The Clipy Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Clipy in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Clipy
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source clipboard history and snippets for macOS
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Clipy’s own pages.
Made by Clipy Project · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Clipy’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Clipy’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 116 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Clipy, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, but you install it and use it with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for clipboard history on a Mac
Clipy keeps a history of what you copy on a Mac, with snippets and a keyboard shortcut.
- 2
It is free
Clipy has no paid plan at all. Every feature is free; the site says there are no plans to charge for them.
- 3
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 4
Clipboard history
Keeps what you copy, extending the clipboard beyond a single item, with support for plain text, images and other formats.
- 5
Keyboard shortcut access
Open the history menu with a shortcut and pick an earlier item to paste, without leaving the keyboard.
- 6
Snippets
Save frequently used text as snippets and paste it whenever you need it.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 116 of 186
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Clipy is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Clipy at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Clipy Project
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free for every feature, with no plan to charge. Donations optional. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no paid tier and no feature held back. |
| Features | C | Clipboard history, shortcuts and snippets. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller job and there is no sync. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but you install it and use it with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, macOS 13 or later. No Windows, Linux, phone or web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want a free clipboard history
- People who prefer open-source utilities
- Pasting stock phrases from a small snippet list
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Clipy is free to use.
Free for every feature, with no plan to charge.
Free
$0
All features at no cost; donations through Open Collective or GitHub Sponsors are optional.
The free plan
Every feature is free; the site says there are no plans to charge for them.
Read from clipy-app.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Free open-source clipboard history and snippets for macOS. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, keyboard-first, clipboard manager, text expansion, menu bar app.
Clipboard history, shortcuts and snippets.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Clipy is made by Clipy Project.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
116/186
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
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
- AFree plan and trialAbove 107 of 186
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 186
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Clipy is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Maccy, CopyClip, Pastebot, Paste and CopyQ
The 5 tools Clipy is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Maccy
Free plan · from $4.99
Lightweight, open-source clipboard manager for macOS.
- Clipy also covers text expansion.
- 2.6GPA
CopyClip
Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
Text-only clipboard manager for the Mac menu bar.
- Clipy is open source, according to its own site.
- CopyClip can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Clipy also covers text expansion.
- 2.4GPA
Pastebot
Free trial · from $2.99/mo
Mac clipboard manager with pastebins, filters and stacks.
- Clipy has a free plan. Pastebot does not, though it has a free trial.
- Clipy is open source, according to its own site.
- Pastebot can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Paste
Free trial · from $2.49/mo
Clipboard manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad with pinboards.
- Clipy has a free plan. Paste does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Paste lists an iOS app.
- Clipy is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
CopyQ
Free
Open-source clipboard manager with tabs, commands and scripting.
- Only CopyQ lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Clipy also covers text expansion and menu bar app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Clipy free?
Yes. Clipy is free to use.
How much does Clipy cost?
Clipy lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Clipy work on?
Clipy is available on macOS.
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.
Who makes Clipy?
Clipy is made by Clipy Project.
What are the alternatives to Clipy?
The closest alternatives to Clipy in our directory are Maccy, CopyClip, Pastebot, Paste and CopyQ.
How does Clipy compare with other desktop utilities?
Clipy's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 116 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 37.
Is Clipy good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Clipy A for value for money. Clipy has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Clipy?
Clipy is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Clipy’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Clipy Project. Prices change, so check clipy-app.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Clipy, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/clipy
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Clipy: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/clipy
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/clipy/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Clipy, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 187 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- Just Color Picker Insider's GuideFree portable color picker and editor for Windows and macOS3.2 GPA
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Mos Insider's GuideFree Mac menu bar utility for smooth mouse wheel scrolling3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Clipy’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Clipy is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Clipy Project. Prices and plans change: check clipy-app.com before you buy.