Paste
Limitless clipboard
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask pasteQuick Take: Paste
Paste remains the premium Apple clipboard to beat: beautiful history, Pinboards and sync, with privacy controls that free utilities still only approximate. The June 2026 Paste MCP launch meaningfully widens its moat for developers and writers already living in Claude, Codex, or Cursor, provided you run Paste 6.6+ on Mac and accept paid pricing. If you only need basic recall, Maccy or Raycast will do; if clipboard history is core infrastructure across your Apple devices (and increasingly your AI tools), Paste is worth the trial.
Best For
- •Apple-only professionals who live in copy/paste all day
- •Developers connecting clipboard context to Claude, Codex, or Cursor
- •Teams/families sharing Pinboards via Family or collaboration features
What is Paste?
Paste is a premium clipboard manager for Mac and iPhone (iPad too) from Paste Team / Wultra. It remains actively developed in August 2026, with App Store builds in the 6.6.x line and a website that still positions the product as an infinite, searchable clipboard with Pinboards, iCloud sync, and privacy-first defaults. Unlike macOS's single-slot clipboard (or Universal Clipboard's latest-item handoff), Paste keeps a visual history of text, links and images, plus files (snippets too) so yesterday's copy is still one shortcut away. The signature experience is a horizontal card timeline: rich previews show what you copied and where it came from, then search and filters, with Pinboards for keepers turn that stream into a reusable library. Current App Store compatibility lists macOS 14.0 or later and iOS/iPadOS 26.0 or later for the latest listing. That tracks how closely Paste follows modern Apple OS releases. The biggest product change since May 2026 is Paste MCP, announced June 2, 2026. Paste 6.6+ can run a built-in local Model Context Protocol server so Claude, Codex, or Cursor (and other MCP clients) can search clipboard history, reuse saved context, and help organize Pinboards, without uploading your clipboard to Paste's servers. Combined with Apple Intelligence writing polish and long-standing privacy exclusions, Paste is no longer "just" a prettier clipboard; it is becoming a local context layer for AI-assisted Mac work.
Closer look: from clipboard utility to local AI context
Paste's 2026 story is the shift from "remember what I copied" to "let my AI tools reuse what I already copied, locally."
Key Features
Visual Clipboard Timeline
Paste presents clipboard history as rich preview cards instead of a plain text list. See formatted text and image thumbnails, with links and file metadata at a glance, filter by type, and jump back months with search, including text found inside screenshots on supported versions. Drag cards into apps or paste via shortcuts without guessing which Cmd+C you need.
Pinboards
Pinboards store durable collections, email signatures, brand colors, code snippets, templates, separate from the ephemeral history stream. Boards sync over iCloud, support sharing for family/team workflows, and keep important items from rolling off automatic retention. They are the organizational backbone for power users who treat Paste as a snippet library.
iCloud Sync Across Apple Devices
Copy on Mac, paste on iPhone; collect research on iPad, reuse it at the desk. Paste syncs history and Pinboards through your private iCloud rather than a Paste-operated clipboard cloud. It complements Universal Clipboard by retaining a persistent multi-item history instead of only the newest handoff.
Paste Stack and Fast Paste Shortcuts
Paste Stack queues multiple items and pastes them in order, ideal for forms and repetitive data entry. Shortcuts like opening the timeline and pasting recent items with ⌘1-9 keep high-frequency paste work keyboard-native. Paste as plain text strips unwanted formatting when copying from the web.
Privacy Exclusions and Local Control
Exclude password managers, banking apps, and other sensitive sources so secrets never enter history. Pause capture, clear history quickly, and keep data on-device or in your iCloud account. Paste's marketing emphasizes that clipboard contents are not stored on Paste company servers.
Paste MCP for AI Tools
New since the June 2, 2026 announcement: Paste MCP is a built-in local MCP server (Paste 6.6+) that connects clipboard history to Claude, Codex, or Cursor (and other MCP-capable tools). Ask an assistant to find notes you copied today, draft updates from saved research, or create Pinboards, while you approve which tools connect. MCP setup is Mac-only even though Paste itself also runs on iPhone and iPad.
Apple Intelligence and Automation Polish
Paste integrates with Shortcuts/Siri for automations and can polish copied text with Apple Intelligence Writing Tools where the OS supports them. The iOS Paste Keyboard brings history into any app, keeping mobile workflows aligned with the Mac timeline.
Who Should Use Paste?
1Creative Professional
A designer keeps hex codes, logo exports, and client email templates on Pinboards while the live timeline catches screenshots from Figma reviews. Visual cards make it obvious which asset is which. With Paste MCP, they ask Cursor or Claude to gather everything copied for a brand refresh into a new Pinboard before drafting a handoff doc.
2Software Developer
A developer copies stack traces, API URLs, and code fragments all day. Paste preserves formatting and makes older errors searchable. They enable Paste MCP in Claude Code or Codex so the agent can pull the exact snippet copied an hour ago instead of asking the human to paste context manually, while password-manager apps stay excluded from capture.
3Content or Support Lead
A content manager stores headlines, meta descriptions, and canned replies on shared Pinboards. iCloud sync keeps the same library on Mac and iPad. Paste Stack helps fill CMS forms field-by-field, and the 7-day trial lets teammates evaluate before choosing monthly, annual, Family, or Lifetime billing.
How to Install Paste on Mac
Paste installs from the Mac App Store, Setapp, or the pasteapp.io purchase flow. Latest listings require macOS 14.0 or later.
Install from App Store or Setapp
Search for "Paste - Limitless Clipboard" (seller: Paste Team) on the Mac App Store, or install via Setapp if you already subscribe. Direct plans are also sold from pasteapp.io/pricing.
Grant Accessibility and Related Permissions
Launch Paste and allow Accessibility so global shortcuts work. Approve any additional prompts needed for previews or keyboard features on your OS version.
Configure Sync and Privacy
Sign in with your Apple Account for iCloud sync across Mac and iPhone, plus iPad, or keep history local-only. Immediately exclude password managers and other sensitive apps.
Optional: Enable Paste MCP (6.6+)
On Mac, open Settings → MCP & AI Tools, enable MCP, then connect Claude, Codex, Cursor, or another MCP client using Paste's setup guides. Update to Paste 6.6+ if MCP settings are missing (Setapp builds can lag slightly).
Pro Tips
- • Start the 7-day free trial before committing to monthly, annual, Family, or Lifetime.
- • Map a dedicated plain-text paste shortcut for web-to-docs workflows.
- • If you use window managers or launchers, resolve hotkey conflicts with Raycast/Alfred early.
Configuration Tips
Create Pinboards on Day One
Stand up a few durable boards (Snippets, Code, Links, Brand) immediately so the main timeline stays a scratchpad. Drag keepers into boards instead of hoping search will save you later.
Lock Down Privacy Exclusions
Exclude 1Password, Bitwarden, banking apps, and authenticator tools before you copy anything sensitive. Privacy rules are easier to trust than trying to scrub history after the fact.
Treat Paste MCP as Opt-In Context
Enable MCP only for tools you trust. Remember that a connected AI client may still send retrieved clipboard text to its model provider, Paste keeps the server local, but the assistant's privacy policy still applies.
Alternatives to Paste
Paste leads on visual polish, Apple sync, and now local MCP context. Alternatives trade those strengths for free pricing, launcher integration, or cross-platform reach.
Maccy
Raycast Clipboard
PasteNow
CopyQ
Alfred Clipboard History
Pricing
From pasteapp.io/pricing (August 2026): Personal plans are $2.49/month, $29.99/year, or Lifetime, with a 7-day free trial on plans. Every Personal plan covers Mac and iPhone, plus iPad with no advertised personal device cap when signed into the same Apple Account. The Mac App Store listing also shows in-app purchases including Annual $29.99, Monthly $3.99 (App Store channel), Family Plan $59.99, and Lifetime $89.99. Family Sharing covers your Family Sharing group via the App Store Family Plan. Paste remains available on Setapp for members who prefer that bundle. Student discounting is limited (Paste documents a 30% student discount for the first year of the annual plan on request).
Pros
- ✓Best-in-class visual timeline and Pinboards for Apple-centric professionals.
- ✓Genuine multi-device iCloud sync plus iOS keyboard access, not Mac-only history.
- ✓Paste MCP (6.6+) turns clipboard history into local context for Claude or Codex (Cursor too).
- ✓Strong privacy exclusions and a clear "not on our servers" stance for clipboard contents.
- ✓Flexible billing: monthly, annual, Family, Lifetime, or Setapp, plus a 7-day trial.
Cons
- ✗Paid product; free tools like Maccy or Raycast clipboard cover basics without ongoing cost.
- ✗Apple-only, no Windows or Android clients if your team is mixed-OS.
- ✗App Store vs website monthly price can differ ($3.99 vs $2.49), which confuses comparison shopping.
- ✗Large histories and rich previews can use more memory than minimal list-based managers.
Community & Support
Paste's community shows up in Mac App Store reviews, Setapp ratings, and Mac productivity forums. The Paste Team publishes product news on pasteapp.io (including the June 2, 2026 Paste MCP post) and maintains help articles for MCP setup with Claude, Codex or Cursor (and other clients). A companion GitHub repo (pasteapp/paste-mcp) documents the local MCP bridge concept for developers wiring assistants. Support is primarily via site contact channels and store review threads rather than a large public forum. Documentation quality for MCP is comparatively strong for a consumer utility, with explicit privacy notes that the server is local and connections are user-approved.
Frequently Asked Questions about Paste
About the Author
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
Expert Tips for Paste
Paste MCP is the first clipboard-manager feature that changes purchase rationale for AI-heavy Mac users: history stops being only human recall and becomes queryable context inside Claude/Codex/Cursor, if you are willing to trust those tools with retrieved items.
Setapp reviewers in mid-2026 still praise Paste as a daily driver while flagging sync hiccups; treat iCloud sync verification as part of onboarding, not an assumed always-on background miracle.
Hands-on reading of pricing surfaces shows channel split risk: quote pasteapp.io's $2.49 monthly when linking that page, and quote App Store IAPs when the reader will buy in-store, especially for Family $59.99 and Lifetime $89.99.
Related Technologies & Concepts
Related Topics
Mac Productivity Utilities
Menu-bar and workflow apps that accelerate daily Mac work, clipboard, window management, text expansion.
Clipboard Management Tools
Apps that extend beyond the single-item system clipboard with history and search, plus snippet libraries.
Local MCP and AI Context
Desktop tools exposing local context to Claude, Codex, or Cursor (and other MCP clients).
Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Aug 9, 2026
Key Verified Facts
- Personal pricing on pasteapp.io is $2.49/month or $29.99/year (plus Lifetime), with a 7-day free trial.[cite-paste-pricing]
- US App Store IAPs include Family Plan $59.99 and Lifetime Plan $89.99 (Monthly listed at $3.99; Annual $29.99).[cite-paste-appstore]
- Paste MCP was announced June 2, 2026 as a built-in local MCP server for Claude, Codex or Cursor (and other MCP tools).[cite-paste-mcp-blog, cite-paste-mcp]
- Latest App Store compatibility requires macOS 14.0+ and iOS/iPadOS 26.0+; Paste 6.6.x builds are shipping (e.g. 6.6.6).[cite-paste-appstore, cite-paste-setapp]
- Paste is available on Setapp as well as direct/App Store purchase paths.[cite-paste-setapp]
- 1Paste. Clipboard Manager for Mac, iPhone & iPad
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 2Paste Pricing
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 3Paste MCP & AI Tools
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 4Paste MCP: Turn clipboard history into context for AI tools
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 5Paste MCP Help
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 6Paste - Limitless Clipboard on the App Store
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 7Paste on Setapp
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 8pasteapp/paste-mcp
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Research queries: Paste clipboard manager pricing 2026; Paste MCP June 2026 Claude Codex Cursor; Paste App Store macOS 14 iOS 26 Lifetime Family; Paste Setapp 6.6.6