Unclutter had a simple, good idea: put the three things you reach for between tasks, files, clipboard history and a scratch note, in one panel at the top of the screen. It still does that for $19.99. But its last update was in May, and it does nothing past those three panels. If you want the same idea with more behind it, this is the comparison.
The best Unclutter alternative in 2026 is Droppy: it puts a file tray, clipboard history and notes at the top of the screen like Unclutter, adds sharing, conversion and iPhone sync, and costs $9.99 once, as long as your Mac runs macOS 14 or later.
What Unclutter does
Unclutter is made by UJ.Labs. We read its website, its Mac App Store listing and its Setapp page on October 27, 2026. It opens a panel from the top of the screen that holds:
- Clipboard history, so earlier copies are a click away.
- A drop zone for files, a place to park downloads and documents.
- Quick notes with full-text search.
Its files and notes can sync through iCloud Drive or Dropbox, it supports AppleScript, and it runs on Macs back to macOS 10.13. It is $19.99 once on the Mac App Store, the direct version has a 10-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, and it is included in Setapp, where 98% of 651 ratings are positive. The latest version, 2.2.18, was listed in May.
That is a fair app. What it is not is a growing one: it does those three jobs and stops.
What Droppy adds past the three panels
A panel at the top of the screen is the start of something, not the end. You park a file to send it, you copy text to paste it somewhere, you jot a note to use it later. Droppy is built around the next step.
- Quick Actions. Under the file tray sits a row of tiles: AirDrop, a share link through Droppy Cloud, Dropbox or Google Drive, Mail, Messages and iCloud Drive. Drop a file on one and it goes.
- Transform. Compress, convert, resize, trim, zip or turn a video into a GIF, on your Mac, with the new size shown before it runs.
- Droppy Cloud. A link anyone can open, files up to 200 MB, no account on either end, gone after 3 days.
- Music and live activities. Now Playing in the notch, a floating player with synced lyrics, and timers, calls, downloads and AirPods battery beside the notch.
- A launcher and 40 droplets. Thunderstorm opens apps and searches files from the keyboard, and the Droplet Store adds the rest when you want it.
Unclutter vs Droppy, side by side
Both read on October 27, 2026. Prices are US prices.
| Unclutter | Droppy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 once | $9.99 once, 2 Macs |
| Free trial | 10 days, plus a 30-day refund | 3 days, plus a 14-day refund |
| Where it is sold | Mac App Store, direct, Setapp | getdroppy.app |
| Runs on | macOS 10.13 and later | macOS 14 Sonoma and later |
| Latest update | 2.2.18, listed May 25 | New versions every few weeks |
| Files at the top of the screen | Drop zone | File tray in the notch, plus a floating tray at the cursor |
| Clipboard history | Yes | Yes, with search, pins, tags and text in images |
| Notes | Quick notes with full-text search | Notes droplet with live markdown |
| Sync | iCloud Drive or Dropbox | Droppy Sync to iPhone, end to end encrypted |
| Send and convert files | Not listed | AirDrop, Mail and link tiles, plus Transform |
| Also in the app | Not listed | Music controls, live activities, launcher, 40 droplets |
DroppySwitch on a few rows to see which app covers more of them.
Moving from Unclutter to Droppy
- Download Droppy and open it. Every feature is on for the 3-day trial.
- Quit Unclutter, so two panels are not competing for the top of the screen.
- Turn on the Notes droplet in Settings, Store. Open each Unclutter note, copy its text, and paste it into a new Droppy note.
- Move the files you parked in Unclutter's drop zone into Droppy's file tray, and pin the ones that should stay.
- Record a clipboard shortcut on the Shortcuts page. If you used Unclutter's clipboard with the same keys, quit it first.
When to stay with Unclutter
If your Mac cannot run macOS 14, if your notes live in Dropbox and need to stay there, or if you already pay for Setapp and only need the three panels, Unclutter is fine and there is no reason to move. Droppy is the better buy for everyone else: it costs half as much, new versions ship every few weeks, and it keeps going where Unclutter stops.
The verdict
- Stay with Unclutter on older Macs, with Dropbox-synced notes, or inside Setapp.
- Pick Droppy for the same three panels plus sharing, conversion, iPhone sync and much more, for $9.99 once.
Frequently asked questions
What does Unclutter do?
Unclutter is a Mac app by UJ.Labs that opens a panel from the top of the screen with three parts: clipboard history, a drop zone for files, and quick notes with full-text search. Its files and notes can sync through iCloud Drive or Dropbox.
How much does Unclutter cost?
$19.99 once on the Mac App Store, read on October 27, 2026. The direct version has a 10-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, and Unclutter is also included in Setapp.
Is Unclutter still updated?
Yes, though not often. Version 2.2.18 is the latest, listed on the Mac App Store on May 25, after a 2.2.17 update with fixes for macOS 26 Tahoe.
What is the best Unclutter alternative?
Droppy covers the same three jobs, a file tray, clipboard history and notes at the top of the screen, and adds one-drop sharing, file conversion, music controls and live activities. It costs $9.99 once for 2 Macs and needs macOS 14 or later.
Can Droppy import my Unclutter notes?
Not directly. Open each note in Unclutter, copy its text, and paste it into a new Droppy note. Droppy's clipboard can import history from Maccy and Raycast, but not from Unclutter.
Do Droppy's notes sync to my iPhone?
Yes. Notes sync to the free Droppy for iPhone beta through Droppy Sync, end to end encrypted, and a note written on the iPhone reaches the notch by the next pass.