ClipboardlyMaccy Alternative: Clipboardly vs Maccy Compared
Maccy is a free, open-source clipboard manager that keeps a simple, searchable list of what you copy. Clipboardly is an alternative for people who want more structure: boards that catch everything you copy for a project, a menu bar panel with previews, 12 automatic clip types, PIN-locked clips and iCloud Sync. If you just want a free, minimal history, Maccy is excellent.
- Choose Maccy for a free, open-source, minimal clipboard history.
- Choose Clipboardly for boards per project, rich previews, locked clips and iCloud Sync.
- Both are Mac-only and both work from the keyboard.
At a glance
| Clipboardly | Maccy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free (open source) |
| Open with a shortcut | ⌘⇧V | Yes |
| Search history | Yes | Yes |
| Pin clips | Yes | Yes |
| Boards / folders | Boards with an active board | No |
| Automatic clip types | 12 types | No |
| Link and image previews | Yes | Basic |
| Lock sensitive clips | 4-digit PIN | No |
| Sync | iCloud | No |
Where Maccy is the better choice
Maccy is free and its code is public, which matters to many developers. It does one job, keeping a keyboard-first list of your history, and does it well. If you rarely need anything beyond “find that thing I copied and paste it”, you may never need more.
Where Clipboardly is the better choice
- You juggle projects. Make a board per project and set it active; everything you copy lands there, so a week of research stays together.
- You copy more than text. Clipboardly sorts clips into 12 types and shows previews of links, images, screenshots and colors.
- You copy sensitive things. Lock clips behind a PIN, or pause saving with one click.
- You use more than one Mac. iCloud Sync runs through your own iCloud account.
Switching from Maccy
- Download Clipboardly and move it to Applications.
- Quit Maccy so two apps aren't recording your clipboard at once.
- Create your first board, make it active, and copy as usual. Press ⌘⇧V to paste from any app.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a better alternative to Maccy?
It depends on what you need. Maccy is excellent for a free, minimal history. Clipboardly adds boards, previews, 12 clip types, PIN-locked clips and iCloud Sync. Paste adds sync with iPhone and iPad.
Does Maccy sync between Macs?
No. Maccy keeps history on the Mac it runs on. Clipboardly and Paste can sync through iCloud.
Sources
Checked September 2026. Prices and features of other apps can change; check each app’s site for the latest.
Published by the Clipboardly team at Growbig100 LLC. Updated Sep 26, 2026.