Choosing a Clash Client: Clash Plus, Verge Rev, FlClash and Four Others Compared

Four things to check before picking a client

Plenty of apps carry the "Clash" name, but the ones actually worth shortlisting stand on four verifiable metrics — not on how polished the interface looks.

• Platform coverage: Does the client only run on one OS, or can the same config file run across Windows, macOS, Linux and Android? Users with multiple devices should lean toward cross-platform options to cut down on config maintenance.
• Core version: The client itself is just the shell — the actual proxying and traffic routing is handled by the bundled Clash core. Most mainstream clients have now switched to the mihomo core (formerly Clash Meta), while a few older clients still run the original Clash core, which lags behind in features and rule syntax.
• Update frequency: When the core ships a security fix or adds new fields, whether the client keeps pace determines whether you actually get to use the new features. You can check the corresponding open-source repository for the date of its most recent release.
• Ease of use: Whether the GUI is intuitive, whether you need to hand-edit config files, and whether enabling TUN mode requires extra authorization steps all directly affect whether a newcomer can get up and running within half an hour.

Six clients, one by one

The six clients below are ordered by general recognition and typical use case, and all of them support importing standard Clash / mihomo subscription links.

Clash Verge Rev

A desktop client rewritten on the Tauri framework, covering Windows, macOS and Linux. It bundles the mihomo core and tends to stay close to upstream releases. The interface offers a what-you-edit-is-what-you-get config editor alongside GUI toggles, making it a good fit for users who want visual controls but don't mind touching raw YAML when needed. Rule-set management, proxy group latency testing and one-click TUN mode are all fairly complete, making it one of the most balanced all-round desktop options right now.

FlClash

A cross-platform client written in Flutter, with a single codebase covering Windows, macOS, Linux and Android — one of the few options that keeps a consistent UI across both desktop and mobile. It also runs on the mihomo core, and rule groups, connection details and traffic stats are presented in a highly consistent way across platforms, which suits users who switch between multiple devices and don't want to relearn a new interface each time. The trade-off is that releases come out a bit slower than clients focused on a single platform.

ClashX Meta

A macOS-only menu-bar client, and the continuation of the ClashX line running on the mihomo core. Its strength is a lightweight integration with macOS's menu bar, system proxy and login items — it barely uses any memory, and the interaction model fits naturally with how Mac users already work. If you only use a single Mac and prefer a minimal menu-bar-icon workflow, this is the option that feels most native to the system, though there's no Windows or Linux version, so multi-device users will need to pair it with something else.

Clash Meta for Android (CMFA)

One of the most common mihomo-core clients on Android, supporting both full TUN-mode proxying and per-app proxy rules, with a rule and subscription management UI designed specifically for touch. Compared with some ported desktop clients, CMFA has been specifically tuned for battery usage and background persistence, making it a solid choice as a primary Android client running in the background long-term.

Mihomo Party

A newer-generation desktop client that takes its name directly from mihomo, and its release cadence tracks the core closely — it often syncs support shortly after the core ships a new version. The UI leans toward a denser, dashboard-style layout, surfacing connection logs, rule hits and traffic charts all at once, which suits more advanced users who like to keep an eye on live data while troubleshooting. Newcomers may need some time to get familiar with the panel layout on first launch.

Clash Plus

A paid client that goes through the app store compliance route, covering iOS, macOS and Windows. It's distributed through official app store review, so installation and updates work exactly like any other store app — no manual package downloads or OS security prompts to deal with. For users who aren't comfortable with sideloading and just want a "search the store, tap install" experience, this is currently one of the lowest-friction paths on iOS.

Where to check the core version and update frequency

You don't have to take a client's word for it when it claims to "use the latest core" — you can verify it yourself. Most clients show the bundled mihomo core version number on their About or Settings page, typically formatted something like:

mihomo v1.18.x meta gitversion darwin arm64

Once you have the version number, check it against the release dates on the core project's release page to get a rough sense of how closely the client tracks upstream — does it sync up within days of a new core release, or does it lag several major versions behind? On the rule syntax side, newer mihomo cores support finer-grained routing features like rule-providers and sub-rules. If a client's bundled core is outdated, importing a subscription config that uses these newer fields may cause rules to be silently skipped rather than throwing an error — an easy thing to overlook when troubleshooting.

Which one fits which kind of user

No single client covers every scenario — matching yourself to one of the profiles below tends to be the faster way to decide.

1. You only use one Mac for work

   Go with ClashX Meta first — its menu-bar integration is lightweight, requires no window sitting open, and the system proxy toggle ties in naturally with the menu bar's network status.

2. You switch between Windows / macOS / Linux devices

   Clash Verge Rev or FlClash fit better — the same config file works across all of them, and a consistent interface means less relearning on each device.

3. You keep Clash running in the background on Android long-term

   Clash Meta for Android has been specifically tuned for background persistence and power usage, making it a solid pick as a primary mobile client.

5. Not used

6. You're on iOS and don't want to deal with installation hassle

   Clash Plus goes through the app store, so installation and updates work just like any other app, without the extra steps of handling installation profiles.

7. You like watching connection logs to troubleshoot

   Mihomo Party's dashboard packs in a lot of information density, suiting advanced users who are used to spotting issues from traffic charts and rule-hit records.

What to watch out for when migrating from an old client

Moving from one client to another usually just means re-importing the same subscription link, but there are still a few gotchas worth checking ahead of time.

• Port settings: Different clients may default to different values for the mixed port (mixed-port), HTTP port and SOCKS5 port. After migrating, check whether your system proxy is still pointing at the right port — otherwise the proxy will appear "on" while nothing actually connects.
• TUN mode authorization: The system permissions needed to enable TUN mode differ by platform — macOS requires manually allowing a network extension in System Settings, while some Windows clients need to be run as administrator once to create the virtual network adapter. After migrating, it's worth walking through the enablement flow again rather than assuming permissions carry over automatically.
• Rule-set caching: If your subscription uses remote rule sets (rule-providers), a new client will typically re-download its own cached copy on first import, so a slightly slower first connection is expected and not a sign that something's wrong.
• Override config compatibility: Some clients support an "override" feature that lets you patch a subscription config after the fact. These override scripts are usually tied to a specific client, so switching clients means manually porting or rewriting them — they won't carry over automatically.

Overall, once you've confirmed a client runs on the mihomo core family and updates at a reasonable pace, the real differences between options come down to interface style and platform habits rather than whether a feature actually works. It's worth running a couple of free candidate clients through your daily routine for a day or two before settling on one for the long haul.