CLIENTS · Buyer's Guide

Clash Client Comparison & Buyer's Guide

The download page throws eight clients at you at once — which one first? Think of this page as eight worked examples: a side-by-side comparison table, a quick primer on how the cores relate, a review of each client, and finally, ready-to-follow picks for beginners, power users, multi-device setups, and older machines.

STEP 01 · Comparison Table

Eight clients, one table to compare

Conclusions first, reasoning after. This table lines up eight clients across six factors: platform support, core, maintenance status, learning curve, standout features, and best-fit users. The six actively maintained clients come first, followed by two archived classics. On narrow screens, scroll the table horizontally. Installers for every platform are grouped by OS on the download page — pick your client here, grab the file there.

Client Platform Support Core Maintenance Status Learning Curve Standout Features Best For
Clash Plus Windows / macOS / Android / iOS mihomo Actively Maintained Easy Consistent experience across four platforms, listed on the App Store for iOS Beginners and multi-device users, our top pick
Clash Verge Rev Windows / macOS / Linux mihomo Actively Maintained Moderate Visual rule editor, TUN mode, full subscription management Desktop power users and daily drivers
FlClash Windows / macOS / Linux / Android mihomo Actively Maintained Fairly easy Clean interface, covers desktop and Android Users who want a consistent look across desktop and mobile
Clash Nyanpasu Windows (macOS / Linux builds also available) mihomo Actively Maintained Moderate Detailed core management and UI customization Desktop users who like tweaking the look and feel
Clash Meta for Android Android mihomo Actively Maintained Moderate Quick to adopt new core features Android power users
Surfboard Android Compatible with Clash configs Actively Maintained Moderate Toolbox-style interface, reuses Clash subscriptions directly Android users migrating from another tool
Clash for Windows Windows (older versions also had macOS / Linux) Original Clash Premium core Discontinued Easy Old-school classic, plenty of legacy tutorials reference it Fine for legacy setups, not recommended for new installs
ClashX Meta macOS mihomo Discontinued Easy Native macOS menu bar experience Fine for legacy setups, not recommended for new installs

Note: Maintenance status is grouped as either "Actively Maintained" or "Discontinued." Client versions roll out continuously — check the download page for the current build. "Learning curve" is estimated by how many steps it takes to go from importing a subscription to a working connection.

First, a quick primer: original Clash, Premium, and mihomo

Before reading the table, take a minute to sort out three names — you'll see them referenced throughout.

  • Original Clash: the open-source core that started it all, and the one that defined rule-based traffic splitting. The project has stopped development and is now archived — it no longer supports newer protocols or rule syntax.
  • Clash Premium: a closed-source enhanced fork of the original, once bundled with Clash for Windows. It's also no longer maintained.
  • mihomo: the open-source core the community picked up after the original stopped updating — formerly known as Clash Meta. New protocols and rule syntax all land here first. Nearly every actively maintained client today runs on it.

That simplifies the decision to one rule: for a new setup, pick an actively maintained client built on the mihomo core. If a client in the table still runs on "original Clash Premium," that's your sign it's an archived option meant for legacy users. For more term definitions, see our glossary page.

STEP 02 · Client Reviews

One client at a time, explained fully before you choose

The table gives you conclusions; the reviews give you the reasoning. Each entry covers what it is, what it's good at, what to watch out for, and who it fits. The order matches the table — six actively maintained clients first, then two archived classics.

Clash Plus

Top PickAll Platforms

Windows / macOS / Android / iOS ｜ mihomo core ｜ Actively maintained ｜ Easy to learn

Covers all four major platforms, and the workflow — importing subscriptions, rule-based routing, system proxy — stays consistent across every one, so switching devices doesn't mean relearning anything. The iOS version is listed directly on the App Store (check clashplus.io for the official link), which removes the installation headache that trips up most iPhone users. When in doubt, this is the default answer — it's the first card under every platform on our download page.

Clash Verge Rev

Recommended

Windows / macOS / Linux ｜ mihomo core ｜ Actively maintained ｜ Moderate learning curve

The community-maintained Rev fork, picked up after the original Clash Verge stopped updating. It's the most feature-complete of the three desktop clients: subscription management, a visual rule editor, TUN virtual adapter, and auto-start are all exposed as GUI toggles. More options means a first-time setup that takes about ten minutes to click through, which suits users who treat their computer as their main device and don't mind tinkering a bit.

FlClash

Recommended

Windows / macOS / Linux / Android ｜ mihomo core ｜ Actively maintained ｜ Fairly easy

Clean interface, short setup path — import a subscription and you're running. It covers desktop platforms plus Android, so if you want a matching look on both your computer and Android phone, it's the smoothest combo outside of Clash Plus. It has fewer bells and whistles than Verge Rev, but everyday rule-based routing is all there.

Clash Nyanpasu

Optional

Windows (macOS / Linux builds also available) ｜ mihomo core ｜ Actively maintained ｜ Moderate learning curve

Built on the same technical foundation as Verge Rev, with a stronger focus on core management and interface customization — themes and layouts are all adjustable. Its feature set is close to Verge Rev's, so choosing between the two mostly comes down to interface taste. Our download page carries the Windows build, and it tends to appeal most to desktop users who enjoy tweaking the look.

Clash Meta for Android

Android Pick

Android ｜ mihomo core ｜ Actively maintained ｜ Moderate learning curve

A long-standing Android favorite — the "Meta" in the name is the former name of the mihomo core, and this client is quick to pick up new core features. The interface leans utilitarian, with settings spread fairly wide. On first use, stick to two steps: import your subscription and pick a rule mode. Leave everything else at default and explore later once it's running smoothly.

Surfboard

Optional

Android ｜ Compatible with Clash configs ｜ Actively maintained ｜ Moderate learning curve

Feels more like a network toolbox — it can read Clash subscriptions and config files directly, so switching over from another tool is low-effort. Connection details and traffic stats are shown in more depth than most alternatives, which suits Android users who like keeping an eye on their connection status. It's the other option alongside Clash Meta for Android — pick based on whether you want simplicity or a dashboard.

Clash for Windows

Discontinued

Windows (older versions also had macOS / Linux) ｜ Original Clash Premium core ｜ Archived

Once the go-to name for Windows, and the source of countless screenshots in older tutorials online. The project has stopped development and is archived, still running on the original Clash Premium core, with no support for newer protocols or rule syntax. Fine to keep running on an old machine, but skip it for any new install — pick an actively maintained client instead.

ClashX Meta

Discontinued

macOS ｜ mihomo core ｜ Archived

A classic that lived in the macOS menu bar — the Meta version swapped its core over to mihomo and was once the easiest Mac option around. The project is no longer maintained; on newer macOS systems, switch to Clash Plus or Clash Verge Rev instead. If you're still running it on an older system it should keep working, but don't invest more configuration effort into it.

STEP 03 · Match Your Scenario

Match your use case to a pick

Skip the client-by-client comparison and jump straight to a scenario. Four common cases, one conclusion each.

Scenario 1: First time using a proxy client

Just install Clash Plus — no need to understand core differences first. The workflow is the same across all four platforms, so follow our setup guide through "import subscription → pick a rule mode → enable system proxy" and you're set. It's also the client used as the example in every other tutorial and troubleshooting guide on this site.

Scenario 2: Power users who want fine-grained rule routing

On desktop, go with Clash Verge Rev or Clash Nyanpasu for full visual rule editing and TUN mode toggles. On Android, pick Clash Meta for Android for the fastest access to new core features. To push rule-based routing further, pair it with GeoIP and GeoSite databases — see What Are Clash's GeoIP and GeoSite Databases? for how.

Scenario 3: Multiple devices — phone, computer, tablet

The simplest setup is Clash Plus across every device, since one subscription link works everywhere. If you already have a preferred setup, pairing desktop Verge Rev with Android CMFA or FlClash is also common — subscriptions and config syntax are compatible across them, so the main cost is just adjusting to different interfaces.

Scenario 4: Older computers and legacy devices

The older the device, the more important it is to avoid discontinued clients — no maintenance means no fixes for compatibility issues that pop up after system updates. On an older Windows machine, install the current version of Clash Plus or Verge Rev. ClashX Meta can keep running on an older macOS system, but pick an actively maintained client for any new install.

Verdict: The default answer is Clash Plus

After reviewing all eight, the conclusion stays simple: full platform coverage, active maintenance, a listing on the App Store for iOS, and the lowest learning curve — Clash Plus is our standard answer to "which one should I install first." If you have specific needs, just match them against the scenarios above.

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