Platform support / Core compatibility / Configuration management
Clash Client Comparison and Selection
Start by checking what your device can install, then confirm what your configuration requires. Similar client names do not mean identical cores, subscription workflows, or override methods; importing a configuration does not mean every field is supported.
Platform, core, and maintenance comparison
The platform column shows download entries provided by this site, not every operating system the projects have historically supported. On narrow screens, scroll the table horizontally.
| Client | Platforms listed here | Core line | Maintenance status | Ease of setup | Key features and management focus | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clash Plus | Windows、macOS、Android、iOS | Confirm in the platform app documentation | Actively maintained | Low; check the import format first | Multi-platform entries for desktop and mobile selection | First-time users and multi-device users |
| Clash Verge Rev | Windows、macOS、Linux | mihomo | Actively maintained | Low baseline; overrides and TUN require learning | Subscription management, local overrides, and desktop traffic interception | Desktop users who need fine-grained configuration |
| FlClash | Windows、macOS、Linux、Android | mihomo | Actively maintained | Low; configure permissions separately on each system | Similar management interface across desktop and Android | Users who switch between devices frequently |
| Clash Nyanpasu | Windows | Core options vary; check the current client | Actively maintained | Moderate; understand the configuration processing chain | Interface customization, configuration processing, and core management | Advanced users who want control over the configuration workflow |
| Clash for Windows | Windows | Original Clash／Premium line | No longer maintained | Many legacy tutorials; compatibility takes more work to assess | Reference for existing configurations and established workflows | Users migrating from an older environment |
| Clash Meta for Android | Android | Meta／mihomo | Actively maintained | Low; understand VPN authorization and background restrictions | Clash YAML import and Android proxy management | Android users with an existing compatible configuration |
| Surfboard | Android | Own implementation, not a Clash core | Actively maintained | Low with a compatible configuration; high when migrating YAML | Surge-style configuration and rule management | Users with configuration in the corresponding format |
| ClashX Meta | macOS | Meta line, fixed by the archived package | No longer maintained | Few basic operations; compatibility with newer systems needs review | Menu-bar controls and existing YAML workflows | Users organizing an older macOS configuration |
Maintenance status is a qualitative project-level description. It does not represent real-time monitoring of every commit or guarantee that the current download includes the latest core. Review the app documentation and release history before installing, especially the minimum system requirements.
Detailed reviews of eight clients
Read by configuration source, usage cost, and migration boundaries; all details are shown directly below.
Clash Plus: the starting point for first use and multiple devices
Recommended If you do not already have a fixed client workflow, start with the Clash Plus entry for your target platform. This site provides Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS options, making it suitable for installation, configuration import, and connection checks before learning rule-based routing step by step. iOS users can open the store listing from the download page; see clashplus.io for project details.
Having entries for multiple platforms does not mean that every platform has identical menus, core implementations, or subscription formats. Before choosing, identify whether you have a complete configuration, a node subscription, or a share link, then compare it with the app's supported import methods. If your workflow depends on a specific mihomo field, script interface, or configuration-merge order, read the documentation for that platform first; do not copy desktop instructions to a phone simply because the app has the same name.
Clash Verge Rev: desktop overrides and traffic interception
Clash Verge Rev uses the mihomo core and suits desktop users who want to manage subscriptions while adjusting local rules, DNS, or overrides. It should not be treated as the same maintenance branch as the historical Clash Verge based on the name alone. When searching for older tutorials, confirm which project they cover and whether the settings page and configuration workflow still match.
Choose it for desktop configuration management, not simply because it has more settings. For a first setup, import a working configuration, select a rule mode, and enable the required system proxy only. Evaluate TUN only when the target app does not follow the system proxy. Verify service installation, permissions, and configuration merging separately. Linux users must also check the distribution and package format; different file extensions do not indicate different feature levels.
FlClash: a similar workflow across desktop and Android
FlClash is based on mihomo, with entries here for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. For users who switch between a computer and phone, similar configuration lists, policy selection, and connection controls reduce the cost of learning another interface. Its benefit is a reusable management habit, not shared network permissions across every system.
The desktop system proxy, desktop TUN, and Android VPN authorization are different interception paths. Even with the same YAML, configure local ports, LAN access, DNS listening, and background restrictions separately. When migrating between devices, share nodes and rule logic first, while keeping device-specific settings local; do not copy an entire data directory containing local paths, service settings, or private credentials.
Clash Nyanpasu: configuration processing and interface customization
Clash Nyanpasu suits users willing to understand the configuration pipeline and adjust the interface and management workflow. This page discusses the Windows download entry listed here and does not infer support for other platforms. The client may offer core management, but the available choices depend on the package and implementation; confirm the core actually selected before enabling it.
When using multiple configuration-processing steps, the key is not how many modification rules you write but what ultimately reaches the core. Subscription updates, local merging, and scripts may change the same field in sequence; if policy-group names change, existing rule targets may stop working. Save the original configuration first, add one processing method at a time, and inspect the final configuration and logs before continuing. Users who only need to import a subscription and switch policies do not need the extra learning burden of customization.
Clash for Windows: archived environments and migration reference
No longer maintained Clash for Windows, often shortened to CFW, still has many historical tutorials, but tutorial volume cannot replace current system compatibility or maintenance. It is a historical client from the original Clash／Premium line; the name Clash alone does not mean it supports protocols and configuration fields added by mihomo.
Users with a stable legacy environment may use it as a configuration and migration reference; it is not recommended as the first choice for a new device. Before moving to another client, back up the original subscription, local rules, overrides, and system-proxy port separately, then restore them one by one in the new client. Do not overwrite the new app's data directory or let two clients control the system proxy at the same time. An archived package launching only proves that current startup conditions are met, not that it will remain suitable after a future system upgrade.
Clash Meta for Android: a mobile YAML workflow
Clash Meta for Android, often shortened to CMFA, follows the Meta／mihomo line and suits Android users who already have a compatible Clash YAML configuration. It is not merely an earlier Clash for Android with a new display name. When checking tutorials, configuration fields, and package sources, identify the specific branch instead of treating every Android build as the same app.
The first run usually requires system VPN authorization, and continuous background operation may be affected by the device's battery-management policies. Verify a foreground connection first, then check whether it still works after locking the screen or switching networks. If only background operation fails, investigate system restrictions before changing nodes. If other VPN apps are installed, check for interception conflicts. Choosing an ARM64, ARM, or universal package is a device-compatibility decision, not a measure of proxy capability.
Surfboard: check the configuration format before the client name
Surfboard is included in this site's Android download list because it also supports mobile proxy and rule management, but it does not use a Clash core. Its configuration follows the Surge style; Clash YAML cannot be treated as an equivalent format or assumed to import directly, and not every Surge feature is necessarily implemented in full. Before choosing it, ask the configuration provider to specify the supported format and feature scope.
If you already maintain rules and configuration in the corresponding format, Surfboard can avoid rebuilding the entire workflow for a new app. If you only have a Clash configuration, assess the migration cost first. Format conversion is not just a file-extension change; policy groups, rule parameters, DNS options, and protocol support may differ. For private subscriptions, do not casually submit them to unfamiliar online conversion services. Prefer a compatible export from the provider and verify the converted semantics in practice.
ClashX Meta: an archived macOS menu-bar workflow
No longer maintained ClashX Meta uses a Meta-line core and preserves a desktop workflow centered on menu-bar controls. For macOS users with existing configurations, the archived entry can help review settings before migration; it is not a default answer for new systems, protocols, or fields, nor can it be equated with a continuously updated mihomo core.
Before migrating, record the system-proxy switch, local listening port, policy selection, and any rules you added yourself. Choose the Apple Silicon or Intel package that matches the machine, but the correct architecture does not guarantee system-version compatibility. For a new setup, compare Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, or FlClash first. When leaving an older client, disable its proxy control before testing the new app so the system does not keep pointing to a local port that is no longer active.
Narrow the choice by use case
Use the minimum capabilities needed to complete the task, then decide whether more complex configuration is necessary.
Four checks before downloading
Rule out incompatibility before comparing workflows; Clash Plus remains this site's recommended starting point.
- Check the system and architecture. Even Windows or macOS devices may require different architectures; Linux also requires checking the distribution and package format. The platform entries on the download page are a better first filter than the app name.
- Check the configuration format and core fields. A complete YAML file, a node list, and a single-node link are different inputs. Adding a subscription to a list only confirms that import completed; you must still verify that the current core recognizes the nodes, policy groups, and rule targets.
- Confirm how traffic reaches the client. Rule mode determines how connections that have entered the core are routed; it does not automatically proxy every app. The system proxy, VPN authorization, and TUN address different interception needs, so identify which one you actually require.
- Confirm that you have a recovery path. Save the old configuration and local changes, and record the existing system-proxy settings. Test old and new clients separately: verify one known proxy-capable app first, then expand the scope. Being able to recover matters more than enabling every feature at once.
A client can manage configuration and process connections, but installing it does not automatically provide usable nodes. Use only configurations and network services you are authorized to access, and follow the rules of your region and the networks you connect to. After choosing an app, establish a basic connection first, then read the deeper DNS, policy-group, and rule documentation as needed.
Go to the download page and choose Clash Plus or another client by platform →
Already have a client? Start by importing your configuration →