Client guide · platform and configuration compatibility
Clash Client Comparison
and Selection Guide
Start with your operating system and architecture, then compare cores and configuration features. Beginners should start with Clash Plus; compare other clients if you need desktop overrides, core management, or support for an existing setup.
This guide compares how each client works—not version numbers, benchmarks, or screenshots.
mode: ruledns: enable: true enhanced-mode: fake-iptun: enable: falserules: - MATCH,DIRECTCompare platforms, cores, and maintenance status
Platforms listed are the download options available here, not the full range of historical project releases.
On narrow screens, scroll horizontally to view the table. Maintenance status is a general guide; check each release's notes before installing. Core support for a feature does not guarantee that every platform exposes the same setting.
| Client | Platforms available here | Core | Maintenance | Ease of use | Key features and usage notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clash Plus Top pick |
Windows、macOS、Android、iOS | Varies by platform; check each client’s documentation rather than assuming a shared core | Actively maintained | Easy; start by importing a subscription and choosing a proxy group | Available for desktop and mobile; a good starting point for choosing a client across devices | Beginners, everyday use, and multiple devices |
| Clash Verge Rev | Windows、macOS、Linux | mihomo | Actively maintained | Moderate; requires understanding configuration and overrides | Desktop configuration management, overrides, system proxy, and TUN settings | Advanced desktop users and rule maintainers |
| FlClash | Windows、macOS、Linux、Android | mihomo | Actively maintained | Easy to moderate; permissions vary by platform | Cross-platform interface and configuration management, with similar workflows on desktop and Android | Users who switch between desktop and Android |
| Clash Nyanpasu | Windows | Supports managing multiple cores; available options depend on the release | Actively maintained | Moderate to advanced; check which core is currently in use | Configuration management and core selection for comparing how different cores handle settings | Users who like tailoring their desktop workflow |
| Clash for Windows | Windows (archived download) | Historical releases commonly used Clash Premium; it is not an equivalent replacement for mihomo | No longer maintained | Familiar to existing users; not recommended as a starting point for new users | Legacy configurations, scripts, and setup reproduction | Users maintaining legacy setups or checking migration details |
| Clash Meta for Android | Android | Meta/mihomo track | Actively maintained | Moderate; requires familiarity with VPN permissions and background settings | Clash configuration import, proxy group selection, and Android traffic routing | Android users familiar with YAML |
| Surfboard | Android | Own implementation; not based on the Clash or mihomo core | Actively maintained | Easy with an existing compatible configuration; cross-format migration takes extra work | Independent configuration system; check syntax and protocol support separately | Users with an existing Surfboard-compatible configuration |
| ClashX Meta | macOS (archived download) | Meta track; depends on the legacy release | No longer maintained | Familiar to existing users; check compatibility with newer systems | Menu bar controls and continuity with existing macOS configurations | Users checking legacy setups or planning a migration |
Narrow down your options by use case
Eight Clash clients reviewed
These reviews follow the typical setup workflow. Our download center lists options for different platforms and configuration preferences; archived apps are mainly for reference when maintaining existing setups, not recommended for new installations.
Clash Plus: best for everyday use across devices
Clash Plus is our top recommendation for building a straightforward workflow, from importing a subscription to choosing a proxy group. Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS users can find the relevant download in our download center. Official site: clashplus.io. Choose based on platform coverage and everyday workflow—not on the assumption that every version uses an identical core.
If your subscription service offers multiple formats, choose one the client explicitly supports. For special protocols, scripts, or advanced fields, check the documentation for your platform before migrating. For most users, first make sure your browser and everyday apps connect as expected; that makes issues easier to diagnose than starting with a complex setup. Browse Clash Plus downloads.
Clash Verge Rev: desktop configuration management with mihomo
Clash Verge Rev suits users who primarily work on Windows, macOS, or Linux and want to manage subscriptions alongside local overrides. Its mihomo core supports features such as rule sets, DNS, and TUN, but settings from the client and subscription may be merged. When troubleshooting, inspect the active configuration—not just the original YAML you downloaded.
A typical use case: let the subscription update proxy nodes while local settings preserve your DNS, rules, and proxy group preferences. Understand the override order and save a copy before making changes. TUN also involves service permissions, routing, and potential conflicts with other network tools. Turning it on does not guarantee that every app is routed as intended.
FlClash: a familiar workflow on desktop and Android
Built on mihomo, FlClash suits users who switch between desktop and Android and prefer not to learn entirely different configuration workflows. Its cross-platform interface makes it easier to find configurations, proxy groups, and connection details, but traffic routing still differs by system: desktop commonly uses the system proxy or TUN, while Android requires VPN permission.
If your existing YAML was written for mihomo, keep the original file and import a copy into the new client for testing. Check whether the client adds to or overrides the configuration, whether rule providers load, and whether mobile background restrictions interrupt the connection. The Linux and Android downloads listed here are different package types; choose by device, not interface name.
Clash Nyanpasu: consider configuration and core management separately
Clash Nyanpasu suits desktop users who understand that the same interface may behave differently with different core capabilities. It offers configuration and core management; available cores depend on the release and interface. Our download page offers a Windows installer; support for other platforms in past project releases does not mean those downloads are available here.
Before switching cores, check whether the target core supports the protocols, rule providers, and DNS fields in your YAML. A configuration loading successfully does not mean every feature behaves the same way. If you just want to import a subscription and use it day to day, don't add a learning curve for the sake of extra options. Core management is most useful when you have a specific need to compare configuration behavior.
Clash for Windows: archived reference and migration starting point
Clash for Windows, often called CFW, is no longer maintained. Historical releases commonly included the Clash Premium core, so it is not simply an older interface for mihomo. Settings, scripts, and configuration fields in old tutorials may not work in current clients; copying them over can lead to unsupported fields or different merge results.
We keep an archived download for checking legacy setups. For a fresh install, choose an actively maintained client. If you're migrating an existing CFW setup, first record its ports, system proxy settings, subscription URL, and local rules, then move things over step by step. Don't overwrite a new client's data directory with the old app's files, and don't let both apps listen on the same port.
Clash Meta for Android: for Android users familiar with configuration
Clash Meta for Android, often called CMFA, follows the Meta/mihomo track and suits Android users with existing Clash configurations who are comfortable checking field documentation. Its key considerations are configuration compatibility, proxy control, and Android VPN routing—not replicating the desktop system proxy workflow.
On first launch, grant VPN permission when prompted and check whether another VPN service is already active. If the connection drops when the screen locks, review battery optimization and background restrictions before changing the configuration. Make sure the package matches your processor architecture. If you're unsure, check the download page rather than guessing from your phone's brand.
Surfboard: choose it if you already have a compatible configuration
Surfboard is an Android client with its own implementation and configuration system; it does not use the Clash or mihomo core. It appears in the same download list as a point of comparison, not because it can import any Clash YAML directly. Evaluate it based on the subscription formats, protocols, and rule syntax it actually supports.
If your provider offers a configuration format explicitly compatible with Surfboard—or you already maintain a working Surfboard configuration—you can keep using that workflow. If you only have Clash YAML, first check how to convert it and what features may differ. Renaming the file extension does not convert the format, and conversion tools may not preserve proxy groups, DNS, or rule behavior completely.
ClashX Meta: reference for existing macOS setups
ClashX Meta is a macOS client on the Meta track and is no longer maintained. Existing users familiar with its menu bar controls may still need it to check old settings, but its core and system compatibility are limited to the relevant release. The word Meta in its name does not guarantee support for every current mihomo field.
For a fresh macOS setup, compare Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, and FlClash. When migrating, make sure you select the right installer for Apple Silicon or Intel, and check whether the old client leaves the system proxy enabled after it quits. If permissions or network behavior change after a system update, reproduce the issue in a supported, actively maintained client before concluding that the configuration is at fault.
Clash for Windows alternatives and migration steps
You don't need to rebuild every rule when moving from CFW. For everyday use, consider Clash Plus. For desktop mihomo overrides, compare Clash Verge Rev. If you want a similar workflow on Android, consider FlClash. Choose based on the features you need, not on finding an exact visual clone.
- Keep your original materials. Save your subscription source, manual rules, and local overrides, and note your ports, mode, and proxy group selections. Subscription links may contain access credentials; don't include them in public screenshots or support requests.
- Exit the old client. Turn off its system proxy and traffic routing, then quit the app. Make sure its process has released any ports to avoid conflicts when starting the new client.
- Import only the basic configuration. First make sure the subscription and nodes load correctly, then add DNS, rules, and TUN settings one at a time. Don't import old scripts and multiple layers of overrides together, or it will be hard to tell which one changed the result.
- Test your everyday apps. Check connection logs, matched rules, and the proxy groups in use. A webpage loading doesn't prove that all traffic is routed correctly—or that local network access and work apps have been tested.
Recommendations and pre-installation checks
If you don't have special configuration requirements, start with Clash Plus: choose the download for your operating system and establish a basic connection. Advanced desktop users can compare Clash Verge Rev; users on both desktop and Android can compare FlClash; and those who need core management can explore Clash Nyanpasu. Choose CMFA or Surfboard based on your Android workflow and configuration compatibility, respectively.
Keep Clash for Windows and ClashX Meta as archived references, not starting points for new setups. Before installing any client, check system requirements, processor architecture, subscription format, and required permissions. A client runs your configuration but cannot provide a working proxy node or subscription; the state of an interface toggle alone does not confirm how traffic is routed.
Next, visit the download center to check installers and system requirements. For your first setup, follow the getting started guide to import a subscription, choose a mode, and verify the connection. If you run into system proxy, DNS, or background operation issues, visit the help center for troubleshooting steps.