Clash clients
platforms, cores, and
use-case comparison

Clash Verge Rev is a desktop client for Windows, macOS, and Linux built on the mihomo core. Rule, global, direct, proxy-group, system-proxy, and TUN controls are clearly exposed in the desktop interface, making it a good fit for users who want to understand how traffic moves through rule matching.

It is especially useful for managing multiple configurations, reviewing rule settings, or migrating from an older desktop client. After importing a legacy configuration, check proxy-group references and rule sets first, then verify DNS and TUN. Do not enable several overrides at once before confirming the base rules work; otherwise it becomes difficult to identify which configuration layer caused a problem.

FlClash supports Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, making it a good fit for people who use both a Linux desktop and an Android device. Compared with clients limited to one operating system, it reduces workflow differences between platforms while retaining common proxy-group and rule capabilities in the mihomo ecosystem.

Before choosing FlClash, confirm that your daily needs fall mainly within subscriptions, proxy groups, rule modes, and system takeover. If your configuration relies heavily on overrides specific to an older client, copy the original configuration first, then enable additional settings in stages instead of reproducing every interface option at once.

Clash Nyanpasu is primarily aimed at Windows users who have decided to stay on the Windows desktop and want to manage mihomo configurations through a different interface structure. The choice between it and Clash Verge Rev is not about whether a subscription can be imported, but whether the configuration habits, interface paths, and troubleshooting workflow suit you.

If you may add macOS, Android, or iOS devices later, choosing a Windows-only client increases cross-platform differences. Decide first whether a unified client matters; if not, keep the same proxy-group names and rule structure to reduce the learning cost of using multiple clients.

Clash for Windows accumulated extensive documentation, and many older subscriptions and tutorials still use its interface terminology. It is now discontinued, so it is better treated as a migration source than as a long-term choice for a new installation. Staying on the legacy client will increasingly leave its core capabilities, configuration syntax, and documentation out of step with maintained projects.

Before migrating, record the current proxy mode, selected proxy group, system proxy status, and custom overrides, and keep the original subscription URL. After importing into the new client, test standard rules first, then migrate DNS, TUN, and script-related settings. If the old configuration uses original Clash syntax, also check for fields that are deprecated or behave differently in mihomo clients.

Clash Meta for Android is designed for Android users already familiar with Clash configuration structure. It works well for directly managing proxy groups, rule modes, and configuration files, and it can carry desktop proxy-group naming conventions onto Android. Compared with clients aimed at beginners who only want a basic import, it is better suited to users willing to understand system takeover and background-operation limits.

Android may restrict background activity, battery usage, and VPN connections. If the connection drops after the screen locks, check battery management and background permissions first, then investigate rules or nodes. Mistaking a system restriction for a configuration error can lead to unnecessary subscription rebuilds and rule changes.

Surfboard is an independent Android implementation that handles compatible proxy configurations, but it should not be treated as identical to the full Clash or mihomo core. It suits users who know which protocols, rules, and proxy-group features they use and are willing to verify compatibility after importing.

When migrating from another Clash client to Surfboard, check complex proxy groups, rule providers, DNS extensions, and client-specific fields carefully. If a subscription contains only standard nodes, basic proxy groups, and domain rules, migration is usually easier to understand. The more a configuration depends on core-specific extensions, the more important it is to review supported fields first.

ClashX Meta is designed for the macOS menu bar, and existing users may already have established habits around system-proxy and proxy-group switching. Since the project is discontinued, its sensible role is to preserve an existing environment, read legacy configurations, and prepare for migration—not to build new long-term dependencies around the old interface.

macOS users should consider migrating to Clash Plus or Clash Verge Rev. During migration, disable the old client’s system proxy before starting the new client to prevent both applications from changing system settings. Once the basic connection works, restore custom DNS, rule sets, and system-takeover options one at a time.