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Productivity · head to head

Mimestream vs Paste

Mimestream logo

Mimestream

Productivity

Native Mac email client built specifically for Gmail and Google Workspace accounts, and nothing else

From
$4.99/month
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

  • Each has a real cost: Mimestream it only works with Gmail and Google Workspace, so it is entirely useless for anyone with an iCloud, Outlook, Yahoo or other IMAP account.; 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: Mimestream covers Native Gmail labels, Paste covers Clipboard history.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mimestream and Paste actually diverge.

Attributes where Mimestream and Paste differ
AttributeMimestreamPaste
Starting price$4.99/month$29.99/year
PlatformsMacMac, iOS
CategoryProductivityUtilities

Identical on both: pricing model (Per user per month), free tier (No), 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 Mimestream

  • Native Gmail labels
  • Gmail filters
  • Fast local search
  • Conversation threading
  • Multiple account support
  • Native macOS integration

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.

Mimestream

  • A Mac user whose email is entirely Gmail or Google Workspace and wants a faster native alternative to the Gmail web appnot Paste
  • Someone who finds Apple Mail handling of Gmail labels and search unreliable or confusingnot Paste
  • A Google Workspace user managing multiple accounts who wants them combined in one native menu bar appnot Paste
  • A user who wants Gmail-specific filters and search operators without opening a browser tabnot Paste

Paste

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

Where each one falls short

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

Mimestream

  • It only works with Gmail and Google Workspace, so it is entirely useless for anyone with an iCloud, Outlook, Yahoo or other IMAP account.
  • It is a subscription with no permanent free tier or lifetime purchase option, so the cost is ongoing for as long as it is used.
  • It is Mac only, so it does nothing for a Windows machine or for mobile email, which still relies on the standard Gmail app or another client.
  • Because it depends entirely on Gmail API access, any change Google makes to that API could affect Mimestream functionality outside the developer control.
  • A user who wants one email client for multiple different providers has to run Mimestream alongside a second app for non-Gmail accounts, rather than consolidating everything in one place.

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

Mimestream

$4.99/month
  • Mimestream$4.99/month
    • 49.99 USD per year if billed annually
    • Free trial before purchase
    • Covers multiple Gmail or Google Workspace accounts

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 Mimestream if

  • You need native gmail labels.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want gmail filters.
Mimestream review

Choose Paste if

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

Questions people ask

Is Mimestream or Paste better?
Neither clearly leads. Mimestream starts at $4.99/month and Paste at $29.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mimestream or Paste?
Mimestream starts at $4.99/month and Paste at $29.99/year.
Does Mimestream or Paste run on more platforms?
Mimestream runs on Mac. Paste runs on Mac, iOS.
What is Mimestream best used for?
Mimestream is most often used for a mac user whose email is entirely gmail or google workspace and wants a faster native alternative to the gmail web app, someone who finds apple mail handling of gmail labels and search unreliable or confusing, a google workspace user managing multiple accounts who wants them combined in one native menu bar app, a user who wants gmail-specific filters and search operators without opening a browser tab. Of those, a mac user whose email is entirely gmail or google workspace and wants a faster native alternative to the gmail web app and someone who finds apple mail handling of gmail labels and search unreliable or confusing are not what Paste is typically brought in for.
What can Mimestream do that Paste cannot?
Mimestream covers Native Gmail labels, Gmail filters, Fast local search, Conversation threading. Paste covers Clipboard history, iCloud sync, Pinboards, Rich content support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mimestream: Does Mimestream work with Outlook or iCloud Mail?

No. It connects only to Gmail and Google Workspace accounts and cannot be used with any other provider.

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.

Mimestream: Is Mimestream free?

No. It is a subscription at 4.99 US dollars a month or 49.99 dollars a year, with a free trial but no permanent free tier.

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.

Mimestream: Is it available on iPhone or iPad?

No. Mimestream is a Mac-only native app with no iOS version.

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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