https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty
A free, open-source clipboard manager for macOS — inspired by Paste. Native SwiftUI, signed & notarized.
https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty
clipboard clipboard-manager macos menubar open-source paste pasteboard productivity swift swiftui
Last synced: 6 days ago
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A free, open-source clipboard manager for macOS — inspired by Paste. Native SwiftUI, signed & notarized.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty
- Owner: momenbasel
- License: mit
- Created: 2026-06-26T00:09:29.000Z (15 days ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-06-26T01:08:50.000Z (15 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-06-26T03:05:45.625Z (15 days ago)
- Topics: clipboard, clipboard-manager, macos, menubar, open-source, paste, pasteboard, productivity, swift, swiftui
- Language: Swift
- Homepage: https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty
- Size: 485 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 1
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Pesty
**A free, open-source clipboard manager for macOS - inspired by [Paste](https://pasteapp.io).**
Your clipboard history as a beautiful, color-coded strip that slides up from the bottom of your screen.
[](https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty/releases/latest)
[](LICENSE)
[**Website**](https://www.moamenbasel.com/pesty/) · [Download](https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty/releases/latest) · [Homebrew](#install) · [Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pesty-clipboard-manager/id6784511397)
Pesty is **free and open source**. The one-time fee on the Mac App Store is optional - it only helps cover the yearly Apple Developer Program fee that keeps the app signed and notarized. You never have to pay it: get the exact same app for free via [Homebrew](#install) or [direct download](https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty/releases/latest).
### ⭐ If Pesty saved you a Paste subscription, star the repo - it genuinely helps.
## What is Pesty?
Pesty keeps a history of everything you copy and lets you get it back instantly. Hit a global hotkey, the strip slides up, you pick a clip with the arrow keys (or `⌘1`–`⌘9`), press `return`, and it pastes straight into whatever app you were in.
It is a faithful, native reimplementation of the Paste experience - built in **Swift + SwiftUI**, with **zero third-party dependencies**, fully **signed and notarized** by Apple, and **free forever**.
## Features
- **Slide-up strip** - full-width, translucent bar that springs up from the bottom of the active screen.
- **Color-coded cards** - each clip has a header band tinted per source app (consistent per app), with the app icon, type label, when it was copied, a preview, and a footer showing character count and a quick-paste number.
- **All content types** - plain text, rich text, links, images, files, and colors.
- **Pinboards** - save clips you reuse into named, color-tagged collections that never expire.
- **iCloud sync** - optionally keep your history and pinboards in sync across your Macs via iCloud Drive.
- **Instant search** - start typing to filter your whole history.
- **Keyboard-first** - arrow keys to move, `return` to paste, `⌘1`–`⌘9` to quick-paste, `⌘⌫` to delete, `esc` to close.
- **Paste directly** - drops the clip into the app you were using, no manual `⌘V` needed.
- **Privacy-aware** - ignores clips marked concealed by password managers; history stored with `0600` permissions.
- **Menu-bar app** - runs quietly as a menu-bar item, optional launch at login.
- **Native & light** - a single universal `.app`, no Electron, no background web stack.
## Install
### Homebrew (recommended)
```bash
brew install --cask momenbasel/pesty/pesty
```
### Direct download
1. Download `Pesty-x.y.z.dmg` from the [latest release](https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty/releases/latest).
2. Open the DMG and drag **Pesty** to **Applications**.
3. Launch Pesty. It lives in your menu bar.
The build is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens without Gatekeeper warnings.
## First run
1. Press **`⌘⇧V`** (the default shortcut) to open the strip.
2. Pick a clip and press `return`.
- **Direct-download / Homebrew build:** the first time you paste, macOS asks for **Accessibility** permission - grant it so Pesty can paste directly into other apps. You can change this anytime in **Settings → Permissions**.
- **Mac App Store build:** fully sandboxed and requests **no** permissions - the clip is copied and focus returns to your app, so just press **`⌘V`** to paste.
## Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | Action |
| --- | --- |
| `⌘⇧V` | Show / hide the strip (configurable) |
| `←` `→` `↑` `↓` | Move selection |
| `return` | Paste selected clip |
| `⌘1`–`⌘9` | Quick-paste the Nth clip |
| `⌘⌫` | Delete selected clip |
| type anything | Search |
| `esc` | Clear search, then close |
## Build from source
Requires macOS 14+ and Xcode 16+ (Swift 6).
```bash
git clone https://github.com/momenbasel/pesty.git
cd pesty
swift run # run in place
# or build a distributable .app:
VERSION=1.0.0 BUILD=1 ./scripts/build_app.sh
open packaging/Pesty.app
```
To produce a signed + notarized DMG (needs a Developer ID cert and an App Store Connect API key):
```bash
SIGN_IDENTITY="Developer ID Application: Your Name (TEAMID)" \
ASC_KEY="$HOME/.appstoreconnect/private_keys/AuthKey_XXXX.p8" \
ASC_KEY_ID="XXXX" ASC_ISSUER="" \
./scripts/release_build.sh
```
## Project structure
```
Sources/Pesty/
Main.swift entry point
AppController.swift app delegate, hotkey + menu-bar wiring, paste flow
Models/ ClipItem, ClipType, Pinboard
Store/ ClipboardStore (history, pinboards, persistence)
Monitor/ ClipboardMonitor (pasteboard polling), PasteService (⌘V injection)
Hotkey/ HotKeyCenter (Carbon global hotkey)
UI/ BarView, ClipCardView, PinboardTabs, the sliding panel
Settings/ Settings store + preferences window + hotkey recorder
Util/ icons, color hex, visual-effect view, launch-at-login
scripts/ build, icon, sign + notarize
packaging/ Info.plist, entitlements, generated artifacts
```
## Pesty vs other Mac clipboard managers
| | Pesty | Paste | Maccy |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** (optional one-time fee on the Mac App Store) | Subscription | Free |
| Open source | **Yes (MIT)** | No | Yes |
| Color-coded strip UI | Yes | Yes | No (list) |
| Pinboards | Yes | Yes | No |
| Source-app color coding | Yes | Yes | No |
| Native (no Electron) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Signed & notarized | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pesty reimplements the parts of Paste people use every day - the slide-up strip, color-coded cards, pinboards, search, and keyboard-driven pasting - as a free, native, open-source app. If you love Paste, [buy it](https://pasteapp.io); it's excellent. Pesty is for people who want a free, hackable **Paste app alternative**, or a prettier alternative to **Maccy** with a strip UI and pinboards.
## FAQ
**Is Pesty free?** Yes - free and open source (MIT) on GitHub and via Homebrew. The Mac App Store build carries a small one-time fee, but that's optional: it only helps cover the yearly Apple Developer Program fee that keeps the app signed and notarized. It's the same app either way.
**Is Pesty a good clipboard manager for Mac?** It keeps a searchable history of everything you copy (text, links, images, files, colors) and pastes it back with a keystroke - with pinboards and a color-coded strip.
**Does it keep my clipboard private?** Yes. Everything stays on your Mac - no servers, no analytics, no network calls - and password-manager clips are ignored.
**What macOS does it need?** macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel.
> **Keywords:** clipboard manager for Mac, macOS clipboard history, free Paste app alternative, open-source clipboard manager, Maccy alternative, copy-paste history, clipboard pinboards.
🔗 **Website:** [www.moamenbasel.com/pesty](https://www.moamenbasel.com/pesty/)
## Contributing
PRs welcome - see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md). Good first issues: large preview pane, drag-and-drop out of cards, strip resize handle, iOS/iPad companion, more content-type renderers.
## License
[MIT](LICENSE) © 2026 Moamen Basel.
## Disclaimer
Pesty is an independent project and is **not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to** Paste or its makers (Wonder Warp / FIPLAB). "Paste" is referenced only to describe the inspiration. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.