Clash client comparison
and picks by use case

Clash Plus: get your everyday connection working first

Clash Plus is this site’s top pick for beginners, with download links for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The idea is to start with the everyday workflow: import a subscription, select a config, choose a policy, and confirm that your apps are using the proxy. If you don’t need to change DNS settings or maintain complex rules yet, this path helps you get started without having to learn several advanced settings at once.

Availability on multiple platforms doesn’t mean every feature is identical, especially for system-wide traffic routing, background operation, and permissions. Don’t assume a client supports every mihomo extension just because its name includes Clash. If your subscription uses a specific protocol, scripts, or advanced DNS settings, check the documentation for your platform first. On iOS, follow the download link to the App Store; on other systems, choose the installer for your processor architecture.

Clash Verge Rev: desktop rules and override management

Clash Verge Rev suits users who want clear, accessible config management on desktop. Its mihomo core handles connections, rules, and DNS, while the graphical interface manages config selection, system proxy settings, and service-related options. You don’t need to know all of YAML to import a config, but subscription merging, rule overrides, and TUN routing require you to understand how the final config takes effect.

Distinguish the original subscription from the runtime config generated by the client. Direct edits to a locally downloaded subscription may be overwritten when it updates; use the client’s override features for rules you need to keep. Service permissions and routing behavior differ across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Guides for other operating systems can offer general ideas, but don’t copy their toggle names and permission steps exactly.

FlClash: a similar interface on desktop and Android

FlClash is a good fit for users who switch between a desktop computer and Android and want to minimize interface changes. It uses the mihomo core, but compatibility still depends on specific protocols and config fields—not just whether a subscription URL can be saved. Similar config screens and workflows can make it easier to build consistent habits, but subscriptions, policies, and rules do not automatically sync across devices.

Before choosing it, make sure an installer is available for your device’s architecture. Android uses system VPN permissions to route traffic, while desktop versions may use the system proxy or TUN. The connect button may look the same, but the traffic each mode covers can differ. If a config imports successfully but an app still bypasses the proxy, check the routing mode and app exclusions before assuming a compatibility issue.

Clash Nyanpasu: a desktop option with core selection

Clash Nyanpasu offers desktop config and core management, with a Windows download available here. It suits users who want to inspect runtime details, understand core selection, and fine-tune their desktop setup. Core management adds flexibility, but also means you need to know which core is currently running. Changing the interface theme and changing the core are separate operations.

When comparing features, track client settings separately from core capabilities. Whether a protocol or rule field works depends on the selected core and its build; documentation for another core is no guarantee that it works in your setup. If config parsing fails, note the client name, selected core, field that triggered the error, and traffic routing mode. That gives you a clearer starting point than simply reporting that you can’t connect.

Clash for Windows: legacy setups and migration reference

No longer maintained

Clash for Windows, often shortened to CFW, still appears in screenshots in many older guides. Historical builds used the Clash or Clash Premium ecosystem. Sharing the Clash name doesn’t mean they support newer Meta / mihomo protocols and config fields. For a first install, choosing a client that’s still maintained is usually easier than searching old guides for matching buttons.

If you have a working legacy setup, use it as a reference before migrating. Note the subscription source, selected proxy groups, local ports, and custom rules. When moving to a new client, re-import the original subscription rather than copying the entire old data directory. Start the new client with just one traffic routing mode enabled. This avoids two clients changing system proxy settings at the same time and leaving both unable to connect properly.

Clash Meta for Android: a mobile client for config-file users

Clash Meta for Android, often shortened to CMFA, is an Android client in the Meta ecosystem. It suits users who already know Clash YAML and want to organize policies and rules in config files. Meta is the established name used in the ecosystem; mihomo is the name of the related core as it has continued to develop. A package labeled Meta doesn’t tell you which core build it includes, so check runtime information for supported features.

On Android, account for VPN permissions, background restrictions, and conflicts with other VPN apps. Importing a config is only one step; routing traffic also requires system permission and a running service. Check the project’s current maintenance announcements before installing rather than treating recommendations in older guides as a promise of ongoing support. For an easier starting point, compare Clash Plus and FlClash.

Surfboard: check the config format before switching

Surfboard appears alongside other Android proxy tools on the download page, but it isn’t another look for a Clash interface and doesn’t use a Clash core. It has its own config syntax and feature set. If you already have a Surfboard-compatible config and know how it organizes policies and rules, you can assess it within that ecosystem. If you only have Clash YAML, don’t assume it can be imported directly.

Even when two formats both include proxies, policy groups, and rules, similar field names don’t guarantee identical behavior. Conversion may require reorganizing protocol parameters, DNS, rule sets, and app handling. Before downloading and repeatedly trying subscription URLs, ask your configuration provider for a compatible format and check which protocols Surfboard supports. Confirm the project’s maintenance status before installing, too.

ClashX Meta: moving on from the old Mac menu bar workflow

No longer maintained

ClashX Meta is a macOS menu bar client using a Meta-family core. It’s useful for understanding a legacy setup, but isn’t a first choice for a new installation. A simple menu bar interface doesn’t mean its config support matches current mihomo builds; check protocol, DNS, and rule support for the specific historical build. The Meta name alone doesn’t erase differences between cores.

Before switching to Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, or FlClash, note your config source and local proxy port, then quit the old client. Choose the right installer for Apple Silicon or Intel, and check system requirements on the download page. After migrating, test your browser and other apps separately. If the old app left system proxy settings behind, restore them before letting the new client take over; otherwise, you may mistake leftover settings for a problem with the new app.