TL;DR: Clipso is designed with privacy as the core principle. All your data stays on your Mac. We have zero access to your clipboard history. No cloud sync, no analytics, no tracking, no data transmission.
1. Our Privacy Commitment
Clipso is built on a simple principle: your clipboard data is yours, and yours alone. We have designed the application to be completely air-gapped from the internet when it comes to your clipboard data.
2. What Data We Collect
2.1 Clipboard Data (100% Local)
Clipso stores the following data locally on your device only:
- Clipboard items: Text, images, and links you copy
- OCR text: Text extracted from images (processed on-device)
- Metadata: Timestamp, source application, category
- AI embeddings: For semantic search (Pro feature, processed on-device)
- Encrypted items: Optional AES-256 encryption keys (stored in macOS Keychain)
Storage location: All data is stored in your Mac's local Core Data database. We have no access to this data. It never leaves your device.
2.2 License Information (Keychain Only)
If you purchase a Pro license, the following information is stored in your macOS Keychain:
- License key
- License email
- License type (Lifetime, Annual, Monthly)
Important: License validation requires a one-time API call to Paddle's servers to verify your license. After validation, the result is cached locally. Your clipboard data is never transmitted during this process.
2.3 What We DO NOT Collect
Clipso does not collect, transmit, or store:
- ❌ Analytics or telemetry
- ❌ Usage statistics
- ❌ Crash reports (unless you manually submit via GitHub)
- ❌ Personal information
- ❌ Device identifiers
- ❌ IP addresses
- ❌ Location data
- ❌ Browsing history
- ❌ Any data from excluded applications (password managers)
3. How We Use Your Data
3.1 Local Processing Only
All data processing happens entirely on your device:
- OCR: Apple Vision framework (on-device)
- Semantic Search: Apple NaturalLanguage framework (on-device)
- Text Analysis: Apple NaturalLanguage framework (on-device)
- Encryption: Apple CryptoKit (on-device)
We use Apple's native machine learning frameworks which process data entirely on your Mac without any network requests.
3.2 No Cloud Sync
Clipso does not sync your clipboard history to iCloud or any other cloud service. Each Mac has its own independent clipboard history stored locally.
Note: Cloud sync with end-to-end encryption is planned for a future release and will be opt-in only.
4. Data Sharing and Third Parties
4.1 We Do Not Share Your Data
Clipso does not share, sell, rent, or transmit your clipboard data to anyone. Period.
4.2 Payment Processing (Paddle)
When you purchase a Pro license, payment processing is handled by Paddle (our merchant of record):
- Paddle collects payment information (credit card, billing address, email)
- Paddle's privacy policy applies: paddle.com/legal/privacy
- We receive only: your email address and order confirmation
- Your clipboard data is never transmitted to Paddle
4.3 Open Source
Clipso is open source on GitHub:
- Source code: github.com/dcrivac/Clipso
- You can audit the code yourself to verify our privacy claims
- Community contributions are reviewed publicly
- No hidden telemetry or tracking code
5. Data Security
5.1 Local Data Protection
- Core Data: Stored in macOS-protected application directory
- Keychain: License keys and encryption keys stored in macOS Keychain (encrypted by OS)
- Optional Encryption: AES-256-GCM encryption for sensitive clipboard items
- File Permissions: Only your user account can access the data
5.2 App Exclusions
Clipso supports excluding specific applications (like password managers) to prevent capturing sensitive data:
- 1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden, and other password managers can be excluded
- Clipboard changes from excluded apps are ignored entirely
- Configurable in Settings
6. Data Retention
You have complete control over data retention:
- Free tier: Maximum 30-day retention, 250 items
- Pro tier: Unlimited retention (configurable 1-365 days or forever)
- Manual deletion: Delete individual items or entire history anytime
- Uninstall: Deleting the app removes all data from your Mac
7. Your Privacy Rights
Since all data is stored locally on your device, you have complete control:
- Access: View all clipboard items in the app
- Export: Copy items to use elsewhere
- Delete: Delete individual items or clear entire history
- Encryption: Enable AES-256 encryption for sensitive items
- App exclusions: Prevent monitoring specific applications
- Complete removal: Uninstall the app to remove all data
8. Permissions Required
Clipso requires the following macOS permissions:
- Accessibility: To detect which application you're copying from (stays local)
- Clipboard access: To monitor clipboard changes (automatic in macOS)
Not required: Network access, location, contacts, camera, microphone, or any other permissions.
9. Children's Privacy
Clipso does not knowingly collect any data from children. Since all data is stored locally and we collect no personal information, the app can be safely used by anyone. However, we do not specifically target children under 13.
10. International Users
Clipso works worldwide:
- All data processing happens locally on your device
- No data crosses international borders (because no data is transmitted)
- GDPR compliant (no personal data collection)
- CCPA compliant (no personal data sale)
- Works offline - no internet connection required for core features
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
- Posting an announcement on our GitHub repository
- Updating the policy on our website
Continued use of Clipso after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us
For privacy-related questions or concerns:
13. Compliance
Clipso is designed to comply with major privacy regulations:
- GDPR (EU): No personal data collection, processing, or transfer
- CCPA (California): No sale of personal information
- PIPEDA (Canada): No collection or disclosure of personal information
- Apple Privacy Guidelines: Uses only on-device processing, no tracking
Privacy Guarantee: Clipso is designed to be completely air-gapped when it comes to your clipboard data. We have no servers to store your data, no analytics to track your usage, and no business model based on your information. Your clipboard history stays on your Mac, encrypted if you choose, and completely under your control.
If you have concerns about our privacy practices or want to verify our claims, please review our open source code on GitHub.