Clipboard manager
SnipVault vs PastePal for Mac
Weighing up the PastePal app for Mac? Here is how it compares with SnipVault, feature by feature. PastePal is a $14.99 one-time Mac and iOS clipboard manager with collections, a paste stack, and image OCR. It is the app Paste users most often switch to, and its iCloud sync is its weak spot.
Prices and features verified 2026-09-04. Corrections: diljit@dprsoftwarelabs.com.
PastePal pricing
$14.99 once
Free download with restricted pasting; Pro $14.99 one-time, universal for Mac, iPhone, and iPad with Family Sharing. 3-day trial.
sourceSnipVault pricing
$29.99/yr or $79 once
Also $2.49/month. 7-day free trial, no card.
Platforms
PastePal: Mac (macOS 13+), iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision
SnipVault: macOS 13+, Apple Silicon and Intel
Feature by feature
What you get with each
| Feature | SnipVault | PastePal |
|---|---|---|
Clipboard history | ✓ | ✓ |
Unlimited history | ✓ | ✓ |
Full-text search | ✓ | ✓ |
Pinboards / collections + tags PastePal has collections, no tags. | ✓ | Partial |
Paste stack (sequential paste) | ✓ | ✓ |
Screenshot OCR (region → text) PastePal recognises text in copied images; no screen-region capture. | ✓ | Partial |
OCR captures kept searchable (text + image) | ✓ | Partial |
Snippets with :keyword expansion | ✓ | — |
OTP / card-number auto-expiry | ✓ | — |
Ignores password managers | ✓ | ✓ |
Works fully offline, on-device | ✓ | ✓ |
Sync between Macs PastePal syncs via iCloud with frequent complaints. SnipVault: iCloud between Macs. | Partial | Partial |
iPhone / iPad app | — | ✓ |
One-time purchase available | ✓ | ✓ |
Free tier / open source PastePal's free tier restricts pasting. | — | Partial |
| Price | $29.99/yr or $79 once | $14.99 once |
Strengths
Where PastePal is strong, and where SnipVault is
PastePal does well
- •Cheap one-time price covering Mac and iOS
- •Collections, Quick Mode, and a paste queue
- •Recognises text in copied images
- •No servers, no tracking
SnipVault does well
- •Screenshot region OCR with a hotkey, not only OCR on images already copied
- •Snippet expansion with :keywords and placeholders
- •Tags plus nested pinboards and a ⌘F explorer
- •Capture counter and secret auto-expiry
What users say
Common complaints about PastePal
Quoted from public reviews and forums. Follow the links for full context.
“The sync is just terrible… I've lost clipboard items because I assumed PastePal was syncing… PastePal doesn't save the clipboard at all unless I open it.”
“macOS iCloud not syncing.”
Verdict
Which one should you pick?
Pick PastePal if…
- •You want the cheapest one-time price that includes an iPhone app
- •Collections and a paste queue are all the organisation you need
Pick SnipVault if…
- •You want hotkey screen OCR, not just OCR on images you already copied
- •You want snippets and text expansion
- •You want a capture counter so you know nothing was silently missed
FAQ
SnipVault vs PastePal: questions
Is PastePal or SnipVault cheaper?+
PastePal at $14.99 once is cheaper. SnipVault is $79 once or $29.99 a year, and includes screenshot OCR and snippets that PastePal does not.
Does SnipVault have PastePal's sync problems?+
SnipVault's sync is off by default, secrets never sync, and the app shows a live capture counter so you can see it is recording without opening it.
How much does PastePal cost?+
PastePal is $14.99 once. Free download with restricted pasting; Pro $14.99 one-time, universal for Mac, iPhone, and iPad with Family Sharing. 3-day trial. SnipVault is $2.49 a month, $29.99 a year, or $79 once, and every plan has every feature.
What platforms does PastePal run on?+
PastePal: Mac (macOS 13+), iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision. SnipVault runs on macOS 13 or later, on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and one licence covers up to three Macs.
Can I try SnipVault before switching?+
Yes. SnipVault has a 7-day trial of the complete app with no card, and you can keep PastePal running alongside it until you are sure.
Try SnipVault next to PastePal
Keep both installed for a week. If SnipVault does not replace it, nothing was charged.