Jumpcut, Free:

Jumpcut's goal is simple: access to text that you've cut or copied, even if you've subsequently cut or copied something else. It's free, and for many users, this small application will be all you need.

Jumpcut sits in the menu bar and records every piece of text that you copy. If you wish to paste an item from Jumpcut, you have two options: select an item from the menu bar, or activate and paste from a pop-up bezel (triggered by a hotkey, by default Control-Option-V).

Simple and free. The only disadvantage is that Jumpcut is text only; it won't keep a history of your copied images or other media.




PTHPasteboard, Free:

PTHPasteboard is free, though they offer a Pro edition for $24.95. The free version does well to maintain the core features needed in a clipboard manager.

PTHPasteboard has a hidden window; you can bring up the window by clicking on the menu bar icon or by assigning a hotkey. PTHPasteboard installs as a preference pane (which might ruffle some feathers if you like your System Preferences kept clean), and offers many customizable options. You can choose to always show the window, change the colors of the rows, create hot keys for pasting or showing the window, and many more.

One feature we adore is the clipboard auto-show feature. With this feature turned on, you can slide your mouse to the edge of your screen, and the clipboard will appear automatically. That way your clipboard is always nearby, but not in the way. Nice.

One advantage PTHPasteboard has over Jumpcut is the ability to copy images and multimedia to the clipboard.


CuteClips, $10:

Here's a secret: We're suckers for cool application icons, and we shudder when we see a poorly designed one. Cuteclips, unfortunately, falls into the latter category. It's hard to take their icon seriously, and even harder to pay $10 to voluntarily put that icon somewhere on our desktop or in our application folder.

Icons aside, Cuteclips serves its purpose as a clipboard application. It has a floating bezel triggered by a user-assigned hotkey (there is a list view as well, though it is very buggy). If you have an Apple Mighty Mouse, you can assign the side buttons to show Cuteclips as well, which is a handy trigger.

If you find yourself using the same clipping over and over, you can assign it as a sticky; that is, the clipping won't ever get overwritten until you manually delete it. And like PTHPasteboard, Cuteclips accepts images, movies, and other multimedia.

Cuteclips is currently in beta.


shadowClipboard, $15:

By now you probably understand that these clipboard applications have a very similar feature set. shadowClipboard gives you more of the same, though it does have a few nice additions.

Like the others, shadowCliboard features a pop-up bezel, triggered with a hotkey, and the ability to copy and paste text, images, media, and more. You also have the option to append copy items to the pasteboard's contents rather than replacing it.

One distinctive of shadowClipboard is the Shared Clipboard feature: using Bonjour technology, you can share your clipboards with other shadowClipboard users on your local network or between users of the same Mac (though you need a Group license for the sharing feature, $30 for up to 10 Macs).


iClip, $29:

If you're tired of the boring bezel interfaces of the prevous applications, iClip will snap you out of your slumber. The UI of iClip is very unique. Some users will be turned off by this, and some users will appreciate it. Beauty is in the eye, and all that.

iClip bills itself as the ultimate clipboard and scrapboard app for the Mac. Its popularity attests to its ease of use and functionality. iClip makes its home on the side, bottom, or top of your display, and it hides itself when not in use. You can drag and drop images, text, and other media to and from the iClip interface for easy copying and pasting. Also, you can set up multiple clipboards (shadowClipboard also has this functionality) for different tasks or programs. Want to line up a few stock emails to send to clients or friends? Create an "emails" clipboard and paste your emails in there; now they're right at your fingertips.

Functionality aside, most users will take one look at iClip and either love it or hate it. So why don't you go ahead and do that?


iClipboard, $29.99:

iClipboard (not to be confused with iClip) is a newish clipboard application from Chronos, the well-known makers of the various Soho applications: Soho Notes, Labels, and Organizer.

iClipboard is more of the same, though with a less distinctive UI than iClip. iClipboard sits on the left or right side of your screen, with a small tab to note its presence. Drag and drop your media to the tab and it's automatically copied (or use the traditional Command + C).

You can assign clippings to different "projects," similar to iClip and shadowClipboard. iClipboard has limited customization, though one option is particularly useful: the ability to ignore file types over a certain size, thus conserving your precious RAM.



Well, we're at the end. If you've made it this far, you're deserving of a few rewards. Some Mac users are loathe to install extra applications that perform only one function, even if that function is greatly appreciated, in the hope of avoiding a glut of applications on their system. The question is, are there any Mac applications that have this functionality built in without having to install another one-trick program?

We're glad you asked.

You might have heard of Quicksilver and Butler, but what you might not know is that both programs have the same clipboard functionality that we've been describing. No extra programs needed; no fuss, no muss. Let's take a look:

Quicksilver:

Odds are anyone who has a Mac and reads Download Squad has Quicksilver installed. It's on every list of essential applications for the Mac, and it's a program that Mac users truly feel crippled without. In case you didn't know (like you've been in sensory deprivation for a couple of years), Quicksilver is a task launcher, text manipulator, and task doer, all accomplished from the comfort of your own keyboard.

Quicksilver can also give you access to your clipboard history. Here's how:

In the Quicksilver preferences, you'll find the clipboard module under the recommended plug-ins. Toggle the check-box to install the module. After this, go into the Preferences section and select the Clipboard option. You can set the Clipboard to capture history, the number of items to capture, and the option to hide the clipboard after pasting.

Now, with Quicksilver activated (by default the command to bring up Quicksilver is Control + Space Bar), you can hit Command + L, and you will see your Clipboard History.

Also, you can drag your Clipboard History window to the edge of the screen, and it will automatically hide and show when you need it (mimicking PTHPasteboard, iClip, and iClipboard).

Wow. Just, wow.

Butler:

Butler, another keyboard launcher for the Mac, lets you access items you have previously stored in your pasteboard (a.k.a. clipboard), effectively turning your pasteboard into a stack. Go to Butler's "Pasteboard" preferences for more configuration options.


So that's it, our (hopefully) exhaustive list of clipboard applications for the Mac. We're certainly exhausted.