The best Maccy alternative depends on what you feel Maccy is missing. Paste gives you a visual clipboard history that syncs to your iPhone. Raycast (free tier) or Alfred (one-time Powerpack) put clipboard history inside a launcher. Gubb, which we built, keeps copied text next to your notes, to-dos and timers in one window. If Maccy already does what you need, keep it. It's open source and sticks to one job.
People usually look past Maccy for one of three reasons. They want a different, more visual layout. They want one tool that does more than the clipboard. Or they also work on Windows, where Maccy doesn't run.
- Maccy (stay with it): best for a light clipboard history you open from the menu bar or a hotkey.
- Paste: best for a visual clipboard history synced between Mac and iPhone through iCloud.
- Raycast: best for clipboard history inside a free launcher that also has notes and a calculator.
- Alfred: best for a launcher with clipboard history and no subscription (paid Powerpack).
- Gubb: best for keeping copied text next to your notes, checklists and timers, for a one-time price.
We make Gubb, so weigh our view accordingly. We've tried to be fair to every app here, and that includes saying plainly when Maccy is the better choice.
Maccy alternatives at a glance
| App | Best for | Price (as of November 2026) | Free option | Standout limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maccy | Light, keyboard-first clipboard history | $9.99 one-time on the Mac App Store | Yes, build it from the GitHub source (MIT licence) | Clipboard only, Mac only |
| Paste | Visual history synced to iPhone | Subscription (check pasteapp.io for current prices) | Not covered in our notes; check pasteapp.io | Subscription |
| Raycast | Clipboard history inside a launcher | Free; Pro $10/month | Yes, with 3 months of clipboard history | Unlimited history, sync and dictation need a subscription |
| Alfred | Launcher with one-time pricing | Core free; Powerpack £34 or £59 one-time | Core app only, without clipboard history | Clipboard history needs the Powerpack |
| Gubb | Copied text next to notes, to-dos and timers | $59 one-time (lifetime) | 7-day free trial of the direct download | Text only; no hotkey or quick-paste popup |
What Maccy does well, and when to stay with it
Maccy is a lightweight, open-source clipboard manager for macOS. Its App Store tagline is "Clipboard manager. No fluff.", and that's accurate: it keeps a history of what you copy, lets you search it, and pastes from it.
What it gets right:
- Price. The source is on GitHub under the MIT licence, so you can build it yourself for free. The Mac App Store version costs $9.99 one-time (as of November 2026), and the listing says it's sold to support development.
- Speed of access. It opens from the menu bar or with a hotkey. According to Softpedia, the default is ⌘⇧C (Command-Shift-C).
- Automation. The App Store listing says it supports Shortcuts actions.
- Focus. There's nothing else to learn or turn off.
One caution: Maccy's GitHub README warns about fake websites pretending to be Maccy. Get it from maccy.app, the Mac App Store or the official GitHub repository.
Stay with Maccy if you only need clipboard history on one Mac and like opening it with a keystroke. None of the apps below is simpler for that job. Switching makes sense when you want something Maccy doesn't aim to do: a visual layout synced to your iPhone, a launcher, or a notes window that collects what you copy.
For the built-in ways to see what's on your clipboard, read how to see clipboard history on Mac.
Paste
Paste is a visual clipboard manager for Mac and iOS that syncs your history through iCloud.
Good at:
- Showing your history visually instead of as a plain text list.
- Copying on your Mac and pasting on your iPhone, since the history syncs through iCloud.
Lacks:
- A one-time purchase. Paste is sold as a subscription.
Price: subscription. Check pasteapp.io for current prices before you decide.
Pick Paste if you move text between Mac and iPhone every day and prefer to see your clips laid out visually. If the subscription is what puts you off, our list of Paste alternatives without a subscription covers one-time and free options.
Raycast
Raycast is a keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history, snippets, notes, a calculator, window management, dictation and AI. It runs on macOS, Windows and iOS.
Good at:
- Clipboard history with pinning, filtering by type and pasting as plain text.
- Doing more than the clipboard from the same launcher. Raycast Notes was updated in version 2.10 (October 28, 2026). The calculator was rebuilt in version 2.12 (November 12, 2026) and handles dates, time zones and similar math.
- A free plan that covers the launcher, extensions and 3 months of clipboard history.
Lacks:
- A one-time purchase. Unlimited clipboard history, cloud sync, dictation and AI need a paid subscription.
- A dedicated notes window or board. It's a launcher first.
- Identical commands on every platform: some differ between macOS and Windows.
Price (as of November 2026): the free plan costs $0. Pro is $10/month according to Raycast's blog, and reviews put it at $8/month billed yearly ($96/year). The higher AI tiers are Pro+ at $20/month and Max at $50/month.
Pick Raycast if you'd use a launcher anyway and 3 months of clipboard history is enough for you, because then it costs nothing. See also our Raycast alternatives.
Alfred
Alfred is a macOS launcher. The free version does app launching, web search and calculations. The paid Powerpack adds clipboard history, Snippets and workflows.
Good at:
- No subscription. The Powerpack is a one-time purchase.
- Clipboard history that, according to one review, keeps plain text, images and file references, with retention you can set from 24 hours up to unlimited. We saw this in a review, not on Alfred's own site.
- Snippets and workflows in the same Powerpack, for text expansion and automation.
Lacks:
- Clipboard history in the free version. You need the Powerpack.
- Windows support. Alfred is Mac only.
- Notes, to-dos or boards. We didn't find any in what we checked.
- A trial. We didn't find one.
Price (as of November 2026): the core app is free. The Powerpack is £34 for a Single License (one user, two of their own Macs, current major version only) or £59 for Mega Supporter (one user, their own Macs, free lifetime upgrades). Prices are in GBP; one review puts the Single License at about $43.
Pick Alfred if you want a launcher plus clipboard history and dislike subscriptions. If you already own the Powerpack, you already have clipboard history and may not need Maccy at all. More options are in our Alfred alternatives.
Gubb
Gubb is our app: one small window for markdown notes, checklists and Kanban boards, voice-to-text into notes, clipboard history, timers, break reminders and inline math. Clipboard history is one part of it, not the main event, and that shapes who it suits.
How its clipboard history works on a Mac:
- Move the pointer to the right edge of the Gubb window and click Clipboard History. A panel opens on the right.
- Copy text anywhere on your Mac. Gubb checks the clipboard every 500 ms and saves each new item, tagged Text, Link or Code.
- Use Search clipboard... or the filter menu to find an item, and the Favorites tab for pinned ones.
- Hover an item to see Copy to clipboard, Edit content, Pin/Favorite item, Paste to note and Delete item. Paste All drops every visible item into your note.
Good at:
- Turning what you copy into a note. Paste to note and Paste All put clips straight into the note you're writing, next to your checklist or board.
- Keeping favorites. Pinned items sort first and are never removed automatically.
- Keeping history around. The database holds up to 1,000 unpinned items (the oldest go beyond that) with no time-based expiry. The panel loads the newest 100, pinned items first.
- Editing a clip before you reuse it.
Lacks (read these before you switch):
- No hotkey and no quick-paste popup. You bring up the Gubb window, find the item, click Copy to clipboard, then press ⌘V in the other app. That's slower than Maccy for everyday pasting.
- Text only. Images, files and rich text aren't captured.
- Capture starts when you open the panel. Nothing is recorded in a session until Clipboard History has been opened once.
- No password filtering or app exclusions. Anything copied as text, including from a password manager, is stored in plain text in Gubb's local database, which isn't encrypted. If you copy secrets often, clear the history afterwards with Clear History (the Keep favorites switch keeps pinned items), or use a different tool.
- Closing the window may quit Gubb, which stops capture. To keep it running, hide the window by clicking the Gubb icon in the menu bar instead.
Price (as of November 2026): $59 one-time (lifetime). The direct download has a 7-day free trial with no account, and a license activates on up to 3 devices. Gubb is also on the Mac App Store and the Microsoft Store for Windows.
Pick Gubb if you'd otherwise run a notes app, a clipboard manager and a timer side by side, and you'd rather pay once. If you only want clipboard history, Maccy is the better tool and costs less. The clipboard section of our help center covers every control.
You can download the Gubb trial for Mac and use it free for 7 days.
Comparison: which Maccy alternative to pick
| App | Platforms | Pricing model | What else it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maccy | macOS | Free (build from source) or one-time | Nothing else; clipboard only |
| Paste | Mac, iOS | Subscription | Clipboard-focused, with iCloud sync |
| Raycast | macOS, Windows, iOS | Free tier plus subscription | Launcher, extensions, notes, calculator, snippets, dictation (Pro), AI |
| Alfred | macOS | Free core plus one-time Powerpack | Launcher, web search, calculations; Snippets and workflows with Powerpack |
| Gubb | macOS, Windows | One-time | Notes, to-dos, Kanban, voice-to-text into notes, timers, break reminders, math and conversions |
- Keep Maccy if you want quick clipboard history on one Mac and nothing more.
- Pick Paste if you copy and paste across Mac and iPhone and don't mind a subscription.
- Pick Raycast if you want a launcher and its free 3 months of clipboard history covers you.
- Pick Alfred if you want a launcher with clipboard history and prefer a one-time payment.
- Pick Gubb if you want copied text to land in the same window as your notes and lists, and you'd use the other tools in it too.
For a wider field, including free options, see our roundup of the best clipboard managers for Mac.
FAQ
Is Maccy really free?
The source is free: Maccy is open source under the MIT licence, so you can build it from GitHub at no cost. The Mac App Store version costs $9.99 one-time (as of November 2026), and its listing says it's sold to support development.
Is there a Maccy for Windows?
No, Maccy is Mac only. Windows has built-in clipboard history (press Win+V; it's off until you turn it on), Ditto is a free clipboard manager for Windows, and Raycast also runs on Windows. Our guides to clipboard history on Windows and the best clipboard managers for Windows 11 cover the options.
Can I use Maccy and Gubb together?
You can keep Maccy for quick pasting and use Gubb for notes and timers. If you don't want a second copy of your history, don't open Gubb's Clipboard History panel. Capture starts the first time the panel opens in a session and keeps running until you quit Gubb, and the panel reopens at launch if it was open when you last quit.
How do I wipe clipboard history I've already saved?
Each app has its own clear option. In Gubb it's Clear History at the bottom of the panel. For the Mac in general, see how to clear clipboard history on Mac.