The best clipboard managers going into 2027

What's different going into 2027

• Both desktop systems now have a clipboard history. Windows has had Win+V for years; macOS Tahoe added one inside Spotlight (Command-Space, then Command-4). For light use, that's enough, and you may not need anything on this page.
• Raycast now runs on Windows too, with its Clipboard History, so one launcher can cover both systems (clipboard history isn't synced between devices).
• Pastebot 3 now requires macOS Tahoe or later.
• iPhone to Windows is still the gap. Apple has said it is building a way for iPhone to share copied content with paired Windows PCs, after a request from Microsoft under the EU's Digital Markets Act. Reports say development won't be finished before fall 2027, and it may be limited to the EU. Until then, crossing that gap needs a third-party app.

Comparison table

Start with what's built in

Windows (Win+V). Press Windows + V and turn it on. You get your last 25 copies, pins, and optional text sync between Windows PCs signed in to the same Microsoft account. Microsoft's own limits: 4 MB per item; text, HTML and images only; no search; and unpinned items are cleared when you restart. More in our Windows clipboard history limit guide and Clipster vs the Windows clipboard.

macOS Tahoe (Spotlight). Open Spotlight, press Command-4, and search what you copied. In System Settings you choose how long it stays: 30 minutes, 8 hours or 7 days. No pins, no organization, no sync, but nothing to install.

Apple Universal Clipboard. Copy on one Apple device, paste on another nearby device signed in to the same Apple Account. Only the latest item, only Apple devices.

If these cover your day, you're done. The apps below are for when they don't. Only interested in free tools? See free clipboard managers for Windows, Mac and iPhone.

Best on Windows

Ditto is still the go-to free Windows clipboard manager: open source (GPL), a history stored in a database so it survives restarts, search, groups, and clip sharing between PCs on the same network. It's maintained (its repository was updated in October 2026; latest release September 2025). The interface is dense and it's Windows-only. If you only use Windows, it's very hard to beat. See Clipster vs Ditto.

CopyQ is free, open source (GPL) and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, with tabs, tags, notes, the option to ignore chosen windows, a command-line interface and a scripting API. It's actively developed, with a new major release in October 2026. Ideal if you like to automate; more setup than most people want. See Clipster vs CopyQ.

ClipClip keeps up to 1,000 clips, organizes them in folders, and adds an editor, text converters and one-click actions, plus screenshot and screen-recording tools. Free for personal use, Windows-only. See Clipster vs ClipClip.

ClipboardFusion (Binary Fortress) is the specialist for cleaning and transforming text: formatting scrubbing, find-and-replace, triggers and C# macros. The paid version adds text sync with companion apps for phones and Mac.

Full Windows comparison: best clipboard managers for Windows.

Best on Mac

Maccy does one job: keep your copy history and let you find it fast from the keyboard. It's native, open source under the MIT license, and its developer says it "is and will always be free". Everything stays on your Mac; there's no sync and no iPhone app. See Clipster vs Maccy.

Paste is the most polished option in the Apple world: unlimited history, search, pinboards, and sync across Mac, iPhone and iPad through your private iCloud, with rules to ignore passwords and sensitive apps. It's paid, with a free trial, and Apple-only. See Clipster vs Paste.

Pastebot (Tapbots) is the power tool: stackable text filters, paste stacks, Custom and Smart Pastebins, a Quick Paste menu, per-clipping shortcuts, Shortcuts and CLI support, and iCloud sync between Macs. It works with Universal Clipboard for iPhone copies. Pastebot 3 requires macOS Tahoe; it's paid, with a free trial. See Clipster vs Pastebot.

Raycast and Alfred are launchers with a clipboard built in. Raycast's Clipboard History is free, stores history locally and encrypted, ignores password managers by default and supports pins and type filters. Alfred's Clipboard History is part of its paid Powerpack. See Clipster vs Raycast.

Full Mac comparison: best clipboard managers for Mac.

On iPhone

iPhone has no clipboard history of its own, and iOS doesn't let apps watch the clipboard freely in the background. That's why iPhone clipboard managers work through a custom keyboard, a share sheet or a tap, and none of them is fully automatic.

• Paste has an iPhone and iPad app synced with your Mac through iCloud. Best if all your devices are Apple.
• Clipster has an iPhone app and a keyboard that pastes any copy into any app; with sync on, your copies from your Windows PC or Mac show up there too.
• Universal Clipboard is enough for one-off copies between a nearby iPhone and Mac.

Across Windows, Mac and iPhone

This is where the choice gets short, because most apps above stay on one system or inside one ecosystem.

Clipster (our app) runs on Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel; the right download is picked for you) and iPhone. It keeps text, links, images, code and files, with full-text search and named Pins. With sync turned on, your copies follow you across all three over the internet, and each copy is encrypted on your device with a key derived from your master password, so our server only stores unreadable data.

Honest limits: there's no Linux or Android app, it isn't open source, and it's a young app. Download Clipster.

CrossPaste is free and open source (AGPL) on Windows, Mac and Linux, with mobile apps listed on its site. It syncs directly between your devices over your local network, end-to-end encrypted, with no server at all. The trade-off: no sync when you're away from that network.

ClipboardFusion syncs text between a Windows PC and its phone and Mac companion apps in its paid version. Best if you're Windows-first and mostly move text.

More detail: best cross-platform clipboard managers and how to copy and paste between iPhone and Windows.

How to choose in two minutes

1. List your devices. One system only? Pick the best free app for it (Ditto or Maccy) or stick with what's built in. Linux in the mix? CopyQ or CrossPaste. Windows plus iPhone? Clipster, ClipboardFusion or CrossPaste.
2. Decide if you need sync, and where. Same network only (Ditto between PCs, CrossPaste), Apple devices only (Paste, Pastebot between Macs), or anywhere across Windows, Mac and iPhone (Clipster).
3. Check privacy. Look for an option to ignore your password manager, and for end-to-end encryption if anything leaves your device.
4. Try before you commit. Almost every app here has a free version or a free trial.