Comparison
Copper alternatives now make very different tradeoffs.
These apps give AI-work fragments a deliberate place to live. They are not all clipboard managers, and capture, privacy and platform choices differ materially.
Last updated 24 August 2026
The short answer
- Choose Refetch for deliberate, type-aware Mac capture with original media and files.
- Choose Copper for its selected-text task and scratchpad flow on macOS 14 or later.
- Choose Cooper for a free, open-source workflow across Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Choose CueStash for selected text, sections and optional Quick Ask on an older Mac.
- Choose Carbon for a deliberate, Windows-first scratchpad.
- Choose AiPaste when automatic clipboard history and CLI retrieval are the job.
| Product | Platform | Capture model | Local and privacy | Distribution | Current price | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refetch | macOS 26.4+ (Apple silicon + Intel) | Deliberate clipboard, typed and file capture | Local library. No account, sync or app telemetry. | Signed, notarized universal DMG | 14 days trial, then $19 once | You want type-aware recognition and original media and files. |
| Copper | macOS 14+ | Selected text and typed tasks in a scratchpad flow | Local file. No account, sync or telemetry. | Install command after checkout. Accessibility required. | USD 39 one-time purchase as of 24 August 2026 | You want the original selected-text todo and scratchpad workflow on an older Mac. |
| Cooper | Windows, macOS and Linux | Selected text plus sections, Markdown and media | Local SQLite. No account or telemetry. | Free Apache-2.0 Tauri app with unsigned binaries. v0.3.0 uses fallback shortcuts on macOS. | Free and open source | You want free cross-platform source access. |
| CueStash | macOS 14+ | Selected text, typed notes, screenshots, files and sections | Encrypted local core. No in-app account, with optional AI networking. | Signed, notarized universal DMG | USD 19 launch price and 14-day trial, with USD 29 stated next | You want selected-text capture, sections and optional Quick Ask. |
| Carbon | Windows | Selected text, buckets, images and fuzzy search | Local JSON. No account, telemetry or content requests. | Public MIT Tauri source and a Windows release | Support or donation, without a stated purchase price | You want a Windows-first deliberate scratchpad. |
| AiPaste | macOS | Continuously monitors the pasteboard with groups, pinning and CLI | Local-first public SwiftUI source with iCloud sync for clipboard history and groups. | GitHub and Homebrew | No current price claim | You want automatic clipboard history and scriptable retrieval. |
Refetch vs Copper
Copper clearly articulates the category and makes selected text easy to turn into a task or scratchpad item. It is the direct choice when that workflow, plus macOS 14 support, matters most.
Refetch is a different boundary: normal capture does not require Accessibility, and its local library recognizes 9 capture kinds. Links, images, PDFs, videos and files retain the original media or file context for later inspection.
Refetch vs Cooper
Cooper is the free Apache-2.0, cross-platform option with selected-text capture, sections, Markdown and media. Its public source is the better fit when you need to inspect or adapt the tool itself.
Cooper v0.3.0 disables double-Shift on macOS and uses fallback shortcuts there. Refetch instead focuses on a signed, notarized native Mac release and deliberate capture without Accessibility for normal use.
CueStash
CueStash is the closest commercial Mac alternative here: it combines selected-text capture with typed notes, screenshots, files and sections. Its encrypted local core has no in-app account, while Quick Ask is an explicitly optional AI networking path.
Carbon and AiPaste
Carbon brings the deliberate scratchpad model to Windows with selected text, buckets, images and fuzzy search. AiPaste takes the other side of the decision: it continuously monitors the pasteboard, then offers groups, pinning and CLI retrieval for automatic history.
Captura
Captura's public repository documents a public v0.0.3 release. It is early shipping software, so treat it as a watchlist project rather than a settled substitute.
Adjacent, not interchangeable
DoubleTap is for triggering Mac actions. Shift, Cai and Ctrome focus on AI actions around a selection. Apple's Spotlight guide covers built-in clipboard history. Those are useful jobs, but they are not the same durable context-shelf decision.
Choose by constraint
Use Refetch if
You want deliberate capture, type-aware recognition and the original media or file later.
Use Copper if
You want the original selected-text todo and scratchpad workflow on macOS 14 or later.
Use Cooper if
You want a free, Apache-2.0 app that can run on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Use CueStash if
You want selected text, sections and optional Quick Ask in a signed Mac app.
Use Carbon if
You want a Windows-first, deliberate scratchpad rather than a passive history.
Use AiPaste if
You want continuous clipboard monitoring, pinning and CLI-based retrieval.
Where Refetch deliberately stops
Refetch requires macOS 26.4 or later. It has no sync, team library or automatic selected-text capture. It is also not a free or open-source license: the full app is free for 14 days, then $19 once.
FAQ
Are Copper and Cooper the same app?
No. Copper is the original Mac app from shadcn. Cooper is an independent, open-source recreation.
Which option is free and open source?
Cooper is Apache-2.0. Carbon publishes MIT-licensed Tauri source. Check each project before relying on a license for a new release.
Which Copper alternative works on Windows or Linux?
Cooper supports Windows, macOS and Linux. Carbon is Windows-first. The other products in this comparison are macOS-focused.
Which option keeps passive clipboard history?
AiPaste continuously monitors the pasteboard. Apple Spotlight also offers clipboard history. Refetch captures only what you choose.
Do selected-text tools need Accessibility or Input Monitoring?
Read each tool's current permission guidance. Copper requires Accessibility, while Refetch does not require it for normal deliberate capture.
How do the current prices compare?
Refetch is free for 14 days, then costs $19 once. Copper, CueStash and other young products can change pricing, so use the dated source links below before buying.
Sources checked 24 August 2026
- Refetch
- Copper
- Cooper
- CueStash
- Carbon
- AiPaste
- Captura
- Adjacent tools
See the difference in the real app
Watch the real 45-second demo, then try Refetch with the fragments you actually expect to reuse.
Download for macOS