Tool profile
Clipy: cost, fit and limits
Clipy is a free open source clipboard extension for macOS, built by the Clipy Project and rebuilt from the code of ClipMenu, that opens a clipboard history from a keyboard shortcut and stores snippets for reuse.
What to know first
Clipy offers every feature for free, says it has no plans to charge, and takes optional donations through Open Collective or GitHub Sponsors. The code is under the MIT license on GitHub. It requires macOS 13.0 or later, runs on Mac only and lives in the menu bar. The vendor page names no AI feature, no sync and no paid tier.
Clipy at a glance
| Maker | Clipy Project (copyright line on clipy-app.com), Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Clipboard Manager Apps in 2026, rank 11 of 13 |
| Website | clipy-app.com |
Who Clipy is best for
Mac users who want snippets
Saved snippets hold frequently used text that you can paste at any time, which suits support replies, addresses and code boilerplate.
Contributors and tinkerers
Bug reports, feature requests and pull requests go through GitHub, so technically minded users can shape the project, report a defect or fork the code.
Budget-minded Mac users
The vendor says all features are free with no plan to charge, which means no trial clock and no license key to manage.
Clipy plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Clipy | Free | All features are free, with optional donations through Open Collective or GitHub Sponsors; the vendor page says there are no plans to charge. |
Checked November 2026.
What Clipy does
- Extended clipboard
- Clipy extends the clipboard to plain text, images and other formats, so the history holds more than the text you copied last, and it stays available from the menu bar.
- Shortcut history
- The clipboard history opens in the menu from a keyboard shortcut, and you pick an item from the list to paste it into the application that you are using.
- Snippets
- Frequently used text is saved as snippets and pasted at any time, which turns repeated typing into a menu choice and suits replies, addresses and code you reuse.
- Open source project
- The code is public on GitHub with an MIT license stated there, and bug reports, feature requests and pull requests all go through the same GitHub project page.
- ClipMenu heritage
- The vendor page credits ClipMenu by naotaka as the code it was rebuilt from, so users who knew ClipMenu will likely recognize the layout and the menu behavior.
How Clipy handles your data
The Clipy vendor page says the app runs locally on macOS, and the pages we read name no cloud service, sync feature or account. They do not state a retention period, a training policy or any certification, and no hosting region applies. The MIT-licensed code on GitHub lets anyone inspect how clips are stored. Because the project is volunteer-run and donation-funded, there is no company privacy policy for it, and you should treat password handling as unconfirmed.
Where Clipy falls short in practice
- macOS 13.0 or later. The vendor page requires macOS 13.0 or later and describes a clipboard manager for macOS only, so Windows and Linux users cannot use it at all.
- Donation-only support. There is no paid plan, so support depends on volunteers and the GitHub issue tracker, and no response time or service commitment is stated anywhere.
- No sync, no AI, no password rule. The pages we read name no sync, no AI feature and no password-handling feature, so sensitive copies need care and history must be cleared by hand.
Alternatives to Clipy
Clipy: common questions
Is Clipy free?
Yes. The vendor says Clipy offers all of its features for free and has no plans to charge. Donations are optional through Open Collective or GitHub Sponsors, and the code is under the MIT license on GitHub, where bug reports are also taken.
Which macOS version does Clipy need?
The vendor page says macOS 13.0 or later. Maccy needs macOS 14 and Minimal Paste needs macOS 14, so Clipy has a slightly lower bar among the free Mac tools here. Flycut names OS X 10.14 in its README for Mac builds.
What are Clipy snippets?
Snippets are text you save for frequent reuse and paste at any time. The vendor lists them next to clipboard history as a core feature. They suit repeated replies, addresses and short code blocks, and they live inside the app on the Mac.
How does Clipy compare to Maccy?
Both are free open source Mac tools. Clipy adds snippets and a menu-bar history, while Maccy emphasizes search as you type and password cleanup. Maccy requires macOS 14, Clipy requires macOS 13. Neither names AI or sync on the pages we read.
Where does Clipy store my history?
The vendor page describes a clipboard manager that runs locally on macOS, and no cloud or sync service is named. The pages we read do not state a retention period or encryption, so assume items sit on the Mac until you clear them.