Clipy review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source clipboard history and snippets for macOS
Clipy report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for clipboard history on a Mac
Clipy keeps a history of what you copy on a Mac, with snippets and a keyboard shortcut. It is free and open source. It runs on macOS 13 or later only, has no sync, and its pace depends on volunteers.
Who Clipy is for
- Fits if you want a free clipboard history on a Mac
- Works for people who paste the same snippets a lot
Who Clipy is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Not for you if you want history on your phone too, as there is no sync
- Watch out: it needs macOS 13.0 or later
- Watch out: updates depend on volunteers, as it is funded by donations
Why Clipy gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree for every feature, with no plan to charge. Donations optional.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no paid tier and no feature held back.
- CFeaturesClipboard history, shortcuts and snippets. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller job and there is no sync.
- BEase of useNo rating on record, but you install it and use it with nothing to set up.
- DPlatforms and integrationsMac only, macOS 13 or later. No Windows, Linux, phone or web version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Clipy's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/clipy#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/clipy.svg" alt="Clipy: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Clipy stands among desktop utilities
Clipy's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 116 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 37.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 107 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Clipy has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Clipy’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186, level with 131
- AFree plan and trialAbove 107 of 186, level with 79
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186, level with 110
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186, level with 108
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186, level with 110
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Clipy, or make your own?
Keep it
Clipy is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- A clipboard history running in the background of your computer.
- Text expansion that works in every app.
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Clipy’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Clipy?
Clipy is a clipboard manager for macOS that keeps a history of what you copy, including plain text, images and other formats. A keyboard shortcut opens the history, and frequently used text can be saved as snippets and pasted later. It is built on the open-source code of ClipMenu and is free to use.
Worth knowing
- Runs on macOS 13.0 or later only; there is no Windows, Linux or mobile version.
- The site lists no cross-device sync, so history stays on one Mac.
- Funded by donations, so support and update pace depend on volunteers.
Key features
- Clipboard history
- Keeps what you copy, extending the clipboard beyond a single item, with support for plain text, images and other formats.
- Keyboard shortcut access
- Open the history menu with a shortcut and pick an earlier item to paste, without leaving the keyboard.
- Snippets
- Save frequently used text as snippets and paste it whenever you need it.
- Open source
- The code is public and the site invites bug reports, feature requests and pull requests through its issue tracker.
Clipy pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Clipy is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Every feature is free; the site says there are no plans to charge for them.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | All features at no cost; donations through Open Collective or GitHub Sponsors are optional. |
Read from clipy-app.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Clipy before you buy.
Clipy alternatives
- Clipy vs Maccy
Free plan · from $4.99
- Clipy vs CopyClip
Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
- Clipy vs Pastebot
Free trial · from $2.99/mo
- Clipy vs Paste
Free trial · from $2.49/mo
- Clipy vs CopyQ
Free
Common questions
Does Clipy have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Clipy is listed for macOS.
Does Clipy have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Clipy is listed for macOS.
Is Clipy open source?
Yes. Clipy is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.