Paste
Store a local encrypted clipboard history with search, pinboards, and expiration
The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Paste, store a local encrypted clipboard history with search, pinboards, and expiration. The hard boundary is apple-platform polish, icloud sync, rich previews, and universal capture, plus os integration polish and maintenance.
Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability
What you give up
- 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
Why people still pay
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.
Your build guide
The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.
Before you start
- macOS, Xcode and a selected deployment target. Ask for each OS permission only when its feature is enabled; code signing and distribution are separate release tasks.
- Implementation components: Swift, SwiftUI and focused AppKit integrations for a macOS utility. SQLite or Codable files for local settings and history; macOS Keychain for credentials.
- Scope boundary: iCloud synchronization and capture of every rich clipboard format are outside scope.
Use these project rules and optional skill references alongside the prompt. Review each skill before adding it to your agent; the AGENTS.md export includes the same guidance.
Optional external skill: swiftui-expert-skill — Build and review native SwiftUI views, state management, navigation, accessibility and rendering performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: swift-concurrency — Design Swift async tasks, actors, isolation, cancellation and safe data sharing, including Swift 6 migration. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Optional external skill: sharp-edges — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission.
Project rule — data model: clipboard item IDs, safe type metadata, pinboards, expiry rules and deletion receipts
Project rule — preserve this invariant: Passwords and excluded-app captures never enter storage; encryption claims require a configured audited storage component and separately protected key.
Project rule — acceptance evidence: Copy a concealed password item and find no stored payload; expiring history removes thumbnails and search tokens as well as visible rows.
Implementation plan
Phase 1
Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Offer opt-in searchable clipboard history with pinboards and a global shortcut. Exclude concealed/sensitive types, show a pause control and expire unpinned history automatically. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: iCloud synchronization and capture of every rich clipboard format are outside scope.
Phase 2
Durable model. Model clipboard item IDs, safe type metadata, pinboards, expiry rules and deletion receipts Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: Passwords and excluded-app captures never enter storage; encryption claims require a configured audited storage component and separately protected key.
Phase 3
Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Keep UI state on the main actor, cancel obsolete background tasks, and avoid blocking system callbacks. Record only the selected feature scope, with clear retention controls.
Phase 4
Permissions and integration failure. Start capture or automation paused. Respect denied permissions, exclude secure fields and sensitive applications, and expose a visible pause/stop control. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results.
Phase 5
Portable handoff. Export settings and explicitly selected history without secrets. Preserve the last working configuration and provide a reset that does not delete user source files. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README.
Phase 6
Acceptance scenarios. Copy a concealed password item and find no stored payload; expiring history removes thumbnails and search tokens as well as visible rows. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder.
WORKING SLICE Offer opt-in searchable clipboard history with pinboards and a global shortcut. Exclude concealed/sensitive types, show a pause control and expire unpinned history automatically. Build this scoped Paste-inspired workflow with a documented data model and visible failure states. Architecture - Swift, SwiftUI and focused AppKit integrations for a macOS utility. - SQLite or Codable files for local settings and history; macOS Keychain for credentials. Prerequisites and limits macOS, Xcode and a selected deployment target. Ask for each OS permission only when its feature is enabled; code signing and distribution are separate release tasks. Outside this release: iCloud synchronization and capture of every rich clipboard format are outside scope. Data model and correctness clipboard item IDs, safe type metadata, pinboards, expiry rules and deletion receipts Invariant: Passwords and excluded-app captures never enter storage; encryption claims require a configured audited storage component and separately protected key. Keep UI state on the main actor, cancel obsolete background tasks, and avoid blocking system callbacks. Record only the selected feature scope, with clear retention controls. Security and privacy Start capture or automation paused. Respect denied permissions, exclude secure fields and sensitive applications, and expose a visible pause/stop control. Recovery and export Export settings and explicitly selected history without secrets. Preserve the last working configuration and provide a reset that does not delete user source files. Implementation order 1. Phase 1 — Scope and fixtures. Implement this bounded workflow: Offer opt-in searchable clipboard history with pinboards and a global shortcut. Exclude concealed/sensitive types, show a pause control and expire unpinned history automatically. Record prerequisites, select representative user-owned fixtures and document the unsupported features: iCloud synchronization and capture of every rich clipboard format are outside scope. 2. Phase 2 — Durable model. Model clipboard item IDs, safe type metadata, pinboards, expiry rules and deletion receipts Add migrations or a versioned document format, explicit validation, stable IDs and a visible import-error report. Preserve this rule: Passwords and excluded-app captures never enter storage; encryption claims require a configured audited storage component and separately protected key. 3. Phase 3 — Complete the first useful path. Implement the workflow's input, review and output interface, with clear controls and explicit empty/error states. Keep UI state on the main actor, cancel obsolete background tasks, and avoid blocking system callbacks. Record only the selected feature scope, with clear retention controls. 4. Phase 4 — Permissions and integration failure. Start capture or automation paused. Respect denied permissions, exclude secure fields and sensitive applications, and expose a visible pause/stop control. Request integration credentials and permissions only for the enabled feature; show a disconnected state instead of mock results. 5. Phase 5 — Portable handoff. Export settings and explicitly selected history without secrets. Preserve the last working configuration and provide a reset that does not delete user source files. Include setup, operating limits, fixture walkthrough and shutdown/restart instructions in the README. 6. Phase 6 — Acceptance scenarios. Copy a concealed password item and find no stored payload; expiring history removes thumbnails and search tokens as well as visible rows. Repeat the workflow after restart and with a denied permission or unavailable dependency; show recoverable failure rather than a success placeholder. Acceptance Copy a concealed password item and find no stored payload; expiring history removes thumbnails and search tokens as well as visible rows. Use real source data or clearly labeled fixtures. Explain unsupported input and provider failures; do not fabricate analytics, delivery receipts, accuracy claims or security guarantees. Optional agent guidance Optional external skill: [swiftui-expert-skill](https://github.com/AvdLee/SwiftUI-Agent-Skill/blob/main/skills/swiftui-expert-skill/SKILL.md) — Build and review native SwiftUI views, state management, navigation, accessibility and rendering performance. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Optional external skill: [swift-concurrency](https://github.com/AvdLee/Swift-Concurrency-Agent-Skill/blob/main/skills/swift-concurrency/SKILL.md) — Design Swift async tasks, actors, isolation, cancellation and safe data sharing, including Swift 6 migration. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Optional external skill: [sharp-edges](https://github.com/trailofbits/skills/blob/main/plugins/sharp-edges/skills/sharp-edges/SKILL.md) — Review security-sensitive APIs and configuration for dangerous defaults and easy-to-misuse interfaces. Review its instructions and compatibility before use; it does not grant deployment, data-access or publication permission. Project rule — data model: clipboard item IDs, safe type metadata, pinboards, expiry rules and deletion receipts Project rule — preserve this invariant: Passwords and excluded-app captures never enter storage; encryption claims require a configured audited storage component and separately protected key. Project rule — acceptance evidence: Copy a concealed password item and find no stored payload; expiring history removes thumbnails and search tokens as well as visible rows.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan
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Alternatives to building your own
CCopyQA clipboard filing cabinet with tabs, filters, rules, and built-in encryption.open source↗no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
Paste pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| personal | — | $2.50/user | Use on all personal devices; no published device cap; includes updates.$29.99 billed yearly. Monthly and lifetime options exist, but their current numeric prices were not exposed in the crawlable public page. |
| personal lifetime | — | — | Lifetime Personal access on all personal devices with updates.The live page offers this tier but did not expose its numeric checkout price. |
| family | — | — | Family-sharing plan sold through Apple's App Store; public numeric member cap and price were not exposed on Paste's page.App Store billing. |
| team | — | — | Team clipboard and administration plan; public numeric price and limits were not exposed in the crawlable page. |
free tierno free tier
billingmonthly + annual + lifetime; 7-day trial on paid plans
hidden costsPrices exclude tax and can vary by region. Family billing is App Store-only, and the current monthly, lifetime, and Team checkout amounts were not exposed in the public rendered page.
pricing sources checked 2026-08-14 · pricing source ↗
Questions about Paste
Can you build your own Paste with AI?
The verdict is yes for the scoped workflow. The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Paste, store a local encrypted clipboard history with search, pinboards, and expiration. The hard boundary is apple-platform polish, icloud sync, rich previews, and universal capture, plus os integration polish and maintenance.
What does the Paste build prompt cover?
The prompt starts with this scope: Offer opt-in searchable clipboard history with pinboards and a global shortcut. Exclude concealed/sensitive types, show a pause control and expire unpinned history automatically. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: Apple-platform polish, iCloud sync, rich previews, and universal capture; years of OS-version edge cases; large extension ecosystem. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.
How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?
Start with the Paste prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.
How long will this Paste project take?
The catalogue estimate is one sitting for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.
What would I give up by replacing 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. 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.
What price is this guide comparing against?
The recorded Personal plan is $2.5/mo per seat (annual billing, per user per month), checked 2026-08-14. Check the linked pricing source before buying. Building your own also has hosting, API and maintenance costs; the recorded amount is not a guaranteed saving.
What can I use instead of building Paste?
CopyQ: A clipboard filing cabinet with tabs, filters, rules, and built-in encryption. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.