Entertainment · head to head
IINA vs Maccy
IINA
Entertainment
Free open source Mac video player built on mpv, with a native macOS interface
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Maccy
Utilities
Free open source clipboard history manager for macOS with no account, sync fee or subscription
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: IINA there is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.; Maccy there is no iPhone or iPad app and no sync between machines, so clipboard history does not follow a user to another device.
- They diverge on capability: IINA covers mpv playback engine, Maccy covers Clipboard history.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IINA and Maccy actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), platforms (Mac), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in IINA
- mpv playback engine
- Native macOS interface
- Trackpad gestures
- Picture-in-picture
- Subtitle and audio track control
- Music mode
Only in Maccy
- Clipboard history
- Keyboard navigation
- Local-only storage
- Password exclusion
- Lightweight footprint
- Open source
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
IINA
- A Mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats QuickTime Player does not supportnot Maccy
- Someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volumenot Maccy
- A user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other appsnot Maccy
- Anyone who prefers a graphical Mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command linenot Maccy
Maccy
- A developer or writer who copies and pastes constantly and wants fast, searchable history on one Macnot IINA
- Anyone who wants clipboard history but does not want their clipboard data touching any cloud servicenot IINA
- A user who tried Paste and does not need iPhone or iPad sync, only wants the Mac functionality for freenot IINA
- Someone installing via Homebrew who wants a minimal, single-purpose menu bar utilitynot IINA
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
IINA
- There is no Apple TV or iOS app, so it cannot be used for a living room streaming setup the way Infuse can.
- It has no polished network share or cloud storage library browser, so streaming from a NAS or cloud drive is more manual than with Infuse.
- As a volunteer open source project, new feature development and bug fixes depend on contributor availability rather than a funded team.
- It is Mac only, so there is no equivalent app for Windows users in a mixed household.
- Advanced mpv configuration is still exposed for power users, which can be confusing for someone who just wants simple playback with no options.
Maccy
- There is no iPhone or iPad app and no sync between machines, so clipboard history does not follow a user to another device.
- It has no snippets, templates or organised boards, so a user wanting structured reusable text needs a different tool as well.
- It is Mac only, so it offers nothing for a Windows machine in the same workflow.
- As a volunteer-maintained open source project, there is no guaranteed support response time if something breaks.
- Very large clipboard histories with many images can still use meaningful memory, though far less than a heavier commercial equivalent.
Pricing, plan by plan
IINA
Free- IINAFree
- Free and open source
- No account or subscription
- Full feature set with no paywall
Maccy
Free- MaccyFree
- Free and open source under the MIT licence
- Unlimited local clipboard history
- No account or sync required
Which should you pick?
Choose IINA if
- You need mpv playback engine.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Mac.
- You also want native macos interface.
Choose Maccy if
- You need clipboard history.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Mac.
- You also want keyboard navigation.
Questions people ask
- Is IINA or Maccy better?
- Neither clearly leads. IINA starts at Free and Maccy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, IINA or Maccy?
- IINA starts at Free and Maccy at Free.
- Does IINA or Maccy run on more platforms?
- Both run on Mac, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use IINA for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is IINA best used for?
- IINA is most often used for a mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats quicktime player does not support, someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volume, a user who wants picture-in-picture video while working in other apps, anyone who prefers a graphical mac-native player over configuring raw mpv from the command line. Of those, a mac user who wants to play locally stored or downloaded video files in formats quicktime player does not support and someone who wants a free player with real trackpad gesture support for seeking and volume are not what Maccy is typically brought in for.
- What can IINA do that Maccy cannot?
- IINA covers mpv playback engine, Native macOS interface, Trackpad gestures, Picture-in-picture. Maccy covers Clipboard history, Keyboard navigation, Local-only storage, Password exclusion.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
IINA: Is IINA free?
Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or subscription.
Maccy: Is Maccy free?
Yes, entirely. It is open source under the MIT licence with no paid tier.
IINA: What is the difference between IINA and mpv?
IINA is built on the mpv engine but adds a full native macOS graphical interface, menus and gestures that mpv does not have on its own.
Maccy: Does Maccy sync across devices?
No. It stores clipboard history only on the local Mac, with no iPhone, iPad or cross-Mac sync.
IINA: Does IINA work on Apple TV?
No. IINA is Mac only. For Apple TV playback, Infuse is the comparable option.
Maccy: Is my clipboard data sent anywhere?
No. Maccy stores everything locally and does not upload clipboard content.
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