CopyQ vs PastePaw

CopyQ keeps a searchable history of clipboard content on Linux, macOS and Windows. It monitors the system clipboard and saves entries in customizable tabs, where users can search, copy, paste, browse and filter past items. Stored formats include text, HTML, images and other custom clipboard data. Entries can be edited, sorted, tagged or annotated. The app also offers system-wide keyboard shortcuts, customizable commands, scripting and a command-line interface; shared commands can be added or imported from the CopyQ Commands repository. Its appearance is customizable, and it includes a Vim-like editor. CopyQ says it does not collect other data or send anything over the network. It recognizes secret clipboard formats by default and excludes that content from storage, display and automatic commands. Built-in encryption can protect stored tab data with a user-set password, kept through Windows Credential Store, macOS Keychain, GNOME Keyring or KWallet. The documented default storage limit is 100 MiB per MIME type, and MIME-specific limits can be changed. The application is free under GPL-3.0.

PastePaw is a clipboard history application for macOS with a local MCP server that lets compatible agents search, read and write clips. Search checks the first 300 characters of each clip and any note attached to it. Eighteen clip tools cover formats and tasks including JSON, Base64, URL, YAML, XML, Markdown, HTML, JWT, QR and OCR. The macOS interface provides horizontal and vertical layouts, 20 themes, 29 looks, and light or dark modes. Clipboard history remains in a local SQLite database and is not uploaded, although anonymous usage statistics are enabled by default and can be disabled. Secure Collections encrypt stored clips, unlock with Touch ID or a Mac password, and stay unavailable to MCP clients; the main history database is not encrypted. Triggered AI features send selected content to the chosen provider. macOS requires version 14 or later on Intel or Apple Silicon. A separate Windows app is free and open source but omits several macOS features.