Superclip vs Paste: Which Clipboard Manager Should You Use?

If you've looked into clipboard managers for macOS, you've probably come across Paste. It's been around since 2016 and it's the most well-known option. But is it the best one for you?

We built Superclip because we thought macOS deserved a more complete clipboard tool — one that combines history, OCR, paste stack, and screen capture in a single app. Here's how the two compare.

Quick comparison

| Feature | Superclip | Paste | |---|---|---| | Clipboard history | 100 items | Unlimited | | Search | Full-text | Full-text | | Pinboards | Yes | Yes | | Paste stack | Yes | No | | Built-in OCR | Yes | No | | Screen capture | Coming soon | No | | iCloud sync | No | Yes | | iOS app | Planned | Yes | | Privacy (local-only) | Yes | Optional | | Price | $14.99/yr | $29.99/yr |

Feature-by-feature breakdown

Clipboard history

Both apps keep a searchable history of everything you copy. Paste stores unlimited items with iCloud sync across devices. Superclip keeps up to 100 items locally on your Mac.

For most people, 100 items is more than enough — you rarely need something you copied days ago. But if cross-device sync is critical for your workflow, Paste has the edge here.

Pinboards

Both apps let you pin frequently-used clips for quick access. The implementations are similar — you can organize pins into categories and access them with keyboard shortcuts. Learn more about how pinboards work in Superclip.

Paste stack

This is where Superclip pulls ahead. Paste stack lets you copy multiple items, then paste them in order with Cmd+V. The stack auto-advances after each paste.

This is transformative for repetitive workflows: filling out forms, migrating data between apps, or pasting a series of code snippets. Paste doesn't offer this.

OCR

Superclip has built-in OCR powered by Apple's Vision framework. Copy text from any image or screenshot with a single click — no separate app needed.

With Paste, you'd need a separate OCR tool like TextSniper ($7.99) or macOS's built-in Live Text (which only works in specific contexts).

Screen capture

We're building full screen capture into Superclip: screenshots with annotation, GIF recording, scrolling capture, and an image editor. This is the kind of toolset you'd normally pay $99/year for with CleanShot X.

Paste doesn't include any screen capture features.

Privacy

Superclip is local-only by design. Nothing leaves your Mac. You can exclude sensitive apps from being monitored and auto-clear history on quit.

Paste offers iCloud sync, which means your clipboard data passes through Apple's servers. They do offer a local-only mode, but the default involves cloud storage.

Price comparison

| Plan | Superclip | Paste | |---|---|---| | Monthly | $1.99/mo | — | | Annual | $14.99/yr | $29.99/yr | | Free tier | First 1,000 users (forever) | None |

Superclip is half the price. And when you factor in the built-in OCR and upcoming screen capture (which would cost $99/yr separately with CleanShot X), the value gap gets even wider.

What about iOS?

Paste has an iOS app with iCloud sync. Superclip is macOS-only right now, but an iOS app is on the roadmap.

If you need clipboard sync between your Mac and iPhone today, Paste is the better choice. If you primarily work on your Mac and want more features for less money, Superclip is worth a look.

The verdict

Choose Paste if you need iCloud sync, unlimited history, or an iOS app right now.

Choose Superclip if you want a more complete toolkit (clipboard + OCR + screen capture) at a lower price, and you mostly work on your Mac.

Both are solid apps. We built Superclip because we wanted everything in one place — and at a price that doesn't feel like a subscription tax for basic functionality.

Try Superclip free — the first 1,000 users get it forever.