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. It is a polished Mac app. The catch: it stays on Apple platforms, it is a subscription, and its sync is plain iCloud rather than end-to-end encrypted content.
Pasteable
Free + one-time Pro
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, Linux, iPhone, and Android from one account.
- Optional end-to-end encrypted cloud sync — the cloud copy is unreadable without your key.
- AI semantic search finds a clip by meaning, not exact text.
- 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 · iPhone · AndroidMac · Windows · Linux · iPhone · Android | Mac · iPhone · iPadMac · iPhone · iPad |
| Price model | Free + one-time ProFree + one-time Pro | SubscriptionSubscription |
| Local-first storage | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync | Paste uses iCloud; content is not E2E encrypted. | |
| AI semantic search | ||
| Snippets + OS text expansion | Snippets onlySnippets only No system-wide trigger expansion. | |
| Sensitive blur / password-manager skip | Ignore appsIgnore apps | |
| Mobile keyboard with synced clips | Paste has an iOS app, not a keyboard extension. | |
| Team shared clips | ||
| Web app access | ||
| File & image copy sync | Images via iCloudImages via 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; no lifetime option.
- Sync is iCloud, not end-to-end encrypted content — Apple holds the cloud copy.
- No AI semantic search, no OS-level text expansion, no team shared clips.
The honest verdict
If you live entirely inside Apple and love Paste’s pinboards, keep it. If you ever touch Windows, Linux, or Android, want your sync end-to-end encrypted, or want AI search and text expansion in the same app, Pasteable is the broader, more private bet — without 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 cross-platform reach, AI search, and E2E sync that Paste does not offer.
Try Pasteable free
Local-first clipboard history today. Add cross-device sync, AI search, and text expansion whenever you want.