Paste Alternative for Mac Without Subscription
If you are tired of paying a subscription just to remember what you copied, TextStow is the answer. It gives you clipboard history, permanent bookmarks with categories, and 30+ built-in text tools — all free and running locally on your Mac.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | TextStow | Paste |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ✓ Free | Subscription or one-time purchase |
| Clipboard History | ✓ | ✓ |
| Permanent Bookmarks | ✓ With categories & tags | ✗ |
| Text Tools | ✓ 30+ built-in | ✗ |
| Storage | ✓ 100% local | Cloud sync |
| Account Required | ✓ No | ✗ Yes |
A clipboard manager should not require payment
Clipboard history is a basic utility, not a luxury service. Paste locks core clipboard functionality behind a paid plan — either subscription ($2.49/month, $29.99/year) or a one-time lifetime purchase — making a simple copy-and-paste workflow cost you money. TextStow believes remembering what you copied should be free. Download it once, use every feature, no payment required.
TextStow does more than Paste, for free
Paste shows clipboard history in a visual timeline — that is its main feature. TextStow adds permanent bookmarks so you never lose important clips, plus 30+ built-in text tools like JSON formatting, Base64 encoding, line break removal, and PDF text repair. All of these features are free, no payment required.
Bookmarks: the feature you did not know you needed
A timeline only shows clips in chronological order. Bookmarks let you save the best ones permanently with titles, categories, and tags. When you reuse the same customer replies, code snippets, API keys, or email templates, bookmarks turn your clipboard from a temporary list into a structured, searchable library. Paste does not have this feature at any price point.
Text tools replace your browser utilities
Instead of opening random websites to format JSON, encode Base64, clean PDF text, or remove duplicate lines, run these actions directly from your clipboard. TextStow processes everything locally on your Mac — faster, private, and no need to paste sensitive API responses or client data into web formatters.
100% local. Your data never leaves your Mac
All clipboard history, bookmarks, images, and files are stored in a local SQLite database. No cloud sync, no account creation, no data upload. If your copied content includes passwords, internal links, or unpublished drafts, local storage means your data never leaves your machine where it belongs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TextStow a free Paste alternative?▾
Yes. TextStow is free to download and provides clipboard history, permanent bookmarks, and 30+ text tools — the features Paste locks behind a subscription.
Does TextStow have a visual timeline like Paste?▾
No. TextStow uses a searchable list and permanent bookmarks organized by category, which is more practical for finding and reusing specific content than scrolling through a visual feed.
What text tools does TextStow include?▾
JSON formatting, Base64 encode/decode, URL encode/decode, line break removal, extra space cleanup, PDF text repair, case conversion, duplicate line removal, and more — all running locally.
Why do Paste users switch to TextStow?▾
The most common reason is avoiding paid plans — whether subscription or one-time purchase. Users also switch for permanent bookmarks, built-in text tools, 100% local storage, and not wanting to pay for a clipboard manager.
Does TextStow support images and files?▾
Yes. TextStow records text, images, and files in clipboard history, and all three types can be saved as permanent bookmarks with categories and tags.
Does TextStow sync across devices like Paste?▾
No. TextStow stores all data locally on your Mac. For Mac-only clipboard workflows, cross-device sync — and the paid plan it requires — is unnecessary overhead.
Free Download TextStow
If you are tired of paying a subscription just to remember what you copied, TextStow is the answer. It gives you clipboard history, permanent bookmarks with categories, and 30+ built-in text tools — all free and running locally on your Mac.
Free Download