NanoClip vs Raycast Clipboard
An honest comparison.
One is a launcher with a clipboard built in. The other is a clipboard app with snippets, flows, and sync. Here's when each one wins.
TL;DR
- Pick Raycast if: you already use it as your launcher and the built-in clipboard history covers your needs. Pay for Raycast Pro ($8/mo) if you also want Cloud Sync between Macs.
- Pick NanoClip if: you want a dedicated clipboard manager with smart snippets, custom flows, iCloud sync, and 19 themes — for $5.00once instead of $96/year. Or if you don't use Raycast at all and don't want to install a launcher just for clipboard history.
- Run both (most common): Raycast for launching, NanoClip for clipboard, snippets, and flows. Disable Raycast's clipboard extension to avoid conflicts.
They solve overlapping but different problems
Raycast's philosophy
“Spotlight, but extensible.”
Raycast is an app launcher and command palette with hundreds of first- and third-party extensions — calendar, GitHub, window management, calculator, AI, and yes, clipboard history. Clipboard is one tool in a Swiss Army knife.
NanoClip's philosophy
“Tiny app, on purpose — but powerful.”
NanoClip is a dedicated clipboard app with smart snippets and flow automation built in. Every pixel of the UI is optimized for copy, paste, expand, and transform. iCloud sync, 19 themes, rich previews — all included for one price, no subscription, no account.
Pricing
Raycast is free with optional Pro tiers. NanoClip is a one-time purchase.
| Plan | NanoClip | Raycast |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes (limited clipboard memory) |
| Unlimited clipboard | $5.00 once | Pro $8/mo or $96/yr |
| Cloud sync between Macs | Included (iCloud) | Pro tier only |
| 5-year cost | $5.00 | $480 (Pro) |
Feature comparison (clipboard + snippets + flows)
Comparing only the clipboard-adjacent features — Raycast obviously does many other things NanoClip doesn't.
| Feature | NanoClip | Raycast |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited clipboard history | ||
| Search history | ||
| Pin items | ||
| Image, GIF, file support | ||
| Text snippets with keyword expansion | ||
| Snippets with dynamic placeholders | ||
| Custom fill-in fields before paste | ||
| Cross-Mac sync (free) | ||
| Cross-Mac sync (paid) | ||
| Rich link previews (OG images) | ||
| Edit clipboard items in place | ||
| Paste queue (sequential paste) | ||
| Clipboard-content flows (OCR, URL, AI) | ||
| 19 themes (Dracula, Tokyo Night, etc.) | ||
| Universal launcher / command palette | ||
| Hundreds of extensions | ||
| Built-in AI assistant | ||
| One-time price |
Where Raycast wins
- Far more than clipboard. App launcher, calculator, calendar, window management, AI, scripts — clipboard is one of dozens of tools.
- Extension ecosystem. Hundreds of community extensions for every API and tool you use.
- One root keystroke. Everything happens through the same launcher window — no context switching between apps.
- Free clipboard. If your clipboard needs are modest and you already use Raycast, the built-in version costs you nothing.
Where NanoClip wins
- No subscription. $5.00once vs $96/yr for Raycast Pro's sync. Pays itself back in three weeks.
- Free iCloud sync. Cross-Mac sync requires Raycast Pro. NanoClip syncs for free via your existing iCloud.
- Dedicated picker UI. Two-pane layout designed for clipboard scanning, with rich previews and bigger thumbnails than a launcher row.
- Fill-in placeholders. Snippets can prompt for fields before pasting — Raycast Snippets only support static placeholders.
- Edit before paste. Press ⌘E to tweak any clipboard item inline before pasting.
- 19 themes. Catppuccin, Nord, Dracula, Tokyo Night, Liquid Glass — match your editor.
Which one is right for you?
You should use Raycast's clipboard if you already use Raycast as your launcher and your clipboard needs are modest. The built-in version is free, well-designed, and one less app to install.
You should choose NanoClip if you want a dedicated clipboard manager with rich previews and a bigger picker UI, smart snippets, and clipboard-content flows, you don't want to pay $96/year for cross-Mac sync, or you're not a Raycast user and don't want to add a launcher just to get clipboard history.
Most power users run both — Raycast for launching apps and running scripts, NanoClip for clipboard, snippets, and flows. If you do this, turn off Raycast's clipboard extension so two apps aren't polling the same system pasteboard.
See also: NanoClip vs Maccy and NanoClip vs Paste.
Try NanoClip free
Free download. $5.00 one-time for Pro features. No subscription, no account, no data collection.
Frequently asked questions
Does Raycast have a clipboard manager?
Yes. Raycast includes a clipboard history feature in its core extension set. It supports text, images, files, and links, with search and pinning. The free tier limits how far back the history goes; Raycast Pro ($8/month or $96/year) unlocks unlimited history and Cloud Sync between Macs.
Should I use Raycast's clipboard or a dedicated app like NanoClip?
If you're already a heavy Raycast user, the built-in clipboard is genuinely good and you should try it first. Switch to NanoClip if you want: a one-time price instead of a subscription, smart text snippets with auto-expansion, clipboard automation flows for OCR, URLs, and AI, iCloud sync, more themes, or you don't use Raycast at all and don't want a launcher just to get clipboard history.
How much does Raycast Clipboard cost?
Raycast itself is free. Clipboard history with limited memory is free. Unlimited history and Cloud Sync require Raycast Pro at $8/month ($96/year) or $192/year for the AI plan. NanoClip is $5.00 once, no subscription, no account.
Can NanoClip replace Raycast?
No. Raycast is a Spotlight replacement and app launcher with hundreds of extensions — clipboard is just one feature. NanoClip is a dedicated clipboard, snippets, and flow automation tool. Many people happily run both: Raycast for launching apps and running scripts, NanoClip for clipboard, snippets, and flows.
Does Raycast support text snippets like TextExpander?
Yes — Raycast Snippets are a free feature. They support keyword expansion and dynamic placeholders for date, time, clipboard, cursor position, and UUID. NanoClip snippets cover similar ground (date, clipboard, custom fields you fill in before pasting). If you only need snippets, Raycast Snippets alone may be enough.
Does Raycast sync clipboard between Macs?
Only with a Raycast Pro subscription via Cloud Sync. NanoClip syncs clipboard history and snippets across Macs using private iCloud at no extra cost — same Apple ID, no servers in the middle.
Is Raycast open source?
No. Raycast is closed-source, free with paid Pro tiers. Its extensions are open source on GitHub. NanoClip is also closed-source, sold as a one-time $5.00 purchase.
Can I use both Raycast and NanoClip?
Yes. Disable Raycast's clipboard history (Settings → Extensions → Clipboard History → off) and let NanoClip handle clipboard, snippets, and flows. Two clipboard listeners polling the system pasteboard at once is wasteful and can cause subtle conflicts, so pick one for that role.
Disclosure: This comparison is published by NanoClip. We've worked to represent Raycast fairly based on its publicly documented features and pricing as of May 2026. Raycast is a product of Raycast Technologies Ltd.