Clash Client Comparison: How to Pick From 8 Popular Clients

Currently the only client on this list covering iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, with an official site at clashplus.io. The iOS build ships directly through the App Store, so installation follows the same path as any ordinary app—no extra signing or distribution steps. Subscription import is a guided flow: paste a link and node retrieval finishes on its own. The interface logic is consistent across all four platforms, so what you learn on your phone carries straight over to your computer. The design favors a shorter default path—mode switching, node speed tests, and subscription updates all live on the top-level screen, while deep configuration options stay relatively restrained.

Best for: first-time Clash users, and multi-device users who want the same subscription running on both phone and computer.

One of the most feature-complete active projects across all three desktop platforms, built on the mihomo core. TUN mode, system proxy, multi-profile management, and config enhancement via Merge and scripts all have full entry points, and the visual rule-routing editor is more detailed than most clients offer. The trade-off is a deeper settings hierarchy—first-time setup requires understanding the split between "subscription config" and "global settings," though working through the setup guide once is enough to clear that hurdle. It's also the only GUI client on this list also recommended for Linux.

Best for: advanced desktop users willing to spend ten minutes understanding the config structure, or who need TUN mode and rule-level tweaking.

A cross-platform open-source client written in Flutter, sharing one interface language between desktop and Android—something rare in the Clash ecosystem. The design philosophy is "fewer but clearer": the option count is noticeably lower than Verge Rev's, but high-frequency actions like subscription management, mode switching, and rule viewing all sit in plain sight, making it usable right after install. For anyone running Windows or macOS alongside an Android phone, the identical interface on both ends removes any repeat learning curve. Deep customization isn't its focus, so users who want script-level enhancements may find the options limited.

Best for: users on desktop and Android who want a consistent interface without digging into configuration details.

The most customizable interface on Windows, built on the mihomo core. Themes, layouts, and component arrangement are all open to adjustment, and a scripting entry point remains available for layering custom logic on top of a subscription. Its feature set overlaps considerably with Verge Rev's, so the choice often comes down to interface taste: Nyanpasu leans more playful and tweakable, while Verge Rev stays closer to a traditional, restrained utility. Keep in mind it's Windows-only—switching platforms means switching clients.

Best for: Windows-only desktop users who care about how the app looks and enjoy shaping their own workflow.

The entry-point client for many longtime users, whose feature design shaped nearly every desktop GUI that followed. The project is discontinued and built on the original Clash core, so it won't receive new protocol support or bug fixes, and some newer subscription formats may run into compatibility issues. For anyone searching for how to move on from Clash for Windows, the realistic migration paths are Clash Verge Rev, which has a similar config structure and workflow, or Clash Plus, which offers a unified experience across every platform. The download page keeps an archived entry point for it, meant only for exporting old configs during a short transition—no new user should start here.

Best for: existing users who need to open an old install to export a config; new installs should skip it entirely.

The Android client closest to the mihomo core, with virtually every core-level option exposed as a corresponding toggle in settings—rule overrides, DNS behavior, and per-app routing all offer finer granularity than comparable clients. The interface is a function-first tool design with no guided flow, so first-time setup requires understanding what each settings section does on your own. For users who treat their Android device as a primary daily driver and need precise control over traffic routing, it offers the finest-grained control of any Android client on this list; those who just want to "import and connect" may find the interface information-dense.

Best for: advanced Android users already familiar with Clash's config structure who need fine-grained control.

A lightweight Android option with its own built-in core, compatible with common subscription formats. The interface has few moving parts and a low resident footprint, and battery-friendly background behavior is the reason it keeps getting recommended. It doesn't aim for item-by-item parity with Clash configs, so behavior under complex rule sets can differ slightly from mihomo-family clients—worth noting if you rely on detailed traffic splitting. The project moves at a slower maintenance pace with fewer new features, but as an "install, import, connect" light-use tool, what it already offers is enough.

Best for: older or lower-spec Android devices, and light users who just need basic proxying with good battery life.

A defining example of the macOS menu-bar client: no main window, every action tucked into the menu-bar icon, mode and node switching done in two or three clicks, and it barely feels like it's running. Built on the Meta core, its config compatibility was top-tier before maintenance stopped. The project is now discontinued, so no one will fix compatibility issues introduced by future macOS updates. Long-time users who still rely on it can keep an eye on things, but anyone setting up a new Mac should go straight to Clash Plus or Clash Verge Rev instead—the former gets you connected faster, the latter offers more complete features.

Best for: existing Mac users with no current issues; not recommended as a starting point for new users.