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Utilities · head to head

Karabiner-Elements vs Paste

Karabiner-Elements logo

Karabiner-Elements

Utilities

Free open source keyboard remapper for macOS, working at driver level before the OS sees a keystroke

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paste logo

Paste

Utilities

Subscription clipboard manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad with iCloud sync between devices

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Karabiner-Elements has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Karabiner-Elements it requires granting significant system-level permissions, including input monitoring, which some security-conscious users are reluctant to allow.; Paste it is an ongoing subscription, unlike the free, one-time-cost alternatives Maccy and the built in macOS clipboard, so the cost compounds every year it is used.
  • They diverge on capability: Karabiner-Elements covers Low-level key remapping, Paste covers Clipboard history.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Karabiner-Elements and Paste actually diverge.

Attributes where Karabiner-Elements and Paste differ
AttributeKarabiner-ElementsPaste
Starting priceFree$29.99/year
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer user per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacMac, iOS

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

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 Karabiner-Elements

  • Low-level key remapping
  • Complex modifications
  • Per-app and per-device rules
  • Complex modification rule library
  • Simple modifications GUI
  • Apple Silicon native

Only in Paste

  • Clipboard history
  • iCloud sync
  • Pinboards
  • Rich content support
  • Search and filter
  • Setapp availability

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Karabiner-Elements

  • A developer who wants to remap Caps Lock to Escape or Control and needs tap versus hold behaviournot Paste
  • Someone switching from a Windows or Linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a Macnot Paste
  • A user with an accessibility need around key repeat rate or modifier key behaviour that macOS settings cannot covernot Paste
  • Anyone who wants serious keyboard customisation without paying for BetterTouchTool or a similar all-in-one toolnot Paste

Paste

  • Someone who regularly copies something on their iPhone, such as an address or code, and needs it moments later on their Macnot Karabiner-Elements
  • A user organising reusable snippets like email signatures or boilerplate text into named pinboardsnot Karabiner-Elements
  • A team member already paying for Setapp who wants Paste included rather than purchased separatelynot Karabiner-Elements
  • Anyone who has outgrown a local-only clipboard manager because they now work across multiple Apple devicesnot Karabiner-Elements

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Karabiner-Elements

  • It requires granting significant system-level permissions, including input monitoring, which some security-conscious users are reluctant to allow.
  • Writing custom complex modification rules by hand means editing JSON, which is a real barrier for a non-technical user without the community rule library.
  • It only remaps keyboard input, so a user who also wants gesture or window management customisation needs a second tool such as BetterTouchTool or Rectangle.
  • Being an unpaid open source project, support depends on GitHub issues and community forums rather than a vendor support desk with guaranteed response times.
  • It is Mac only, so it does nothing for remapping needs on a Windows or Linux machine in the same household.

Paste

  • It is an ongoing subscription, unlike the free, one-time-cost alternatives Maccy and the built in macOS clipboard, so the cost compounds every year it is used.
  • Sync depends on iCloud, so a user without a reliable iCloud connection or who disables iCloud for privacy reasons loses the entire reason to pay for it over Maccy.
  • It has no Windows or Android app, so sync only works within the Apple ecosystem.
  • Because it preserves rich content and images, the synced history can grow large enough to be noticeable in iCloud storage use over time.
  • A user who only ever uses one Mac gets no benefit from the subscription cost over a free local-only tool like Maccy.

Pricing, plan by plan

Karabiner-Elements

Free
  • Karabiner-ElementsFree
    • Free and open source under the MIT licence
    • Full functionality with no paid tier
    • Optional donation via GitHub Sponsors or PayPal

Paste

$29.99/year
  • Paste$2.49/month
    • Billed annually at roughly 29.99 USD per year
    • Covers Mac, iPhone and iPad apps under one subscription
    • iCloud sync between all devices

Which should you pick?

Choose Karabiner-Elements if

  • You need low-level key remapping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want complex modifications.
Karabiner-Elements review

Choose Paste if

  • You need clipboard history.
  • You work on Mac, iOS.
  • You also want icloud sync.
Paste review

Questions people ask

Is Karabiner-Elements or Paste better?
Neither clearly leads. Karabiner-Elements starts at Free and Paste at $29.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Karabiner-Elements or Paste?
Karabiner-Elements has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Karabiner-Elements and $29.99/year for Paste.
Does Karabiner-Elements or Paste run on more platforms?
Karabiner-Elements runs on Mac. Paste runs on Mac, iOS.
Can I use Karabiner-Elements for free?
Yes. Karabiner-Elements has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paste starts at $29.99/year.
What is Karabiner-Elements best used for?
Karabiner-Elements is most often used for a developer who wants to remap caps lock to escape or control and needs tap versus hold behaviour, someone switching from a windows or linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a mac, a user with an accessibility need around key repeat rate or modifier key behaviour that macos settings cannot cover, anyone who wants serious keyboard customisation without paying for bettertouchtool or a similar all-in-one tool. Of those, a developer who wants to remap caps lock to escape or control and needs tap versus hold behaviour and someone switching from a windows or linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a mac are not what Paste is typically brought in for.
What can Karabiner-Elements do that Paste cannot?
Karabiner-Elements covers Low-level key remapping, Complex modifications, Per-app and per-device rules, Complex modification rule library. Paste covers Clipboard history, iCloud sync, Pinboards, Rich content support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Karabiner-Elements: Is Karabiner-Elements really free?

Yes, entirely. It is open source under the MIT licence with no paid tier, though the project accepts voluntary donations.

Paste: Is Paste free?

No. It is a subscription, priced around 2.49 to 3.99 US dollars a month or roughly 30 dollars a year, though it is also available through the Setapp bundle.

Karabiner-Elements: Does it work on Apple Silicon Macs?

Yes, versions from 14 onward run natively on M1 through M4 chips.

Paste: Does Paste sync between my Mac and iPhone?

Yes, that is its main differentiator, using iCloud to sync clipboard history across Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Karabiner-Elements: Do I need to write JSON to use it?

Not necessarily. Simple key swaps use a GUI, and complex modifications can be imported from a public community rule library instead of writing rules by hand.

Paste: Is there a free alternative that does not sync?

Yes, Maccy is free, open source and Mac-only with no sync, for users who do not need cross-device history.

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