Pastebot Alternative for Mac: Pastebot 3 vs SaneClip
Pastebot 3 from Tapbots is a much-loved power-user clipboard manager. It also requires macOS 26 Tahoe, so if you're on Sonoma or Sequoia, or you want your history locked and encrypted, you may be looking around. Here's an honest comparison. Every Pastebot fact comes from Tapbots' own Pastebot page, checked on 17 Oct 2026.
- Stay with Pastebot if you're on Tahoe and you live in custom filters, Smart Pastebins or its command-line tool.
- Try SaneClip if you're on macOS 14 or 15, or you want Touch ID lock, on-disk encryption, OCR and an iPhone companion for $14.99 once.
- Want free? See all clipboard managers compared, including Maccy and Spotlight.
Pastebot 3 vs SaneClip, side by side
| Pastebot 3 | SaneClip | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39 direct, incl. 1 year of updates; $19 per extra year | $14.99 once |
| Trial | 14 days | 14 days, no card |
| Requires | macOS 26 Tahoe or later | macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon |
| Paste a queue in order | Stacks, paste with ⌃⌘V | Paste stack, FIFO or LIFO |
| Quick paste recent items | Last 10 by number key | ⌘⌃1–9 |
| Change text before pasting | Custom stackable filters, live preview | Built-in text transforms |
| Saved clips | Custom and Smart Pastebins | Pins and snippets with placeholders |
| Keep apps out | Blacklist apps, or ignore images, text or shortcuts per app | App exclusions; password managers skipped; sensitive data auto-purged |
| History lock (Touch ID) | — | Yes (Pro) |
| Encrypted on disk | — | Yes, AES-256-GCM (Pro) |
| Copy text from the screen (OCR) | — | Yes, on your Mac |
| iPhone | Imports Universal Clipboard copies | Free iPhone and iPad companion via your iCloud |
| Sync | iCloud Sync between Macs | History syncs with the iPhone/iPad companion via your iCloud; settings can be transferred to another Mac |
| Automation | Shortcuts and a command-line tool | Shortcuts / App Intents and URL schemes |
“—” means Tapbots doesn't state it on its Pastebot page. Source, checked 17 Oct 2026: tapbots.com/pastebot. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected] and I'll fix it.
Where Pastebot is the better pick
Pastebot's filters are its superpower: stack base filters into your own, give them shortcuts and watch them work live. Smart Pastebins sort clippings by rules, every clipping can get its own shortcut, and there's a command-line tool for scripting. You own the version you paid for, and Tapbots offers a 30-day refund when you buy direct. If you're on Tahoe and that's how you work, Pastebot is a great choice.
Where SaneClip is the better pick
SaneClip
- ✓ Runs on macOS 14 and 15: no need to move to Tahoe first.
- ✓ Locked and encrypted: Touch ID or password lock, AES-256-GCM at rest (Pro).
- ✓ OCR built in: Capture Text from Screen turns any area into a text clip, on your Mac.
- ✓ iPhone too: a free iPhone and iPad companion that syncs through your own iCloud account.
- ✓ Pay once: $14.99 after a 14-day full Pro trial, no card.
Not for you if you're on an Intel Mac or you depend on custom filter chains.
Questions people ask
Does Pastebot 3 work on macOS Sonoma or Sequoia?
Tapbots says Pastebot 3 requires macOS 26 Tahoe or later, and offers the older Pastebot 2 as a separate download. SaneClip runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later on Apple silicon.
How much does Pastebot cost compared with SaneClip?
Bought direct, Pastebot 3 is $39 with one year of updates, and another year of updates is $19. You keep the last version you paid for. SaneClip is $14.99 once. Both have a 14-day free trial.
Does SaneClip have Pastebot-style stacks?
Yes. SaneClip's paste stack lets you queue clips and paste them in order, first-in-first-out or last-in-first-out. Pastebot pastes its stack in sequence with Control-Command-V.
Can SaneClip build custom filters like Pastebot?
Not in the same way. Pastebot lets you build complex filters by stacking base filters and preview them live. SaneClip has a fixed set of text transforms, such as UPPERCASE, Title Case, JSON formatting and stripping HTML or Markdown.
Can SaneClip lock clipboard history with Touch ID?
Yes. SaneClip Pro locks history behind Touch ID or your Mac password and encrypts it at rest with AES-256-GCM. Pastebot's page doesn't mention a history lock or encryption.