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Clash Client Comparison and Selection Guide
Start with your operating system and subscription format, then compare cores, traffic interception, and maintenance status. Clash Plus is our top pick for everyday use. For Linux desktops or finer configuration control, consider Clash Verge Rev or FlClash.
The platform coverage below reflects the download options available in our download center; it does not include every platform a project has ever supported. Maintenance status describes the project overall and does not guarantee that every branch, installer, or bundled core is up to date. Before installing, check the system requirements, processor architecture, and feature notes for the specific build.
Scroll horizontally on narrow screens. Ease of use reflects the steps needed to import a subscription and establish a basic connection, not performance.
Easy to get started; check system compatibility separately
Menu bar controls and legacy Meta configurations
Users with existing legacy macOS setups
How the eight clients differ in practice
These reviews focus on configuration workflows, not interface screenshots or brief test results. How a subscription behaves across clients also depends on core version, default overrides, system permissions, and local DNS settings.
Clash Plus: Best for everyday use and multiple devices
Top pickActively maintained
Clash Plus is a good fit if you want to start by importing a subscription rather than researching the differences between desktop clients. We provide downloads for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Choose the version for your device, then follow the guide to import your subscription, select a rule mode, and verify the connection. Official website: clashplus.io.
Having the same client name across platforms does not mean every setting works the same way. iOS system networking permissions differ from desktop, so desktop service modes, external control addresses, and port instructions may not apply. If you have a complex mihomo configuration, check support for each protocol, rule provider, and DNS setting before migrating. A matching file extension alone does not guarantee compatibility.
Clash Verge Rev: Desktop TUN and configuration extensions
Clash Verge Rev uses the mihomo core and is available here for Windows, macOS, and Linux desktops. It suits users who need to choose between a system proxy and TUN, manage multiple subscriptions, or add local rules on top of a subscription. Basic tasks can be handled in the graphical interface; more complex setups can use configuration merging and scripts.
The learning curve is less about installation and more about understanding where the effective configuration comes from. The original subscription, local merges, and scripts may all affect the result, so inspect the active configuration when troubleshooting. Before enabling TUN, verify the system proxy first, then follow the client’s prompts for services or permissions. Avoid changing traffic interception and DNS at the same time, so you can identify the cause if something breaks.
FlClash: Similar workflows on desktop and Android
FlClash uses the mihomo core and is available here for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. It suits users who want a similar approach to configuration management on computers and Android devices. Make subscription import, proxy group selection, and mode switching your everyday workflow; there is no need to edit a full YAML file from the start.
A similar interface does not erase differences between operating systems. On desktop, check system proxy settings or TUN permissions. On Android, grant VPN access and adjust background restrictions as needed. When migrating, bring over the original subscription and essential rules first; do not copy ports, network interface names, or control interface settings from another device. For iOS, see the Clash Plus App Store listing in our download center.
Clash Nyanpasu: Interface customization and core management
Clash Nyanpasu is better suited to desktop users willing to understand how the client processes configurations. We provide a Windows download. Focus on its interface customization, configuration handling, and core management—not on assuming that more options make it right for everyone. When getting started, keeping the default configuration workflow usually makes issues easier to trace.
Check the actual installer and settings page before choosing a core; historical core options are not guaranteed to be included in current builds. After switching cores, check whether the protocols, rules, and DNS syntax are supported. If you just want to import a subscription and browse, Clash Plus offers a more straightforward setup. For a more customized desktop workflow, compare Nyanpasu with Verge Rev.
Clash for Windows: For archived setups and migration
Discontinued
Clash for Windows, often called CFW, is a legacy desktop client from the original Clash ecosystem. Archived builds commonly include Clash Premium. Although many guides are available, do not assume their menus, service installation steps, or configuration features apply to current clients. We keep an archived Windows download for reproducing legacy setups and checking configurations during migration.
Do not keep using it long term just because its interface is familiar. Before migrating to a mihomo client, back up your subscription source, local rules, and overrides, then check how each one parses. Do not copy the entire data directory over or replace the old client’s core files and assume everything will work. For new installations, choose a client that is actively maintained.
Clash Meta for Android: Per-app access controls
Clash Meta for Android, often called CMFA, uses a Clash.Meta/mihomo-family core; its features depend on the build. It suits Android users who already understand Clash configurations and want to control proxy access by app. The first connection requires system VPN permission. Per-app access controls determine which apps are covered; the rule mode then determines how their connections are routed.
Excluding an app is not the same as routing a domain directly: exclusion may bypass the client for the entire app, while direct routing still follows the client’s rules. If the connection drops in the background, check Android’s battery management and background restrictions before changing subscriptions. Another VPN app may also occupy the system VPN slot, so make sure only one app is handling traffic.
Surfboard: For existing Surge-style configurations
Surfboard is an Android proxy client, not a graphical shell for original Clash or mihomo. It has its own proxy implementation and uses Surge-style configuration, making it a good fit if you already have a compatible configuration or your provider offers a subscription in that format. Before choosing Surfboard, check the subscription format and protocol support. A Clash YAML URL is not a universal import link.
Even with a Surge-style configuration, check which fields Surfboard actually supports; not every option from another product will work unchanged. Format conversion can lose rules, policy groups, or DNS behavior, so review the converted configuration. If you only have a mihomo-specific configuration, first check compatibility with Clash Plus, CMFA, or FlClash. This is usually easier to maintain than repeatedly converting formats.
ClashX Meta: For checking legacy macOS setups
Discontinued
ClashX Meta is a macOS menu bar client powered by a Clash.Meta-family core. We list it as a discontinued archived project for checking configurations in existing setups, not as a first choice for new devices. Its simple menu bar controls do not guarantee that the old app will behave the same under newer system networking permissions.
When migrating, first choose the installer for Intel or Apple Silicon, then import a copy of your configuration. Record your existing system proxy settings, helper services, and login items separately; remove old items only after confirming the new client works. Do not let two clients manage the system proxy at once. For complex Meta configurations, compare Clash Verge Rev with FlClash. For everyday use, start with Clash Plus.
Choose a client by use case
Check your configuration before switching clients
Subscription sources are usually the easiest part to migrate between clients; the entire application data directory is the part you should not copy blindly. It may contain platform-specific paths, interface state, service settings, and options for an old core. Keep a copy of the working setup, then rebuild only what you need in the new client. That is easier to roll back than overwriting everything at once.
Record where each configuration comes from. Distinguish online subscriptions, local files, and runtime configurations generated by the client. Keep the original subscription URL, but never include a URL with personal access parameters in public screenshots or support requests.
Save your local changes separately. Keep custom rules, DNS changes, and overrides in separate files. Changes made directly to a downloaded subscription file may be overwritten on the next update; move them to a merge or override feature supported by the new client.
Check syntax and protocols. Confirm whether the configuration is for original Clash, Meta/mihomo, or a Surge-style system. If parsing fails, check the specific field instead of repeatedly reinstalling the client.
Avoid traffic interception conflicts. Quit the old client and disable its system proxy or VPN before starting the new one. Keep the old app for rollback, but do not run two TUN interfaces or have two clients compete for the same mixed port.
Restore features in stages. First verify that the subscription loads and rule mode works. Then restore custom rules, TUN, and launch-at-login. Check how commonly used apps connect, and review the connection log to confirm which rules matched.
If import fails, the system proxy has no effect, or websites will not load, follow the symptom-based checks in Troubleshooting. For the basics of system proxy versus TUN, see the Help Center. Switching clients repeatedly will not fix an expired subscription, a remote service outage, or conflicting local DNS settings.
Recommendations and downloads
Clash Plus is our top pick for everyday use. For Linux desktops or mihomo configuration extensions, compare Clash Verge Rev with FlClash. For per-app controls on Android, consider CMFA; choose Surfboard if you already have a Surge-style configuration. Nyanpasu is better suited to users who want to customize their desktop configuration workflow. Keep CFW and ClashX Meta for migration reference and legacy setups.
Visit the Download Center to find installers by operating system, maintenance status, and system requirements. Do not choose based only on similar names, or assume that a client’s default ports, TUN behavior, or configuration overrides are standard across the entire Clash ecosystem.