Clipboard manager
SnipVault vs CopyQ for Mac
CopyQ is a free, open-source clipboard manager for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is built on Qt, organises clips into tabs, and can be scripted with its own command system. It is the power user's choice on Linux; on a Mac it is a port.
Verified 2026-09-08.
CopyQ pricing
Free (open source)
GPL-3.0, downloaded from copyq.net or installed with Homebrew. The "Clipboard Manager - CopyQ" listing on the Mac App Store is an unrelated app by a different developer with in-app purchases, not the CopyQ project.
sourceSnipVault pricing
$29.99/yr or $79 once
Also $2.49/month. 7-day free trial, no card.
Platforms
CopyQ: Windows, Linux, macOS
SnipVault: macOS 13+, Apple Silicon and Intel
Feature by feature
What you get with each
| Feature | SnipVault | CopyQ |
|---|---|---|
Clipboard history | ✓ | ✓ |
Unlimited history | ✓ | ✓ |
Full-text search | ✓ | ✓ |
Pinboards / collections + tags Tabs and a tags plugin; no nested boards. | ✓ | Partial |
Paste stack (sequential paste) Possible through scripted commands; not a built-in paste queue. | ✓ | Partial |
Screenshot OCR (region → text) | ✓ | — |
OCR captures kept searchable (text + image) | ✓ | — |
Snippets with :keyword expansion Commands can insert text, but there is no keyword expansion in other apps. | ✓ | — |
OTP / card-number auto-expiry | ✓ | — |
Ignores password managers Ignore rules are configurable; nothing is excluded by default. | ✓ | Partial |
Built-in emoji library | ✓ | — |
Works fully offline, on-device | ✓ | ✓ |
Sync between Macs SnipVault: iCloud sync in the iCloud-entitled build; secrets stay device-local. | Partial | — |
One-time purchase available | ✓ | ✓ |
Free tier / open source SnipVault: 7-day free trial, no card required. | — | ✓ |
| Price | $29.99/yr or $79 once | Free (open source) |
Strengths
Where CopyQ is strong, and where SnipVault is
CopyQ does well
- •Free, open source, and available on all three desktop platforms
- •Tabs, encrypted tabs, and a scriptable command system
- •Handles images and rich text as well as plain text
- •Twelve years of development and an active issue tracker
SnipVault does well
- •A native Mac interface; CopyQ is a Qt app and looks and behaves like one
- •Screenshot OCR with the image kept alongside the text
- •Snippets that expand from a :keyword as you type
- •Secret auto-expiry and a password-manager ignore list out of the box
What users say
Common complaints about CopyQ
Quoted from public reviews and forums. Follow the links for full context.
“macOS Tahoe 26.5.2 - unable to get any of the Apple Silicon apps to run”
“Tray menu double (or more) press to appear and crash after paste from tray menu on MacOS”
“This is not the real CopyQ program. I paid the $8, downloaded it, and it didn't work.”
FAQ
Is the CopyQ on the Mac App Store the real CopyQ?+
No. The CopyQ project is free and lives at copyq.net and on GitHub. The App Store listing called "Clipboard Manager - CopyQ" is published by a different developer and sells in-app purchases; its reviews include people who paid and then found it was not the real program.
Does CopyQ work on macOS Tahoe?+
Reports are mixed. An open GitHub issue from July 2026 describes the Apple Silicon builds failing to launch on macOS 26.5, and another describes the tray menu needing several clicks to open and crashing after a paste. SnipVault is built for macOS 13 through 26 and tested on both Apple Silicon and Intel.
How much does CopyQ cost?+
CopyQ is Free (open source). GPL-3.0, downloaded from copyq.net or installed with Homebrew. The "Clipboard Manager - CopyQ" listing on the Mac App Store is an unrelated app by a different developer with in-app purchases, not the CopyQ project. SnipVault: $2.49/month, $29.99/year, or $79 once.
What platforms does CopyQ run on?+
CopyQ: Windows, Linux, macOS. SnipVault: macOS 13 or later, Intel and Apple Silicon, three Macs per licence.
A week with both installed usually settles it.