How does SaneClip compare to competitors for macOS?

##The user-advocate view (macOS): SaneClip vs top clipboard managers

###What matters most for privacy + no subscriptions + value for money

Clipboard managers are uniquely sensitive because they can capture passwords, API keys, private messages, and even images. So the biggest differentiators are:

• Whether the app ever “phones home” (analytics/telemetry, accounts, cloud sync)
• How it avoids storing secrets (excluded apps, transient clipboard type handling, sensitive-data detection, auto-purge)
• Pricing model (subscription vs one-time vs free)
• Transparency (open source, clear privacy policy, inspectable code)

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##SaneClip (SaneClip)

Positioning: privacy-first, keyboard-first clipboard history with Touch ID gating.

Privacy / security highlights (from the repo)

• Claims “no cloud sync, no network calls, no analytics/telemetry” in PRIVACY.md and SECURITY.md.
• Stores data locally at ~/Library/Application Support/SaneClip/ and notes not encrypted at rest (macOS permissions only) (PRIVACY.md).
• Has password-manager protection via “transient/concealed” pasteboard types + ignored bundle IDs for common password managers in Core/ClipboardManager.swift.
• Has Touch ID protection (app UI gate) (README.md, SECURITY.md).
• Has webhooks (optional), which are network calls if you enable them: Core/Webhooks/WebhookService.swift uses URLSession and can optionally include truncated content (up to 1000 chars) if configured. This is good for automation, but from a privacy standpoint it’s a “sharp edge” if a user turns it on without thinking.

Price / licensing (from website source in repo)

• The site comparison table shows $5 one-time purchase for SaneClip (docs/index.html).

User experience / features

• Strong keyboard flow (history hotkey, quick paste 1–9, paste as plain text, paste stack/queue).
• Rules, transforms, snippets, export/import, widgets—feature set is competitive for most users.

SaneClip rating (1–10)

• Privacy & data minimization: 9/10 (excellent defaults; webhook feature is optional but needs clear warnings)
• Security features: 8/10 (Touch ID + exclusions + transient-type blocking; no encryption-at-rest)
• Features & UX: 8/10 (strong keyboard-first; fewer “power user” automations than Alfred)
• Transparency: 9/10 (open source + explicit privacy/security docs)
• Value for money (no subscription): 10/10 (low one-time cost)

Overall: 9/10

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##Competitors (macOS)

###Paste (Paste Team)

Typical profile: Beautiful UI, strong UX, often subscription-oriented.

• Privacy: usually good, but many polished consumer apps include analytics and/or cloud features; subscription model often implies accounts/sync.
• Price: subscription (poor fit for “no subscriptions” priority). Rating: 6/10 (great UX, but subscription/value + potential data-sharing ambiguity knocks it down)

###Alfred (with Powerpack + clipboard history)

Typical profile: the power-user standard; deep workflows.

• Privacy: generally strong and local-first; but users must trust a closed-source app (and their config).
• Price: one-time Powerpack license (good).
• UX: unmatched for automation/search/workflows; clipboard is one feature among many. Rating: 8/10 (best power-user tool; slightly less transparent than open source)

###Maccy (open-source clipboard manager)

Typical profile: minimal, fast, local, no-frills.

• Privacy: excellent local-first; open source.
• Features: fewer security-centric features like Touch ID gating and advanced sensitive-data handling (varies by build/config).
• Price: free or low-cost. Rating: 8/10 (excellent privacy/value, but less “security/locking” polish)

###Raycast (clipboard history inside a launcher)

Typical profile: modern launcher, strong cloud/account ecosystem, AI features.

• Privacy: can be good, but many features are tied to accounts and cloud, and the product direction is subscription-centric.
• Price: subscription for “Pro” tiers (often). Rating: 6/10 (amazing product, but not aligned with “no subscriptions / privacy-first simplicity”)

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##Summary table (1–10)

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##Final recommendation (for a macOS user who prioritizes privacy + no subscriptions + value)

Choose SaneClip if you want a purpose-built clipboard manager with privacy-first defaults, Touch ID protection, and a cheap one-time price—and you like the idea that you can verify claims in the code.

Choose Maccy if you want maximum simplicity and open-source transparency, and you don’t need Touch ID gating or advanced security workflows.

Choose Alfred if clipboard is just one part of a broader “automate everything” setup—and you’re okay paying more upfront for the Powerpack.

One caution for SaneClip: if you enable Webhooks, you are explicitly allowing network exfiltration of clipboard metadata (and possibly content if toggled). For privacy-maxing users, keep webhooks off unless you fully control the endpoint.