Clipdiary vs CopyQ (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick CopyQ: it is second in our ranking of desktop utilities, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Clipdiary grades higher on ease of use. CopyQ grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Clipdiary
Windows clipboard history manager with snippets and encryption
Free plan · from $19.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Clipdiary if
- Fits if you want a clipboard history that keeps for months on Windows
- Works for home users who qualify for the free license
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as it is Windows only
- Not for you if you freelance or run a business, since the free license excludes that
- Watch out: business use is $29.99 per PC
- Watch out: versions 5.72 and 5.73 are listed as beta on the download page
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
| 2.6GPAClipdiaryGood | 2.8GPACopyQGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APersonal is $19.99 one-time, under a year of what the category's middle subscription charges. | 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 | B60-day full trial, and free for non-commercial personal use. Freelancing and running a business are excluded. | 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 | CClipboard history, several formats, labels, snippets and a protected database. A focused job, done fully. | 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 | BNo rating on record, but you install it and start using it. | 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 | DWindows only. No Mac, Linux or phone version mentioned. | 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 | long-term clipboard history on Windows | 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: Clipdiary and CopyQ. How we grade
Where they differ
- Clipdiary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- CopyQ is open source, according to its own site.
- Clipdiary also covers text expansion.
In commonFree planWindowsWorks offlineLocal-firstClipboard manager
At a glance
| Clipdiary | CopyQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $19.99 one-time (Personal License) | Free |
| Free plan | Free for non-commercial personal use, nonprofits, and private computers where income is under $2000/month. | 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 | 60-day full-featured trial | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Clipdiary | Lukas Holecek |
| Price read from | clipdiary.com | github.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Clipdiary
- Windows only; the site mentions no Mac, Linux or mobile version.
- Free use excludes remote work, freelancing and running your own business.
- Version 5.72 and 5.73 are listed as beta releases on the download page.
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
Clipdiary
- Long-term clipboard history
- Saves clipboard contents to a database automatically, so clips remain retrievable even after many years.
- Several data formats
- Records plain text, RTF, HTML, images (BMP), files and more, so a series of screenshots can be saved too.
- Stars and labels
- Mark important clips with stars and use labels to arrange history into folders.
- Snippets
- Keep standard replies, addresses or code as snippets and paste them in a few clicks.
- Password-protected database
- History stays on your computer and can be locked with AES-256 database encryption.
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
Clipdiary
Personal License$19.99
one-time, lifetime license
Non-commercial use at home only; free updates from version 5.72.
Business License$29.99
per PC, one-time
For business, academic or government use; $24.99 each for 5 to 20, $19.99 each for 21 or more.
Extended License$39.99
one-time, up to 5 computers
Up to five computers owned by family members, including a work PC.
Site license$1499.99
one-time, up to 150 PCs
One license covering 150 PCs.
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
Clipdiary
- Nonprofit
Free for nonprofits and some personal use
The register page says Clipdiary is free for personal computers, not-for-profit organizations, and private computers with income under $2000 a month.
CopyQ
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Clipdiary or CopyQ?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Clipdiary starts at $19.99 one-time (Personal License), and CopyQ is free.
Which has a free plan, Clipdiary or CopyQ?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Clipdiary and CopyQ have a free plan.
Which platforms do Clipdiary and CopyQ run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only CopyQ lists macOS and Linux apps. Both list a Windows app. 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.