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Utilities · head to head

Paste vs PeaZip

Paste logo

Paste

Utilities

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

From
$29.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PeaZip has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • They diverge on capability: Paste covers Clipboard history, PeaZip covers Wide format support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paste and PeaZip actually diverge.

Attributes where Paste and PeaZip differ
AttributePastePeaZip
Starting price$29.99/yearFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMac, iOSWindows, Linux, BSD

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 Paste

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

Only in PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

What people use each for

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

Paste

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

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot Paste
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot Paste
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot Paste
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot Paste

Where each one falls short

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

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.

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

Which should you pick?

Choose Paste if

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

Choose PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip review

Questions people ask

Is Paste or PeaZip better?
Neither clearly leads. Paste starts at $29.99/year and PeaZip at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paste or PeaZip?
PeaZip has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29.99/year for Paste and Free for PeaZip.
Does Paste or PeaZip run on more platforms?
Paste runs on Mac, iOS. PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD.
Can I use PeaZip for free?
Yes. PeaZip has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paste starts at $29.99/year.
What is Paste best used for?
Paste is most often used for someone who regularly copies something on their iphone, such as an address or code, and needs it moments later on their mac, a user organising reusable snippets like email signatures or boilerplate text into named pinboards, a team member already paying for setapp who wants paste included rather than purchased separately, anyone who has outgrown a local-only clipboard manager because they now work across multiple apple devices. Of those, someone who regularly copies something on their iphone, such as an address or code, and needs it moments later on their mac and a user organising reusable snippets like email signatures or boilerplate text into named pinboards are not what PeaZip is typically brought in for.
What can Paste do that PeaZip cannot?
Paste covers Clipboard history, iCloud sync, Pinboards, Rich content support. PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

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.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

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.

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

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