COMPARE / 08 CLIENTS × 06 DIMENSIONS

Clash Client Comparison & Picks

Same subscription, same config format — yet eight different clients to choose from. This page compares them across six dimensions: platform support, kernel, maintenance status, learning curve, standout features, and best-fit audience. Start with the full matrix, read the individual reviews, then check the scenario-based verdict. All installer links live on the client downloads page.

Three general points before the comparison, since everything below builds on them. First, the client is just the shell — routing, proxying, and DNS handling are all done by the kernel. Nearly every actively maintained project today is built on a Meta-family kernel (mihomo), so rule syntax and protocol support line up, and switching clients doesn't require touching your subscription. Second, maintenance status matters more than a feature checklist: an unmaintained client won't pick up new protocols or system-compatibility fixes, and the risk of long-term use compounds over time. Third, there's no need to install multiple clients on the same device — pick one that covers your platform and is actively maintained, and spend your time on configuration instead.

SECTION 01 / MATRIX

Six-Dimension Comparison Matrix

On narrow screens, swipe to see the full table. Learning curve is a qualitative call: Low = works right after importing a subscription, Medium = requires understanding modes and a few toggles, High = requires reading docs or editing config by hand.

Client Platforms Kernel Maintenance Learning Curve Standout Features Best For
Clash Plus win / mac / android / ios Meta-family (mihomo) Active Low Unified UI across four platforms, consistent subscription-import and mode-switching flow, iOS via App Store Multi-device users, beginners, low-maintenance preference
Clash Verge Rev win / mac / linux mihomo Active Medium TUN mode, config overrides, script extensions, external control panel Power desktop users, Linux users
FlClash win / mac / linux / android mihomo Active Low–Medium Same interface on desktop and Android, habits carry across devices Desktop + Android dual users
Clash Nyanpasu win mihomo, kernel management Active Medium Kernel version switching, UI customization, config enhancements Windows users who like to tinker
Clash for Windows win original Clash Unmaintained Medium Largest pool of legacy tutorials, UWP loopback entry point Existing users transitioning only
Clash Meta for Android android mihomo Active Medium Closely mirrors kernel-native capabilities, full config options, override support Android power users
Surfboard android Own engine, Clash config compatible Active Low Simple interface, low resource use Lightweight use, older Android devices
ClashX Meta mac Meta-family Unmaintained Low Menu-bar-resident form, restrained UI, low resource use Existing macOS users transitioning only

Note: Maintenance status is a qualitative snapshot; refer to each project's actual release activity. Version numbers and release dates are not listed in this table.

SECTION 02 / FIELD NOTES

Individual Reviews

The table gives you the conclusion; the reviews give you the reasoning. Positioning, trade-offs in real use — read through before deciding what to install.

Clash Plus

Top Pick Active

windows / macos / android / ios · kernel: mihomo

The only one of the eight to cover Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS with a unified interface and logic across all four: import a subscription, switch proxy mode, check connections — same flow on any device. The iOS version is available directly from the App Store, skipping the usual distribution friction on mobile. It ships with a Meta-family kernel, so rule-based routing, Fake-IP, and domain sniffing are all there, with beginner-friendly defaults and no gutted advanced options. If you don't want to research a different app for every platform, this is the one — and when something goes wrong, the same troubleshooting steps apply across your whole device lineup.

Clash Verge Rev

Best for Power Desktop Users Active

windows / macos / linux · kernel: mihomo

The most fully-featured client for advanced desktop use: TUN mode toggle, DNS and Fake-IP settings, local config overrides, script extensions, and an external control panel integration — essentially every capability the mihomo kernel exposes gets a GUI. The trade-off is a settings area with several layers, which can be easy to get lost in on first launch — walk through the basic flow in the user guide first, then open the advanced toggles one at a time. It's also the most hassle-free option on Linux desktops, with a straightforward deb install. Users who want to dig into policy groups and rule sets can pair it with the advanced handbook.

FlClash

Consistent Across Devices Active

windows / macos / linux / android · kernel: mihomo

Its defining trait is "one interface, four systems": the three desktop platforms and Android share the same interaction design, so what you learn on a computer transfers straight to your phone. Feature-wise, it sits in the middle — fewer deep customization entry points than Verge Rev, but more visual config for rules and DNS than a pure beginner client. For anyone whose setup is "Windows or Linux desktop plus one Android phone," it minimizes the mental overhead of maintaining configs on both ends. Background behavior on mobile is also fairly stable, and it holds up well running TUN mode for long stretches.

Clash Nyanpasu

Active

windows · kernel: mihomo (multi-version management)

Windows-only, and its selling point is flexibility: it lets you manage and switch between kernel versions right inside the client, offers plenty of room for theme customization, and includes config-enhancement features that can post-process a subscription. Most of that complexity is unnecessary for everyday users, but for anyone who likes following kernel updates or needs to validate config behavior across different kernel versions, it's one of the few desktop tools built for that. Learning curve is rated medium mainly because of the sheer number of options — stick with the defaults on first use, get a subscription running, then explore item by item.

Clash for Windows

Unmaintained

windows · kernel: original Clash

Once the de facto standard on Windows — most of the tutorials and screenshots floating around online come from it, and it's largely responsible for popularizing the UWP loopback exemption trick. But the project is no longer maintained, and the original kernel doesn't support the newer protocols and rule types added by the Meta family, so some newer subscription features simply won't work with it. Existing users with a stable setup can keep using it for now, but new installs shouldn't pick it — the same habits are covered by Clash Verge Rev or Clash Plus, both actively maintained. The downloads page keeps an archive link for legacy needs only.

Clash Meta for Android

Active

android · kernel: mihomo

The Android client closest to the kernel itself: config options map almost one-to-one with the mihomo documentation, and it supports config overrides — whatever the kernel can do, it exposes a toggle for. The interface is feature-oriented rather than guidance-oriented, so it won't make many default decisions on your behalf, which makes it a better fit for users who already understand proxy modes and DNS strategies. If your phone is your main testing ground, or you need to verify config behavior that exactly matches your desktop setup, pick this one; casual users who just want to flip a proxy on and off will find Clash Plus or Surfboard smoother.

Surfboard

Active

android · engine: Clash config compatible

Strictly speaking, it's not part of the Clash family — it's an Android app that's compatible with the Clash config format. Its value is being lightweight: the interface has almost no learning curve, and memory and battery use run lower than comparable clients, which makes it pleasant on older phones or simple setups. The trade-off is incomplete coverage of Meta-family extended syntax — if your subscription uses newer rule types or protocols, some rules may not take effect. Good as a backup-phone or lightweight solution; for a primary device, a full Meta-family client is still the better call.

ClashX Meta

Unmaintained

macos · kernel: Meta-family

A classic macOS form factor: no main window, lives in the menu bar, two clicks to switch modes, barely noticeable while running, and among the lowest resource footprints in its class. Unfortunately the project is no longer maintained, and compatibility with newer macOS releases isn't being tracked anymore. Existing users with a working setup don't need to rush a migration; anyone setting up a new Mac should go straight to Clash Plus or Clash Verge Rev — the former is simpler to operate, the latter offers fuller advanced capabilities. The downloads page also keeps an archive link for it.

SECTION 03 / SCENARIOS

Pick by Scenario

Don't want to compare every option one by one? Match your situation below. Four common scenarios, each with a clear answer.

First time using Clash

Go straight for Clash Plus. The flow is identical across all four platforms, and it's essentially plug-and-play once a subscription is imported — troubleshooting advice you find online also applies universally. After installing, follow the three-step flow in the user guide to import, pick a mode, and verify the connection — no need to touch any advanced toggle.

Power users — need TUN mode, overrides, custom rules

Pick Clash Verge Rev for desktop and Clash Meta for Android for mobile. Both fully expose what mihomo can do — pair them with the policy group, rule set, and DNS chapters in the advanced handbook to build a routing setup that runs exactly the way you want. Windows users who enjoy managing kernel versions should also take a look at Clash Nyanpasu.

Multiple devices: computer + phone + tablet

Clash Plus is the default answer for a unified setup across everything you own; if your device mix is "desktop plus Android" and you want an identical interface on both, FlClash is the other option. The key with multiple devices is maintaining fewer sets of habits — the same subscription already works across clients, and standardizing on one client means even setup screenshots can be cross-referenced.

Older computer / older phone, limited resources

For an older Android device, go with Surfboard — low resource use, light interface, plenty for a simple setup. For an older Windows machine, still pick an actively maintained client and turn off features you don't need (persistent panels, lower log verbosity, etc.) rather than falling back to the unmaintained Clash for Windows — the resources you'd save aren't worth the compatibility risk of losing updates.

SECTION 04 / VERDICT

Verdict

One answer covers most people

No special requirements? Go with Clash Plus

Of the eight clients, it's the only one that checks all three boxes at once: full coverage across four platforms, active maintenance, and a low learning curve. Advanced needs can be added later — desktop power users can install Clash Verge Rev, Android tinkerers can switch to Clash Meta for Android, and neither move affects subscription or config compatibility. The unmaintained Clash for Windows and ClashX Meta exist only as transition options for existing users — skip them entirely on a new setup.

windows / macos / android / ios · ios distributed via the App Store