Pasteable vs Paste
Pasteable vs Paste
the Mac clipboard classic
Paste (pasteapp.io) is one of the oldest and prettiest Mac clipboard managers — rich previews, pinboards, and iCloud sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It is a polished Apple app. The catch: it stays on Apple platforms, it is a subscription, and its sync goes through iCloud, so it cannot reach a Windows or Linux machine.
Pasteable
Free · Pro $6/mo or $60/yr · $80 founder lifetime
Cross-platform · E2E sync · AI search
Paste
Subscription
the Mac clipboard classic
Where Paste is genuinely good
- Gorgeous visual previews and pinboards, refined over many years.
- iCloud sync across your Macs and iOS devices with no setup.
- Mature, designer-loved UI and keyboard-first flow on Mac.
Where Pasteable pulls ahead
- Runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux from one account, plus a web app for your phone today — iPhone and Android apps are in store review.
- End-to-end encrypted cloud sync — the cloud copy is unreadable without your key.
- AI semantic search finds a clip by meaning — and describes your images so “red hair” surfaces the right photo.
- Snippets plus OS-level text expansion (type a trigger anywhere to expand).
- A one-time Pro option — you are not forced into a forever subscription.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Pasteable | Paste |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac · Windows · Linux · Web · iOS & Android soonMac · Windows · Linux · Web · iOS & Android soon | Mac · iPhone · iPadMac · iPhone · iPad |
| Price model | Free · Pro $6/mo or $60/yr · $80 founder lifetimeFree · Pro $6/mo or $60/yr · $80 founder lifetime | SubscriptionSubscription |
| Local-first storage | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync | iCloudiCloud Paste syncs through your iCloud account; Pasteable encrypts each clip on your device before upload. | |
| AI semantic search | ||
| Snippets + OS text expansion | Snippets onlySnippets only No system-wide trigger expansion. | |
| Sensitive blur / password-manager skip | Ignore appsIgnore apps | |
| Native iPhone app | In App Store reviewIn App Store review | |
| Works on Windows & Linux | ||
| Web app access | ||
| File & image copy sync | Via iCloudVia iCloud | |
| Open source |
Comparisons reflect publicly documented features as of 2026 and are updated as products change.
Where Paste falls short
- Mac and iOS only — no Windows, Linux, or Android.
- Subscription pricing for new users.
- Sync runs through iCloud, so it only reaches Apple devices.
- No on-device semantic search and no system-wide text expansion.
The honest verdict
If you live entirely inside Apple and love Paste’s pinboards, keep it. If you ever touch a Windows or Linux machine, want your sync end-to-end encrypted, or want semantic search and text expansion in the same app, Pasteable is the broader, more private bet — with a one-time Lifetime option instead of a forever subscription.
Common questions
Can Pasteable import my history from Paste?+
There is no direct Paste importer, but Pasteable captures everything going forward the moment you install it. Anything you re-copy is immediately in your history and searchable.
Is Pasteable’s Mac experience as polished as Paste?+
Paste set a high bar for visual polish and we respect it. Pasteable matches the core flow — overlay, search, pin, paste — and adds Windows and Linux support, on-device semantic search, and end-to-end encrypted sync.
Try Pasteable free
Local-first clipboard history today. Add cross-device sync, AI search, and text expansion whenever you want.
v3.2.16
Pasteable for iPhone and Android is in App Store and Play Store review right now. Join the waitlist and we’ll email you the moment it’s live — or use the web app in your phone’s browser today.