apps need Pro. | CFor one machine it covers the job: tabs of text, HTML and images, filtering, notes, tags, pinned items, commands that fire when the clipboard changes, and password-protected tabs. The listing names the gaps, though. Clips don't travel between devices, only mirror to a folder on disk. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. Macros and triggers take some learning. | CNo rating is on record, and the rough edges are in the listing: the macOS build is unsigned, so Accessibility access has to be granted again after every install or update, and under Wayland on Linux pasting and global shortcuts can need workarounds. Browsing history itself is plain enough. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows main app with Mac, iPhone and Android companions. | CA program for computers and nothing else: Windows, macOS and Linux, no web version, no phone apps, and clips don't travel between devices. It does bring a command-line tool and a scripting API, and it works with GnuPG, GNOME Keyring, KWallet and the macOS Keychain. |
| Best for | a Windows clipboard manager with macros | a scriptable clipboard manager on any desktop |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: ClipboardFusion and CopyQ. How we grade
Where they differ
- ClipboardFusion can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- CopyQ is open source, according to its own site.
- ClipboardFusion also covers workflow automation and text expansion.
At a glance
| ClipboardFusion | CopyQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $19 per machine, one-time | Free |
| Free plan | After the 30-day Pro trial you can keep using the free version; Pro adds features such as custom-code macros and ignoring chosen apps. | The whole app is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license, with installers and packages linked from the GitHub repository. The site links a Liberapay page for optional donations. |
| Free trial | 30-day Pro trial with every download | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Binary Fortress Software | Lukas Holecek |
| Price read from | clipboardfusion.com | github.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ClipboardFusion
- The main app runs only on Windows 10 and 11 (and Windows Server); other devices use companion apps.
- Custom-code macros and ignoring chosen applications are Pro features.
- Pro Standard is licensed per machine; Pro Personal is limited to personal use.
CopyQ
- Under Wayland on Linux, pasting from CopyQ, global shortcuts and clipboard monitoring depend on the desktop environment and can need workarounds.
- The macOS build is unsigned: the docs say Accessibility access must be granted again after each install or update. macOS 13 or later is required.
- Tab data is stored unencrypted in the configuration directory unless encryption is turned on.
- Clips do not travel between devices on their own; a tab can only be mirrored to files in a folder on disk, such as a Dropbox folder.
Key features
ClipboardFusion
- Remove formatting
- Scrubs copied text so it pastes without formatting, automatically or with a customizable hotkey.
- Replace clipboard text
- Swaps defined strings in copied text for others, such as turning ampersands into their HTML form.
- Macros
- Write C# macros in the built-in editor to transform clipboard contents, or reuse macros shared by the community.
- Triggers and hotkeys
- Set actions to run on clipboard changes and bind key combinations to them.
- Clipboard syncing
- Share the clipboard with other computers and mobile devices through companion apps.
CopyQ
- Clipboard history in tabs
- Saves copied text, HTML, images and custom formats as items in tabs. Items can be sorted, edited, removed and moved by drag and drop, and they are restored the next time the app starts.
- Filter and paste
- The history can be browsed and filtered, and Enter pastes the selected item into the previously active window once that option is on. Items can also be pasted from the tray menu.
- Custom commands and global shortcuts
- The Command dialog (F6) adds predefined or custom actions that run from the menu, on a system-wide shortcut or automatically whenever the clipboard changes.
- Command line and scripting
- A copyq command-line tool and a scripting API can add, read and write items and clipboard content. The main application has to be running for commands to work.
- Tags, notes and pinned items
- Items can carry notes and tags. Pinned items keep their row and are not removed when a tab reaches its item limit. On Windows, tags and pinning come from plugins.
- Encryption and secret handling
- Built-in encryption, available since version 14.0.0, protects all stored tabs with a password. Clipboard content that password managers mark as secret is ignored by default.
Plans
ClipboardFusion
Free$0
Same installer as Pro; remove the license key to use the free version.
Pro Standard$19
per machine, one-time lifetime license
All Pro features, valid for future versions; suits a few machines.
Pro Personal$29
one-time, any number of home computers
Personal use on all your home computers plus one company computer only you use.
Pro Site$199
one-time, unlimited machines at one site
Unlimited machines at your site, with no license servers.
Pro Enterprise$899
one-time, unlimited machines and sites
Unlimited computers at unlimited locations, aimed at companies deploying widely.
CopyQ
CopyQ$0
The complete clipboard manager as a Windows installer or portable zip, a Homebrew cask for macOS, and Linux packages, AppImage or Flatpak.
Ways to pay less
ClipboardFusion
- Other savings
Discount for owners of other Binary Fortress apps
The purchase page says you can save money if you own ClipboardFusion, DisplayFusion, FileSeek, LogFusion, TrayStatus or VoiceBot.
CopyQ
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ClipboardFusion or CopyQ?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ClipboardFusion starts at $19 per machine, one-time, and CopyQ is free.
Which has a free plan, ClipboardFusion or CopyQ?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both ClipboardFusion and CopyQ have a free plan.
Which platforms do ClipboardFusion and CopyQ run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only ClipboardFusion lists iOS and Android apps and only CopyQ lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.