# Paste vs CopyQ Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Paste and CopyQ are both clipboard managers on a Mac, so the pick depends on workflow. Choose Paste for a beautiful, effortless, Apple-ecosystem history that syncs via iCloud. Choose CopyQ for a free, unlimited, scriptable, and private history. As of November 2026, both install with brew install --cask paste and brew install --cask copyq. Re-verified August 2026: Paste (~US$29.99/year or via Setapp) remains the most polished, Apple-native clipboard history on the Mac, with a visual card timeline and effortless iCloud sync to iPhone/iPad. CopyQ 8.x remains the most powerful and private alternative: free, GPL, unlimited, and scriptable with JavaScript across macOS, Linux, and Windows. Scores tie at 8.4/10 because neither product dominates the other outside its native advantage zone — polish versus power, convenience versus locality. The decision is less about overall quality and more about which trade you prefer to make daily. ## Head to head | Factor | Paste | CopyQ | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Paid | Free | | Open Source | No | Yes | | Replaces | — | Paste ($2/month) | | Best for | clipboard, clipboard manager, productivity | clipboard, productivity, history | | Install | brew install --cask paste | brew install --cask copyq | | Category | System Utilities | System Utilities | ## Paste Limitless clipboard Install: `brew install --cask paste` [Paste on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/paste) ## CopyQ Clipboard manager with advanced features Install: `brew install --cask copyq` [CopyQ on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/copyq) ## Features - **Visual History & Search.** Paste wins for visual, low-friction browsing; CopyQ wins for sheer volume and tagging. - **History Limits & Retention.** CopyQ is the archivist's choice; Paste gates unlimited history behind Premium. - **Automation & Scripting.** CopyQ dominates automation; Paste is deliberately low-code. - **Cross-Device Sync.** Paste is effortless if you live in Apple's ecosystem; CopyQ is more private but DIY. - **Privacy & Data Locality.** CopyQ is the privacy-max pick; Paste trades some openness for convenience. - **Platform Breadth.** CopyQ wins cross-platform; Paste is Apple-ecosystem exclusive by design. - **Pricing & Licensing (2026).** CopyQ wins on price alone; Paste asks you to value its design and iCloud convenience over cost. - **Apple Silicon & Tahoe 26.x Fit.** Both run on modern Macs; Paste feels more native, CopyQ is fully functional but visibly cross-platform. ## FAQ ### Is Paste or CopyQ better for Mac in 2026? Paste is better if you want a beautiful, iCloud-synced history with iPhone/iPad companions and are comfortable paying US$29.99/year (or via Setapp). CopyQ is better if you want unlimited, private, scriptable history for free across Mac, Linux, and Windows. Most casual Mac users prefer Paste's polish; most power users prefer CopyQ's control. ### How much does Paste cost today? Roughly US$2.99/month or US$29.99/year for Premium, with a lifetime license occasionally offered around US$64.99. A free tier exists but caps history length. If you subscribe to Setapp, Paste is included at no additional cost. Confirm in-app pricing at purchase as promotions change. ### Is CopyQ really free forever? Yes. CopyQ is GPL-licensed on GitHub (hluk/CopyQ) with no paid tier. Install via Homebrew (`brew install --cask copyq`) or download the latest 8.1.x release from GitHub. Donations are optional. ### Do both support Apple Silicon and macOS Tahoe 26.x? Yes. Paste ships as a Universal Mac App Store binary; CopyQ ships as a Qt6 Universal cask. Both require Accessibility permission after major macOS upgrades. ### Which is better for privacy-sensitive work? CopyQ. Its tab files stay on your disk, the code is open source, and there is no vendor cloud. Paste can operate locally, but its convenient sync uses iCloud and the app itself is closed source. ### Does Paste work on Linux or Windows? No — Paste is Apple-only (macOS plus iPhone/iPad). CopyQ is the cross-platform pick if you also use Linux or Windows. ### Can you automate clipboard transforms in Paste? Not internally. Paste offers rules and pinboards but no JavaScript scripting layer. For automation you delegate to Shortcuts, Raycast, or external scripts. CopyQ runs JavaScript commands natively on clips. ### I already pay for Setapp — which should I choose? Try Paste first, since your Setapp subscription already includes Premium. If you hit the scripting ceiling or want cross-platform support, add CopyQ alongside it or switch fully. ## Sources - [Paste — official site, pricing & features](https://pasteapp.io/) - [Paste on the Mac App Store (free tier + Premium)](https://apps.apple.com/app/paste-clipboard-manager/id967805235) - [Paste on Setapp (included in subscription)](https://setapp.com/apps/paste) - [CopyQ — official site and docs](https://hluk.github.io/CopyQ/) - [CopyQ GitHub releases (8.x line)](https://github.com/hluk/CopyQ/releases) - [Homebrew cask: copyq](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/copyq) - [CopyQ vs Paste — AlternativeTo overview](https://alternativeto.net/software/copyq-vs-paste/) ## Related - [Maccy vs Paste](https://bundl.run/compare/maccy-vs-paste) - [CopyQ vs Maccy](https://bundl.run/compare/copyq-vs-maccy) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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