Clash Client Comparison & Guide

Client comparison table

“Platforms” describes the project’s availability; “Downloads on this site” lists the packages actually provided here. For example, Nyanpasu supports multiple desktop systems, but this site lists only its Windows installer. Maintenance status is a general assessment, not a guarantee about the features or compatibility of every release.

On narrow screens, scroll horizontally to view the table. Difficulty reflects the configuration knowledge needed to import a profile, select a policy and verify a connection—not performance.

What the six comparison factors mean

Platforms and cores: check what will run

Platform support means more than the operating system name: minimum system requirements and processor architecture matter too. On macOS, check whether you need an Intel or Apple Silicon build; on Android, match the device architecture; on Linux, check the package format and desktop environment. The original Clash, Meta and mihomo are related through successive development, but a Meta core in a legacy client is not equivalent to a current mihomo implementation. If fields are rejected or protocols are unsupported, check the core actually in use—not just the client’s name.

Maintenance and ease of use: consider long-term effort

Active maintenance means a project continues to receive fixes and compatibility updates; it does not mean every release is safe to install over an existing setup. Discontinued software may gradually run into compatibility issues with operating systems, subscription formats and certificate environments. Ease of use also depends on the task: importing an existing configuration is usually straightforward, while writing DNS settings, rule sets and overrides requires an understanding of YAML structure and core behavior.

Features and users: check what you actually need

System proxy works for apps that follow your system’s proxy settings. TUN can capture traffic from more apps, but adds permissions, routing and DNS troubleshooting. Configuration merging helps preserve local rules; multi-core management is useful for compatibility testing. If you only browse and switch policies, you do not need every advanced toggle. For specific fields, see the config.yaml reference.

Eight client reviews

Clash Plus: the everyday choice

Top pick A good fit if you do not yet have an established client workflow and want to get connected for everyday use. This site has downloads for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, making it easy to find an installer for each device. Check configuration formats, permissions and feature availability on each platform; apps with the same name do not necessarily offer identical settings. Start with a working configuration: import it, select a policy and verify the connection. Add custom rules later—troubleshooting is easier than enabling complex traffic capture and overrides all at once.

iOS users can follow the download link to the App Store; desktop and Android users should choose the package for their system. For multiple devices, you can keep track of subscription sources and policy purposes in one place, but permissions, background settings and local paths must still be managed on each device. View Clash Plus downloads by platform →

Clash Verge Rev: desktop overrides and configuration management

Clash Verge Rev uses mihomo and is available for Windows, macOS and Linux desktops. Its appeal is a unified desktop workflow for subscription management, policy switching, configuration merging and system-level traffic capture. If you need to keep local rules alongside an existing subscription, learn how merging works instead of repeatedly editing subscription content that may be overwritten on update.

Before enabling TUN or service mode, check system permissions and whether other networking tools are already in use. The configuration editor’s contents are not necessarily the same as the final configuration passed to the core. If a rule does not take effect, inspect the merged result and the configuration actually loaded. It is a strong alternative to compare with Clash Plus if you need finer control over desktop traffic routing.

FlClash: a similar workflow on desktop and Android

FlClash uses mihomo and supports Windows, macOS, Android and Linux. It suits users who switch between a computer and Android and want configuration lists and policy controls to work in a similar way. Familiar interfaces reduce the effort of finding your way around, but each operating system handles traffic capture differently: Android requires VPN permission, while desktop setups use system proxy or TUN settings.

Before importing, check that the subscription is a supported Clash configuration—not just text containing encoded nodes. When moving a desktop configuration to a phone, check local file paths and listening addresses; do not assume resources referenced on your computer are available there. Linux users can compare it with Clash Verge Rev, focusing on whether configuration editing and desktop integration fit their workflow.

Clash Nyanpasu: for desktop users who need core selection

Clash Nyanpasu stands out for desktop configuration management and multi-core selection. This can be useful when reproducing specific configuration behavior or comparing which features different cores support. Available cores vary by build and settings, so a successful installation does not mean mihomo is in use. This site provides a Windows installer.

It is best suited to users comfortable reading logs and configuration errors. When troubleshooting, record the client, core actually in use, configuration source and recent changes to avoid mistaking a core difference for an interface issue. If you only need to import a subscription and use it reliably, multi-core support is rarely essential—and switching environments frequently just to use it is not worthwhile.

Clash for Windows: archived use after discontinuation

Discontinued Clash for Windows is often shortened to CFW. Despite its name, it historically supported other desktop systems too; this site provides only a Windows archive. Its Profiles, Proxies and Connections pages feature in many older tutorials, but similar screenshots do not guarantee that newer protocols, fields or system environments will still work.

Archived software can help reproduce an existing setup, but is not recommended as the default choice for a new installation. Before migrating, back up subscription URLs, local rules and policy group names, then check the configuration in a maintained client. Some old installations may have had their core replaced manually, so the interface version alone cannot tell you what features are available. Do not copy an entire old installation directory over a new client.

Clash Meta for Android: Android-focused configuration management

Clash Meta for Android, commonly called CMFA, uses a Meta/mihomo-based core and suits users who primarily use Clash configurations on Android. Its workflow centers on importing configurations, selecting policies and controlling app access. When Android first asks for VPN connection permission, grant it to establish the traffic-capture tunnel; this is not a separate proxy subscription.

If the connection drops when the app moves to the background or the screen locks, check battery optimization and background permissions before changing subscriptions. Check what the app access control list means in the current interface: selected apps may be included or excluded. For a similar interface on desktop and phone, compare FlClash. If you mainly need an Android workflow, CMFA is worth trying.

Surfboard: check the configuration format first

Surfboard is an Android proxy client, but it is not based on the original Clash, Meta or mihomo core. It has its own implementation and a Surge-style configuration format; check the project documentation for the current support range. It is included here to show that proxy clients can use different syntax—not to suggest that any Clash subscription can be imported directly.

Users who already have a supported configuration can continue with its existing workflow. If you only have a Clash YAML subscription, first check whether your provider offers a compatible format. Conversion can lose policy groups, rules or protocol parameters; a successful conversion does not guarantee identical behavior. Beginners should not add an unfamiliar configuration-conversion step just to try a different interface.

ClashX Meta: legacy macOS menu bar workflow

Discontinued ClashX Meta uses a Meta-based core and is built around the macOS menu bar. It suits existing users who are familiar with its configuration files and menu controls, but after discontinuation, do not assume archived installers support the fields and protocols in current mihomo. An archive for the relevant architecture is available here as a reference for older setups.

For long-term use on a newer system, consider Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev or FlClash first. Before migrating, quit the old client and turn off its traffic-capture settings, then test the new client. Running two traffic-capture tools at once makes DNS, system proxy and routing problems harder to trace. Migrate any local rule files referenced by the old configuration separately; copying the main YAML file is not enough.

Choose by use case

Migration checklist: before switching clients

1. Separate subscriptions from local changes. Save subscription sources, update methods, selected policy groups and manually added rules. A client’s exported main configuration may not include external rule files or override scripts.
2. Check the core and configuration format. Clash YAML, encoded node lists and Surfboard configurations are different file types. Confirm the target client can parse the format, then check support for extended fields and protocols.
3. Stop the old client from capturing traffic. Quit the old app and confirm that its system proxy, VPN or TUN has been released. An old service may continue to affect your network in the background even after its window is closed.
4. Run a minimal test in the new client. Import the configuration, check the logs for errors, then select a policy and verify access. Migrate DNS settings, custom rules and overrides one at a time only after the basic connection works.
5. Check actual behavior, not just switch states. Use connection logs to confirm which rules and policies match; test apps that do not use the system proxy separately. Turning on TUN does not guarantee that DNS and routing behave as intended.

If you encounter configuration errors during migration, start with the common fields, then check rules and merge order. A maintained client, a configuration you can roll back to, and changing one variable at a time make troubleshooting easier than repeatedly switching between clients.

Clash client FAQs