Raycast Clipboard History vs Maccy: Which Is Better in 2026?
Quick answer: Choose Maccy if you want a free, open-source, local-only clipboard manager that does one job and stays out of the way. Choose Raycast if you already use it as your launcher and want clipboard history bundled with snippets, window management, and extensions. Using both is rarely worth it: two tools watching your clipboard is redundant.
Picture this: you copy a production API key, then a URL, then a paragraph, then switch apps and realize you need the key again. Any clipboard manager fixes that. The real question in 2026 is what else you are installing along with it.
What is the difference between Maccy and Raycast's clipboard history?
Maccy App is a standalone clipboard manager for macOS. It lives in the menu bar, records what you copy, and lets you search and paste past items. Raycast is a keyboard-driven launcher (a Spotlight replacement with extensions, snippets, window management, and AI features). Its Clipboard History is a built-in command inside that larger app.
That framing matters more than any feature checkbox. Comparing them feature by feature slightly misses the point: Maccy Mac is the entire product, while Raycast's clipboard is one command inside a much bigger one.
Maccy vs Raycast Clipboard: side-by-side comparison
| Criteria | Maccy | Raycast Clipboard History |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (also on the Mac App Store as a paid build that supports development ) | Free tier with limited history; Pro adds unlimited history |
| License | Open source (MIT) | Closed-source app; extensions are open in a public store |
| Scope | Clipboard only | Launcher, snippets, window management, extensions, AI |
| Account required | No | Yes, to use the app |
| Data storage | Local on your Mac | Local on your Mac |
| Search | Search-as-you-type; exact, fuzzy, regex, and mixed modes | Fuzzy search within the Raycast command UI |
| Content types | Text, rich text, images, files | Text, images, links, files, and more |
| Pinning | Yes (Option+P by default) | Yes |
| Ignore apps / types | Yes, in Settings → Ignore | Yes, via clipboard preferences |
| Extensibility | None by design | Large extension ecosystem |
| Resource footprint | Small, single-purpose | Larger, since it runs the whole launcher |
Where does Maccy win?
It is genuinely free and inspectable
Maccy Clipboard's source is public. If your clipboard regularly contains tokens, internal URLs, or client data, being able to read what the app does with that data is a real advantage, not a talking point. There is no account, no subscription, and nothing to renew.
It respects sensitive copies
Many password managers mark what they copy as concealed (the org.nspasteboard.ConcealedType convention), and Maccy honors that by not recording those items. You can also add apps to the ignore list in Maccy → Settings → Ignore and exclude specific pasteboard types. Check how any clipboard manager, including Raycast, handles concealed items before trusting it with credentials.
Search that fits power users
Maccy's search modes include regex, which is rare in this category. If you routinely hunt for something like a UUID or an order number in a long history, a pattern search is faster than scrolling. Try something like ^[0-9a-f]{8}- to surface UUIDs.
It does not ask for anything else
There is no onboarding funnel, no AI upsell, and no feature you did not ask for. Install with brew install maccy, set a hotkey (the default is Shift+Command+C), and you are done.
Where does Raycast win?
One hotkey surface for everything
If Raycast is already your launcher, clipboard history is a command you reach from the same keystroke habit. Combined with snippets, quicklinks, and extensions, you can build workflows around copied content that Maccy simply will not do.
Richer actions on copied items
Because Raycast is a platform, an item in your history can feed into other commands and extensions. If you want to copy something and immediately act on it (translate, reformat, send), the ecosystem gives you options a standalone manager does not.
Cross-platform reach
Raycast has expanded beyond the Mac . If you work across devices and want a consistent launcher, that counts. Maccy is macOS only.
What are the real trade-offs?
- Cost over time. Maccy costs nothing. Raycast's free tier can cover casual use, but unlimited clipboard history sits behind Pro , so heavy users end up paying for a feature Maccy gives away.
- Lock-in. Clipboard history inside Raycast is only as good as your commitment to Raycast. Remove the launcher and the history goes with it.
- Complexity. Maccy has few settings and few failure modes. Raycast has many more moving parts, which is great if you use them and noise if you do not.
- No sync in Maccy. Maccy does not sync history between Macs. That is a privacy feature for some people and a limitation for others.
- Two managers conflict. Running both means two apps polling the pasteboard and two histories to search. Pick one as your source of truth.
Which one should you choose?
| If you are... | Pick |
|---|---|
| Handling secrets, client data, or regulated information and want auditable code | Maccy |
| Someone who just wants copy-and-paste history, nothing more | Maccy |
| On a budget and unwilling to subscribe for history length | Maccy |
| Already living in Raycast with snippets and extensions | Raycast |
| Wanting clipboard items to trigger other workflows | Raycast |
| Using Raycast across multiple platforms | Raycast |
My honest take: if you do not already use Raycast, do not install a whole launcher just for clipboard history. If you do already use it, try its clipboard command for a week before adding another app. Either way, the best clipboard manager is the one you actually open with muscle memory.
How do you switch from Raycast Clipboard to Maccy?
- Install Maccy (
brew install maccyor download from the project's release page). - Set a hotkey that does not collide with Raycast's clipboard shortcut. Check System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts if something conflicts.
- Disable Raycast's Clipboard History command in Raycast Settings → Extensions to avoid two apps recording the pasteboard.
- Configure Maccy → Settings → Ignore for your password manager and any apps you never want recorded.
- Note that history does not migrate automatically; you start fresh .
FAQ
Is Maccy better than Raycast clipboard history?
It depends on what you value. Maccy is better if you want a free, open-source, single-purpose tool. Raycast is better if clipboard history is part of a launcher workflow you already use.
Is Raycast clipboard history free?
Raycast offers clipboard history on its free tier with a limited history window, while longer or unlimited retention requires Pro .
Does Maccy sync across Macs?
No. Maccy stores history locally and does not sync between devices.
Is Maccy safe for passwords?
Maccy skips items that password managers flag as concealed and lets you ignore specific apps and pasteboard types. Test your own password manager's behavior before relying on it.
Can I use Maccy and Raycast together?
Yes, but it is redundant. Both will record the pasteboard, so most people disable one clipboard feature.
Conclusion
Maccy and Raycast solve overlapping problems from opposite directions: one is a sharp tool, the other a broad platform. Decide which category you want, then commit. If you are curious how far a focused tool can go, Maccy is free to try. What is the one thing you copy most that you wish you could find faster?
