Maccy vs PasteNow (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Maccy grades higher than PasteNow: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Maccy grades higher on value for money and the free plan. PasteNow grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Maccy
Lightweight, open-source clipboard manager for macOS
PasteNow
Clipboard manager for macOS and iOS with iCloud sync
Which one is for you
Pick Maccy if
- Fits if you want a clipboard history you search and paste from the keyboard
- Works for people who want clips kept on the one Mac and not synced anywhere
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, or a Mac older than macOS Sonoma 14
- Not for you if you want clips on your other devices, since history stays on the one Mac
- Too light for people after the extras bigger clipboard managers add, which it leaves out on purpose
- Watch out: the website's download buttons lead to paid copies, $4.99 or more on Gumroad or $9.99 on the Mac App Store
Pick PasteNow if
- Fits if you want clipboard history on both a Mac and an iPhone
- Works for people who sort clips into lists
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as it is Apple only
- Watch out: it needs macOS 14.6 or iOS 17.6 or later
- Watch out: iOS cannot record the clipboard in the background, according to a user review
- Watch out: the website's license price loads by script, so only the App Store price is certain
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMaccyGood | 2.4GPAPasteNowFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree from GitHub or Homebrew under the MIT licence, a download anyone can run. If you'd rather pay, the website copy is $4.99 or more on Gumroad and the Mac App Store one is $9.99. Same app, sold to support development. | C$7.99 as an in-app purchase, but the listing does not show whether it is one-time or recurring, so it sits in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe complete app is free if you get it from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew, with nothing held back. Just don't be thrown by the website's download buttons, which lead to the paid copies. | C14-day trial, then paid. No free plan, and the listing does not say whether a card is needed. |
| Features | CClipboard history is the whole of it: type-to-search, pinned items, paste without formatting, and a copied password dropped when your password manager clears it. The vendor says it leaves out the extras other clipboard managers add, and clips don't sync anywhere. | CLists, iCloud sync, keyboard control, exclusion rules and editing. A review says iOS cannot record the clipboard in the background. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: Shift-Command-C opens the history, you type to filter and press Enter. Pasting automatically is the one thing that wants the macOS Accessibility permission. | BNo rating on record that counts, but you install it and use it. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, on macOS Sonoma 14 or higher. It has Shortcuts actions for automating things, and that's the only tie-in listed. Your history stays on the one Mac. | BMac and iPhone, with iCloud sync. No Windows, Android or web. |
| Best for | a no-frills clipboard history on the Mac | a clipboard manager across Mac and iPhone |
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: Maccy and PasteNow. How we grade
Where they differ
- Maccy is open source, according to its own site.
- PasteNow also covers templates.
At a glance
| Maccy | PasteNow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $4.99 or more, pay what you want (website download via Gumroad) | $7.99 (PasteNow Pro, App Store in-app purchase) |
| Free plan | The full app is free from the GitHub releases page or Homebrew. The paid website and Mac App Store downloads are the same app, sold to support development. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Alex Rodionov | Tutu Studio |
| Price read from | p0deje.gumroad.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Maccy
- macOS only; it requires macOS Sonoma 14 or higher.
- The free download is on GitHub or Homebrew. The website's buttons lead to paid copies: $4.99 or more on Gumroad, $9.99 on the Mac App Store.
- History stays on the Mac, so the pages read describe no syncing of clips to other devices.
- It is built to do one job; the vendor says it leaves out the extra features other clipboard managers add.
PasteNow
- Requires macOS 14.6 or iOS 17.6 or later, with an older version offered for older Macs.
- A user review on the App Store says iOS cannot record the clipboard in the background.
- The website's license price loads by script and could not be read; only the App Store price is shown.
Key features
Maccy
- Clipboard history popup
- Shift-Command-C, or a click on the menu bar icon, opens the history. An item is selected with Enter, a click, or Command and its number.
- Type-to-search
- Start typing to filter the whole clipboard history and press Enter to select a result, without using the mouse.
- Paste options
- Option-Enter selects and pastes an item in one step, and Option-Shift-Enter pastes it without formatting. Automatic pasting needs the macOS Accessibility permission.
- Pinned items
- Option-P pins or unpins an item, and unpinned items can be cleared separately from pinned ones.
- Privacy handling
- If a password manager removes a copied password from the clipboard, Maccy removes it too. All history is stored on the Mac and does not leave it.
- Shortcuts actions and preferences
- The App Store listing says complex cases can be automated with Shortcuts actions and that every aspect of the app is configurable in preferences.
PasteNow
- Lists and smart lists
- Organize clippings into lists, or use Smart Lists with conditions to sort what you collect automatically.
- iCloud sync
- Syncs clipboard records between macOS and iOS devices through iCloud.
- Keyboard control
- Full keyboard operation with custom shortcuts in settings; the App Store listing says the paste shortcuts are macOS only.
- Exclusion rules
- Exclude chosen apps, or use other rules, so only data you want to keep is collected.
- Preview and edit
- Press Space to preview the original content, and right-click to edit it before pasting.
Plans
Maccy
GitHub or Homebrew$0
The complete app, downloaded from the GitHub releases page or installed with Homebrew. Open source under the MIT license.
Website download$4.99+
one-time, pay what you want (Gumroad)
The Download button on maccy.app leads to Gumroad, where buyers name a price from a $4.99 minimum.
Mac App Store$9.99
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store price)
The same app sold on the App Store to support development. Family Sharing covers up to six family members.
PasteNow
PasteNow Pro$7.99
App Store in-app purchase; billing period not shown
Unlocks the app after the trial; the website license covers up to 5 devices for one user.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Maccy or PasteNow?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Maccy starts at $4.99 or more, pay what you want (website download via Gumroad), and PasteNow starts at $7.99 (PasteNow Pro, App Store in-app purchase).
Which has a free plan, Maccy or PasteNow?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Maccy has a free plan. PasteNow does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Maccy and PasteNow run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PasteNow lists an iOS app. Both list a macOS 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.