Maccy alternative for Mac: when to switch, and what to switch to

Maccy is the default answer to "what clipboard manager should I use on a Mac", and for good reason: it is free, open source and fast. This is for the people who tried it and want something different. It is not a reason to leave if Maccy already works for you.

First: Maccy is a good app

If your clipboard is mostly text and you want a plain, keyboard-driven list, Maccy is hard to beat, and it costs nothing. The reasons to look elsewhere are specific, so name yours before switching.

Reasons people look for a Maccy alternative

• You want to see what you copied, not read it. Maccy is text-first. If you copy images, colours, links and files, an app that sorts them by type and shows a preview helps.
• You copy files too. Maccy keeps clipboard history only. A shelf where you can park files while you work is a different job.
• You want it to look like part of macOS. Maccy lives in the menu bar, which is fine, but it is a menu.
• You need sync or OCR. Then you need Paste. Maccy does not do either.

The realistic options

Paste: for iPhone sync and OCR

The established paid option. It syncs through iCloud and can search text inside copied images. It is a subscription at $29.99 per year, which is the main reason people look past it.

Raycast or Alfred: if you already use a launcher

Both include clipboard history. If you are in a launcher all day, you may not need a separate app. If you are not, installing a launcher just for the clipboard is a lot.

Duplia: if you want categories, a shelf and a nicer panel

Duplia sorts clips into text, links, images, colours, code and files, shows the source app and time for each, pins what you reuse, and has a file shelf. The panel opens at your cursor or, on a MacBook with a notch, grows out of it. It costs $9.99 once, with a 7-day trial and no account. Everything stays on your Mac.

What it does not do: no iPhone sync and no OCR. If you need those, use Paste.

How to decide in two minutes

• Mostly text, want free: stay with Maccy.
• Need your clipboard on iPhone: Paste.
• Already live in a launcher: Raycast or Alfred.
• Want a clean, categorised history plus a file shelf for a one-time price: Duplia.

For a table with prices and features, see the full comparison of Duplia, Maccy and Paste.

Frequently asked

Is there a better alternative to Maccy?

It depends on what is missing. Paste adds iCloud sync and OCR search, Raycast and Alfred bundle clipboard history into a launcher, and Duplia adds automatic categories, a file shelf and a panel that opens at the cursor or in the notch, for a one-time $9.99.

Is Maccy still free?

Yes. Maccy is open source under the MIT licence and free to install from GitHub or Homebrew. There is also a paid App Store build with the same features that supports the developer.

What is a Maccy alternative with a one-time price?

Duplia costs $9.99 once for up to 3 Macs with a 7-day free trial. Alfred also sells its Powerpack as a one-time licence, with clipboard history as one of many features.

Related

• Duplia vs Maccy vs Paste
• Clipboard manager without a subscription
• How to see your clipboard history on a Mac