Helix vs Paste: clipboard history compared

Last updated November 1, 2026

Paste is a dedicated clipboard manager. Helix is a ring of everyday tools, and clipboard history is one of them. Here's how they compare and who should pick which.

What Paste does well

Syncs your clipboard history across Mac, iPhone and iPad through iCloud.
Keeps everything you copy, with no limit.
Pinboards for snippets you reuse, which you can share with a team.

Where Helix is different

Helix keeps your recent copies one flick away: hold ⌥Space, point at Clipboard and let go. Type to search, then press Return to paste into the app you were in. The same ring also opens your favorite apps, controls Spotify or Apple Music, and has notes and Ask AI, and it's a one-time purchase.

Feature by feature

	Helix	Paste
Price	$4.99₹399 once (early bird, $9.99₹899 regularly)	$2.49 a month or $29.99 a year
Free trial	No	7 days
History	Last 50 copies, kept as long as you choose	Everything, with no limit
Sync to iPhone and iPad	No, Mac only	Yes, through iCloud
Saved snippets	No	Pinboards, shareable with teammates
Beyond the clipboard	Apps, music controls, notes, timers, Ask AI and more	Clipboard only

Choose Helix if

You copy and paste on one Mac and don't need your history on your phone.
Your recent copies are what you reach for, not months of history.
You'd rather pay once, and get your apps, music and AI in the same ring.

Choose Paste if

You copy on your iPhone and paste on your Mac, or the other way round.
You keep pinboards of snippets, or share them with a team.
You want every copy kept forever.

For more options, see the best Paste alternatives. Paste's prices are from its website in November 2026 and can differ by region.

Questions

How much does each cost?

Paste's Personal plan is $2.49 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial. Helix is $4.99 once.

Does Helix sync my clipboard to my iPhone?

No. Helix keeps your clipboard history only on your Mac. If you copy on one device and paste on another, Paste is the better fit.

How much history does each keep?

Helix keeps your last 50 copies, text and images, for as long as you choose: an hour, a day, a week, a month, or until you remove them. Paste keeps everything you copy, with no limit.

Does Helix save passwords I copy?

No. Helix never saves copies that password managers mark as private, and you can list apps whose copies it should ignore.

Helix is a one-time purchase for macOS 14 or later, with 16 tools in one ring. See how it works.

Get Helix