Pasteable vs Alfred
Pasteable vs Alfred
the Mac launcher with clipboard history
Alfred is a Mac institution — a launcher, workflow engine, and clipboard history rolled into one. The clipboard manager is part of the Powerpack paid tier and works well for local Mac history. But Alfred is Mac-only, clipboard is a secondary feature, and there is no cross-device sync, AI search, or mobile companion.
Pasteable
Free + from $5/mo · $80 lifetime
Cross-platform · E2E sync · AI search
Alfred
Free / Powerpack £34+
the Mac launcher with clipboard history
Where Alfred is genuinely good
- Mature, deeply integrated Mac launcher with workflows and snippets.
- Clipboard history is fast and keyboard-first (Powerpack feature).
- Huge community of workflows and themes built over many years.
Where Pasteable pulls ahead
- Clipboard is the product — deep history, file sync, and a mobile keyboard.
- Cross-platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android from one account.
- Optional end-to-end encrypted sync across all those devices.
- AI semantic search finds clips by meaning, not just exact text.
- A mobile keyboard and widget so your clips follow you to your phone.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Pasteable | Alfred |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac · Windows · Linux · iOS · AndroidMac · Windows · Linux · iOS · Android | Mac onlyMac only |
| Price model | Free + from $5/mo · $80 lifetimeFree + from $5/mo · $80 lifetime | Free, Powerpack £34+Free, Powerpack £34+ |
| Local-first storage | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync | Alfred has no cloud sync for clips. | |
| AI semantic search | ||
| Snippets + OS text expansion | Snippets onlySnippets only Alfred snippets are launcher-scoped, not system-wide expansion. | |
| Sensitive blur / password-manager skip | PartialPartial | |
| Mobile keyboard with synced clips | ||
| Team shared clips | ||
| Web app access | ||
| File & image copy sync | Local images onlyLocal images only | |
| Open source |
Comparisons reflect publicly documented features as of 2026 and are updated as products change.
Where Alfred falls short
- Mac only — no Windows, Linux, iOS, or Android.
- No cross-device clipboard sync at all.
- Clipboard is a secondary feature of a launcher, not the focus.
- Powerpack is a one-time £34+ license per Mac; no mobile companion.
The honest verdict
Alfred is a superb Mac launcher — if you want a launcher. If what you want is a clipboard manager that follows you to every device, encrypts your sync end-to-end, and searches by meaning, Pasteable does that without requiring a launcher subscription.
Common questions
Can I use Alfred and Pasteable together?+
Yes. Alfred is a launcher; Pasteable is a clipboard manager. They do not conflict. Many users run Alfred for launching and Pasteable for cross-device clipboard history.
Does Pasteable have workflows like Alfred?+
No — Pasteable is a clipboard manager, not a launcher. If you need workflows, keep Alfred. If you need your clipboard on every device with AI search, that is Pasteable.
Try Pasteable free
Local-first clipboard history today. Add cross-device sync, AI search, and text expansion whenever you want.
v3.2.14
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