A free CopyClip alternative for Mac

On Hand vs CopyClip: what each is good at, what they cost, and which one fits how you copy and paste.

The short version: Free CopyClip is a very simple menu bar list of recent text. Search, pins, numbered shortcuts, and app exclusions are in the paid CopyClip 2. On Hand includes all of those for free, and keeps images too.

On Hand vs CopyClip at a glance

	On Hand	CopyClip
Price	Free	CopyClip free. CopyClip 2 $7.99
Source code	Open source (MIT)	Closed source
Images	Yes	Not documented
Search	Yes, by text or source app	CopyClip 2 only
Pinned clips	Yes, with named boards	CopyClip 2 only
Search text in images	Yes, on your Mac	No
Sync	No. History stays on your Mac	No
Skip password managers and apps	Yes. Password managers skipped; card numbers, SSNs, and 25+ kinds of keys never saved, concealed, and cleared after 90 seconds	CopyClip 2 only
Shortcuts	⌘⇧Space to open (changeable), ⌘1–9 to copy	CopyClip 2: ⌘1–9
Requires	macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel	macOS 10.13 (CopyClip), 11.5 (CopyClip 2)

Checked October 6, 2026 against CopyClip’s own site, release notes, or App Store listing. Prices and features change, so check before you buy. Something out of date? Open an issue.

Choose CopyClip if

You want the simplest possible list of recent copies on an older Mac.
You want CopyClip 2’s themes or room for up to 9,999 text clips.
You prefer buying from the Mac App Store.

Choose On Hand if

You want search, pins, ⌘1–9, and app exclusions without paying for CopyClip 2.
You copy images as well as text.
You want an open-source app.

Is CopyClip still maintained?

Maintained. Both CopyClip and CopyClip 2 were updated in 2026.

Switching from CopyClip

On Hand starts fresh. It doesn’t import history from CopyClip, so pin anything you want to keep after you copy it again. Both apps can run at the same time while you try On Hand; give them different shortcuts. On Hand opens with ⌘ ⇧ Space, and you can change that in Settings.