Paste alternatives: 4 open-source picks
Paste costs $2.50/mo — $30 a year. These 4 alternatives replace it for $0, led by CopyQ, Stirling PDF and Flameshot. All 4 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
A clipboard filing cabinet with tabs, filters, rules, and built-in encryption.
Web app with 50+ PDF operations — merge, split, sign, OCR, redact — all processed locally on your server.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Powerful cross-platform screenshot tool with annotations and pin-to-screen.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
AirDrop for every device — share files across platforms in the browser, peer-to-peer.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Stirling PDF · Flameshot · PairDrop
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
MaccyFast and local, but it lacks app-level encrypted history, pinboards, and expiration rules.
PasteBarFeature-complete and free for personal use, but its CC BY-NC license does not cover ordinary commercial use.
how to choose a Paste alternative
Easiest to get running
CopyQ — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Stirling PDF, with 60,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 4, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
what you give up by leaving Paste
- Apple-platform polish, iCloud sync, rich previews, and universal capture
- years of OS-version edge cases
- large extension ecosystem
- cross-device sync
- commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Paste alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CopyQ | open source | one-click install | macos, windows, linux | 12,100 | 2026-07 |
| Stirling PDF | MIT | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 60,000 | 2026-08 |
| Flameshot | GPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 27,000 | 2026-08 |
| PairDrop | GPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 6,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Paste
People still pay for Paste because small utilities are technically reproducible, but customers pay for polish and immediate fixes when an OS update breaks a daily habit. The recurring cost buys permissions, accessibility APIs, sandboxing, signing, notarization, OS regressions, updates, backups, and support, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $30 a year.
questions about switching from Paste
Is there an open-source alternative to Paste?
Yes: CopyQ, Stirling PDF, Flameshot and 1 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Paste?
Our verdict is YES. Stirling PDF (60k stars), Flameshot (27k stars), CopyQ (12k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Paste — self-host in one command and stop paying $2.5/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/paste.
What is the easiest open-source Paste alternative to set up?
CopyQ — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Paste alternative?
By GitHub stars, Stirling PDF (60,000). Flameshot is next with 27,000.
