Paste vs Copydrop: an honest comparison
Paste is the most polished clipboard manager on the Mac — and the only one left that charges a subscription. Copydrop's pitch is simple: the same grade of design, paid for once. Here's the full side-by-side, including where Paste wins.
The short version
Choose Paste if you need your clipboard history on iPhone and iPad, or shared pinboards for a team. Those are real strengths and Copydrop doesn't match them today.
Choose Copydrop if you work on a Mac and want unlimited history, instant search, and rich previews — without a subscription, an account, or any data leaving your machine. $8.99 once. The only recurring thing is the updates.
Pricing: $29.99 every year vs one payment
Paste charges $2.49/month or $29.99/year, with a lifetime tier also available. Copydrop is $8.99 one-time with free updates — no subscription tier exists, and there is no plan to add one.
Three years of Paste on the annual plan is about $90. Three years of Copydrop is the same single payment you made on day one.
Feature by feature
| Copydrop | Paste | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $8.99 — one-time | $2.49/mo · $29.99/yr · lifetime tier |
| Free trial | 4 days, no card, no account | 4 days |
| Account required | No | For sync features |
| Where your data lives | Only on your Mac — never uploaded | Your device + private iCloud (sync) |
| Analytics / telemetry | None | App Store label lists identifiers & usage data |
| Unlimited history | Yes | Yes |
| Full-text search | Yes, instant | Yes |
| Rich previews | Yes — full text previews, real thumbnails | Yes |
| App-native objects (e.g. Figma layers) | Pastes the exact original form | Varies by type |
| Passwords excluded by default | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone / iPad | No — Mac only | Yes, iCloud sync + iOS keyboard |
| Team sharing | No | Shared pinboards, Paste for Teams |
Privacy: architecture vs policy
Both apps say the right things about privacy. The difference is verifiable: Copydrop keeps everything you copy on your Mac — no account, no telemetry, nothing to opt out of. Paste's App Store privacy label discloses identifiers and usage data collected as "Data Not Linked to You"; Copydrop's label is "Data Not Collected." Here's how to verify Copydrop's privacy yourself.
Neither is a scandal. But a clipboard holds the most sensitive text on your Mac, and "the app physically can't phone home" is a stronger guarantee than "the app promises not to."
Where Paste is genuinely better
Fair is fair. Paste syncs your history to iPhone and iPad through your private iCloud, ships an iOS keyboard, and offers shared pinboards and a Teams product. It has years of refinement and the biggest user base in the category. If any of that is your core workflow, buy Paste — it's a good app.
Copydrop's bet is different: most people who copy for a living do it on one Mac, and they'd rather own their tool than rent it.
Questions people ask
Is Copydrop cheaper than Paste?
Yes — one payment ($8.99) vs $29.99 every year. Over three years, roughly $90 vs one payment.
Isn't a one-time app risky? What if it's abandoned?
A fair worry — the category has seen it happen. That's why Copydrop ships free updates on a public changelog, so you can see the development pace before you pay.
Can I switch from Paste easily?
There's nothing to migrate — install Copydrop, keep copying, and your new history builds from the first ⌘C. The 4-day trial needs no card and no account.
Try Copydrop free for 4 days
Full app, no card, no account. Then $8.99 once — one-time, no subscription.
Try free for 4 daysYour clipboard history never leaves your Mac.
Want the full list of options? 7 best Paste alternatives. More comparisons: Copydrop vs Maccy · Copydrop vs Raycast · vs the built-in history · pay-once options
Sources (verified July 2026): Paste pricing — pasteapp.io/pricing; Paste features & sync — pasteapp.io; privacy labels — App Store listings of Paste and Copydrop. Prices can change; if you spot something outdated, tell us at hello@copydrop.app and we'll fix it.