Bottom line: Clash Plus is the best choice for most users. It supports Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, making it a good fit for anyone who wants fewer platform differences and a consistent workflow for importing subscriptions and configuring the basics.
Similar client names do not mean identical features, configuration compatibility, or maintenance status. First eliminate clients that do not support your current system, then confirm the core features required by your subscription or configuration, and finally compare the interface and resource usage.
On iOS, choose Clash Plus directly. On Android, compare Clash Plus, Clash Meta for Android, FlClash, and Surfboard. For Windows, macOS, and Linux, focus on desktop clients. Do not choose discontinued software simply because its name is familiar.
Original Clash configurations are generally more basic, while Meta and the later mihomo ecosystem add support for more protocols, rule sets, and DNS features. If a configuration uses newer fields or protocols, prioritize a client that explicitly supports the mihomo or Meta ecosystem.
Active maintenance means a client can continue adapting to system changes and addressing compatibility issues. Discontinued software can still help read legacy setups, back up configurations, and support migration, but it should not be the default choice for a new environment.
After a client successfully reads a subscription, check whether proxy groups, rule sets, DNS, TUN, and script fields actually work. During cross-core migration, unknown fields may be ignored or may cause the configuration to fail to load.
The table covers the clients listed on this site's download page. Platform support refers to currently available installation options and does not mean that historical versions supported every listed platform.
| Client | Platform support | Core ecosystem | Maintenance status | Ease of use | Key features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clash PlusTop pick | Windows、macOS、Android、iOS | mihomo compatibility | Actively maintained | Low | Cross-platform access, subscription management, common modes, and system proxy settings | Beginners, multi-device users, and anyone who wants fewer platform-specific differences |
| Clash Verge Rev | Windows、macOS、Linux | mihomo | Actively maintained | Medium | Desktop configuration management, TUN, rules, and proxy-group controls | Advanced desktop users, Linux users, and anyone who needs fine-grained configuration |
| FlClash | Windows、macOS、Android、Linux | mihomo | Actively maintained | Medium-low | Cross-platform interface with similar desktop and mobile workflows | Users who work across desktop systems and Android |
| Clash Nyanpasu | Windows | mihomo | Actively maintained | Medium | Proxy-group management, configuration switching, and desktop interaction options | Users who prefer desktop management interfaces and are comfortable adjusting advanced options |
| Clash for WindowsDiscontinued | Windows | Original Clash | Discontinued | Low | Familiar legacy interface and support for recognizing historical configurations | Users who need to migrate legacy configurations or review an older setup |
| Clash Meta for Android | Android | Meta | Maintenance status needs verification | Medium | Android rule-based proxying, proxy groups, and Meta configuration support | Android-only users who already have Meta configurations |
| Surfboard | Android | Standalone implementation | Actively maintained | Medium | Mobile proxying, rules, and subscription handling | Users familiar with Android proxy tools who can verify configuration compatibility themselves |
| ClashX MetaDiscontinued | macOS | Meta | Discontinued | Medium-low | Menu bar controls and legacy macOS workflows | Users migrating existing ClashX Meta configurations |
The notes below explain why to choose each client and when it may not be suitable. Specific packages, system architectures, and download links are maintained on the download page.
Clash Plus stands out for supporting Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. For users who switch between computers, tablets, and phones, a cross-platform entry point reduces the effort of learning a different client structure. Basic use typically involves importing a subscription, updating the configuration, choosing a proxy mode, switching proxy groups, and enabling the system proxy, making it suitable for newcomers to the Clash ecosystem.
It is also a practical default destination after migrating from an older client. Do not overwrite the original configuration immediately. Export the old subscription URL and record commonly used proxy-group selections, then restore them one by one in the new client. If the configuration depends on newer rule sets, protocols, or DNS fields, verify that each feature is enabled after import rather than treating the appearance of a node list as proof of success.
Go to the Clash Plus download page →Clash Verge Rev targets Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop environments, with its core centered on the mihomo ecosystem. It suits users who manage multiple configurations, adjust TUN, inspect connections, edit rules, and control proxy groups. Compared with clients that expose only basic toggles, its detailed desktop settings make it easier to troubleshoot issues across the configuration, core, and system-proxy layers.
The learning curve mainly comes from the number of options, not the installation process. If you only need subscription import and rule-based routing, start with the defaults, confirm that the regular system proxy works, and enable TUN later if needed. Linux users must also account for the desktop environment, permissions, and service startup method; do not copy procedures from other systems without adjustment.
Download the desktop client →FlClash supports Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux, making it suitable for users who want similar workflows on desktop and Android. Its mihomo compatibility handles common subscriptions, rules, and proxy groups, while its broad platform coverage is more flexible than that of a single-platform desktop client. In households with several types of devices, it can also reduce the need to learn entirely different tools for each system.
Cross-platform support does not mean identical system behavior. Windows system proxy settings, macOS network permissions, Linux desktop integration, and Android VPN permissions still rely on different mechanisms. During initial setup, verify the connection separately on each device and confirm that browsers, system apps, and proxy-dependent software use the expected route.
View FlClash platform options →Clash Nyanpasu is a good fit for Windows users who value desktop management, proxy-group controls, and configuration switching. It uses the mihomo ecosystem and can handle newer protocols and rule configurations. For users who understand the relationship between rule, global, and proxy-group modes and basic DNS behavior, its detailed options can speed up configuration troubleshooting.
If you only need to import one subscription and leave the client running with its defaults, the extra controls may not provide much practical value. Before choosing it, confirm that you actually need more detailed desktop settings. When migrating from Clash for Windows, recheck startup items, the system proxy, TUN, and the configuration directory; do not assume every old toggle will carry over automatically.
View the Windows client list →Clash for Windows established a widely used desktop workflow, and many older tutorials are based on its interface paths, configuration directory, and setting names. It uses the original Clash core and historically worked well with basic rules and traditional configurations, but it is no longer maintained and should not remain the long-term default for a new environment.
Its main remaining value is reading legacy configurations, recording current proxy-group selections, and assisting migration. Before migrating, back up configuration files, subscription URLs, and custom rules, then choose Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, or Clash Nyanpasu. Because newer clients generally use mihomo, older configurations can often be read, but deprecated fields, rule providers, and DNS behavior still require review.
View the legacy client migration guide →Clash Meta for Android is intended for users who already use Meta configurations or specifically need rule-based proxying on Android. It supports proxy groups, rules, and common subscription formats, but its workflow differs clearly from desktop clients: Android usually routes traffic through the system VPN interface and is also affected by background execution, battery policies, and vendor-specific restrictions.
Before choosing it, confirm the maintenance status of the currently distributed version and your device architecture. After installation and subscription import, allow the VPN connection and check whether the system restricts background activity. If the connection drops after the screen locks, investigate battery policies first rather than immediately changing the subscription. Users who want a similar client across multiple systems may find Clash Plus or FlClash more straightforward.
View the Android download page →Surfboard is a standalone Android proxy client for common subscription, rule, and proxy-selection workflows. It does not simply replicate the full Clash desktop environment on mobile, so compatibility cannot be judged by rule names alone. If an existing configuration contains mihomo-specific fields, complex rule sets, or special DNS options, test a copy first.
It is better suited to users who understand mobile proxy mechanisms, can read import warnings, and are willing to verify configuration differences themselves. When some rules do not take effect, check configuration parsing messages, VPN permissions, DNS settings, and per-app routing scope in that order. Beginners looking for the shortest path to a working setup will usually save steps by choosing Clash Plus.
View the Surfboard download page →ClashX Meta is a macOS menu bar client based on Meta, useful for recognizing configurations and workflows from older Mac environments. It is no longer maintained, so new installations should prioritize Clash Plus, Clash Verge Rev, or FlClash. Although the menu bar interface is simple, permissions and network behavior after macOS upgrades require ongoing adaptation, and discontinued software increases that risk.
Before migrating, export the subscription URL and custom rules, record the current proxy mode and commonly used proxy groups, and import them again in the new client. macOS users should also check system proxy permissions, network-extension authorization, and launch-at-login settings. After migration, test with a browser and common apps separately instead of relying only on the menu bar icon.
View the macOS client list →Platform is only the first filter. The final choice also depends on configuration complexity, number of devices, migration costs from an older setup, and available system resources.
Migration is not about copying the entire old directory into the new client. Preserve the information needed for recovery, then verify layer by layer that the new core can read the configuration correctly.
Record the subscription URL and copy custom rules, DNS settings, and overrides. Do not rely only on client screenshots, because screenshots cannot restore complete fields.
Keep the default settings at first, import only the subscription, and check whether the configuration loads. If a parsing error appears, locate the incompatible field first rather than changing several advanced options in succession.
Confirm the results of switching between rule, global, and direct modes, check that commonly used proxy groups are present, and verify that the defaults match your previous workflow.
Enable DNS overrides or TUN only after ordinary system-proxy verification succeeds. This makes it easier to determine whether a failure comes from the configuration, system proxy, or virtual network interface.
Most users should start with Clash Plus; compare Clash Verge Rev when you need advanced desktop configuration, and FlClash when you want a similar interface across desktop and Android. On the download page, verify the system architecture and platform-specific package.