NotchStar vs PastePal
PastePal is a dedicated clipboard manager with iCloud sync and 75+ text transforms, free with a $14.99 Pro; NotchStar is a $4 app where clipboard history is one of ten tools.
| NotchStar | PastePal | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Ten small tools in the notch, clipboard history among them | A clipboard manager |
| Price | $4 once, with a 7 day trial, up to 3 Macs, 7 day refund | Free download with in app purchases: Pro $14.99, plus tips of $0.99, $3.99 and $5.99; no trial or refund wording on the page |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macOS 14.0 on its App Store page; Intel support is not stated |
| Clipboard history | Included 50 items, kept in memory only | Included With search, filtering and collections; history limits are not stated |
| Text transforms | Not listed | Included 75+ built in text transforms |
| Sync across devices | Not listed | Included Opt in iCloud sync across Apple devices; universal purchase for Mac, iPhone and iPad |
| Keyboard, Siri Shortcuts and widgets | Not listed | Included Keyboard, iMessage and share extensions, Siri Shortcuts, widgets and a Live Activity |
| File shelf with AirDrop | Included | Not listed Not listed on its App Store page |
| Screenshot Tray | Included Catches macOS screenshots; it does not capture | Not listed Not listed on its App Store page |
| Privacy label | No account; analytics off unless you opt in | App Store label: Data Not Collected, as provided by the developer |
Sources: PastePal on the Mac App Store (checked 4 November 2026). “Not listed” means the source does not mention it, which is not proof the feature is missing. Prices and features change, so check before you buy.
PastePal at a glance.
- Made by
- Khoa Pham, per the App Store developer name
- Who it suits
- Someone who wants a one time purchase clipboard manager that also works on iPhone and iPad.
- Price
- Free tier and paid plans. Mac App Store, 4 November 2026: free download with in app purchases. Pro $14.99, plus tips at $0.99, $3.99 and $5.99. The description calls Pro a one time purchase with a universal purchase covering Mac, iPhone and iPad. No trial or refund wording was found.
- Needs
- macOS 14 or later. Not stated.
- License
- Closed source
- Release history
- The App Store version history shows 2.16.2 on 10 October, with no year given; no other cadence was read.. Latest listed: 2.16.2, Oct 10 (year not shown). Source
PastePal is one of the 62 apps counted in our pricing statistics and requirements statistics.
Strengths
- 75+ built in text transforms, plus collections, filtering and search.
- Opt in iCloud sync across Apple devices, with one universal purchase for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Keyboard, iMessage and share extensions, Siri Shortcuts, widgets and a Live Activity.
- An App Store privacy label of Data Not Collected, as provided by the developer.
Limits
- History limits are not stated on the page read.
- The page does not itemise which features are free and which need Pro.
- No standalone website was read, so this comparison rests on the App Store listing.
- It is a clipboard manager only: the page lists no file shelf, calendar, timers or screenshot tray.
Choose PastePal if…
- You want a clipboard manager with collections, search, text transforms and sync to an iPhone or iPad.
- You want one purchase that covers Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- You want clipboard history to be the whole app, with more depth than a single tool in a toolbox.
Choose NotchStar if…
- You want clipboard history plus a file shelf with an AirDrop zone, calendar, timers and a screenshot tray for $4.
- You want history kept in memory only, with items that password managers mark as concealed skipped.
- You want a 7 day trial and a 7 day refund before you pay.
The verdict.
PastePal does the one job in more depth: text transforms, collections and iCloud sync. NotchStar keeps 50 clipboard items in memory and adds nine other tools for $4. Choose PastePal if clipboard work is your daily task or you need it on an iPhone. Choose NotchStar if you want a small kit around the notch. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
What PastePal is
PastePal is a clipboard manager for the Mac, sold on the Mac App Store by Khoa Pham. Its listing describes clipboard history with keyboard, iMessage and share extensions, 75+ built in text transforms, collections, filtering and search, Siri Shortcuts, widgets, a Live Activity and opt in iCloud sync across Apple devices.
It is a free download with Pro at $14.99 as an in app purchase. The description calls it a one time purchase that covers Mac, iPhone and iPad. The listing asks for macOS 14.0 and shows version 2.16.2 dated 10 October, with no year given. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
Who it suits
People who copy and paste all day and want the history to do more than hold items: reshape text, group clips into collections, and carry them to an iPhone. Someone who buys apps once and wants them on every Apple device will like the universal purchase.
What PastePal does that NotchStar does not
It does the one job in more depth. NotchStar keeps the last 50 items in memory and clears them when the app quits. PastePal lists search, filtering, collections, text transforms, sync and widgets. NotchStar has none of those for the clipboard.
What NotchStar does that PastePal does not list
Clipboard history is one of ten tools. The same $4 app has a file shelf with an AirDrop zone, now playing, calendar and reminders, timers, a teleprompter, a camera mirror, system stats, quick notes and disk tools, plus a Screenshot Tray that catches macOS screenshots. PastePal’s listing mentions none of these.
NotchStar costs $4 once for up to 3 Macs, with a 7 day trial and a 7 day refund. It has no account and sends nothing unless you opt in to anonymous version info.
Switching from PastePal to NotchStar
NotchStar does not read PastePal’s history, so it starts empty. Expect a quieter clipboard tool and a wider toolbox. Copy out anything you need from PastePal first, because its listing describes no export.
What we could not verify
We read only the PastePal App Store listing on 4 November 2026. It states no history limits, no Intel support, no trial and no refund policy, and does not itemise Pro features. We have not tested the app.
Questions.
Is PastePal free?
Its App Store page lists a free download with in app purchases: Pro at $14.99 and tips at $0.99, $3.99 and $5.99. The page does not itemise which features need Pro, and it states no trial or refund.
Does NotchStar sync the clipboard between devices?
No. NotchStar keeps up to 50 clipboard items in memory only, and they clear when the app quits. PastePal lists opt in iCloud sync.
What macOS does PastePal need?
Its App Store page says macOS 14.0. A search result showed an older figure, so this page uses the App Store value.
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- PastePal alternatives
- Every option next to PastePal, with price and macOS support. See the alternatives
- Best Mac notch apps
- A neutral roundup of the options. Read the guide
Put your notch to work.
Buy it once for $4, activate it in a minute, and keep it. Not sure yet? Try every tool in the browser on the home page, or install the 7 day trial.