Comparing Clash Clients

Understand the client, core, and subscription

When choosing a Clash GUI client, don’t start with themes or tray icons. Three layers actually shape the experience: the client imports configurations, switches nodes, and requests system permissions; the core handles protocol connections, DNS, and rule matching; and the subscription provides nodes or a complete configuration. These names often appear together in download guides, but they aren’t interchangeable.

For example, Clash Verge Rev is a client, while mihomo is the core it uses. A subscription saving successfully in the interface doesn’t mean the core supports every protocol it contains. Conversely, the core may support a field that the interface hasn’t exposed as a setting yet, so you may need to configure it through an override or configuration file.

• Client version: Determines interface behavior, service management, and configuration editing. You can usually find it under “About.”
• Core version: Determines which protocols and configuration fields are supported. Check the core information or startup logs; don’t assume the client version tells you this.
• Subscription format: A complete Clash YAML file, a nodes-only subscription, and other formats aren’t equivalent. Check the format specified by your provider before importing.

How popular clients compare

The comparison below focuses on common workflows. More buttons don’t necessarily mean more capability, and clients across different platforms aren’t all the same project. Packages and maintenance status can change, so check release history for your platform, the included core, and known issues before downloading. This guide doesn’t label any version as the “latest” indefinitely.

Projects with similar names aren’t necessarily related. In particular, identify FlClash, FlClashs, and similarly named apps by checking the repository and publisher linked from the download page. Don’t use the same update source just because their screenshots look alike. Android APKs can’t be installed directly on iOS. If you choose a different proxy client, check its subscription format, rule syntax, and system network extension permissions—not just whether it claims to “support proxies.”

To narrow down your options by operating system, see the client comparison. On Linux, check the package format and CPU architecture: a package for Debian or Ubuntu isn’t necessarily installable with Fedora’s package manager.

Core capabilities and maintenance

Protocol support depends on the core, not the interface name

mihomo builds on Clash’s rule-based configuration approach and extends its protocol and networking capabilities. But “based on mihomo” is only a starting point; support for specific fields depends on the core version. If a node imports but fails to connect with an unknown-field error, handshake failure, or unsupported transport option, check the core logs first instead of repeatedly changing themes or clicking test buttons.

1. Note both the client and core versions from the client’s About page, core management screen, or startup logs.
2. Find the failed node’s type, transport method, and TLS settings, then compare them with the configuration documentation for that core version.
3. Distinguish between “configuration won’t load” and “configuration loaded, but the connection failed.” For the former, check syntax and supported fields first; for the latter, investigate the server, DNS, and network.

Active maintenance means more than recent release dates

Check whether recent release notes mention core updates, OS compatibility, and permission fixes, and whether packages are still being published for your platform. Ongoing interface commits don’t necessarily mean Linux service installation issues have been fixed; one long gap between releases alone doesn’t prove a project is unmaintained either.

• Can you roll back? Keep the previous installer and a configuration backup before updating, so you’re not forced to overwrite your setup.
• Are the fixes relevant? Look for release notes addressing issues that affect you, such as DNS, wake-from-sleep, TUN, or subscription updates.
• Do the sources line up? The client’s update source, core source, and manual download page should be consistent. Don’t swap in executables from unknown sources.

Choosing between TUN and system proxy

A system proxy tells apps that honor the setting to send requests to a local proxy port. TUN uses a virtual network interface and routing to capture more IP traffic, which is useful for apps that ignore the system proxy. TUN isn’t a “speed boost” switch; misconfigured routing, DNS, or permissions can make troubleshooting harder.

On Linux desktops, check service permissions

Don’t run the entire GUI as root indefinitely just to enable TUN. Prefer the client’s service installation or authorization flow, so the service performs operations that require elevated permissions. Authentication agents, service managers, and packaging differ across distributions, so having a TUN button doesn’t mean your system is ready to use it.

On Linux, use ip link to inspect network interfaces and ip route to check standard routes. For policy routing, also inspect ip rule and the relevant routing tables. Seeing a virtual interface doesn’t prove that all target traffic is going through the proxy. A more direct check is to make a request and inspect the connection, matched rule, and outbound route in the client’s connections view.

Subscription management: check what happens after an update

Importing a subscription is only the first step. What sets clients apart in daily use is whether node selections survive updates, local rules get overwritten, or ports and DNS settings change when you switch profiles. Before committing to a client, try a manual update and switch configurations at least once.

Keep remote content separate from local changes

A complete remote configuration usually includes nodes, proxy groups, rules, and other settings. Directly editing the downloaded file may mean losing your changes the next time it updates. Prefer the client’s override, merge, or script features, and inspect the final configuration passed to the core. Clients may replace, append, or prepend arrays in different ways, so don’t reuse an override file across clients without checking how it works.

• Rule order: Rules are usually matched from top to bottom. A custom direct-connection rule placed after the final MATCH won’t be matched as intended.
• Proxy group references: Any group name referenced by a local rule must exist in the active configuration. This is especially easy to miss after switching subscriptions.
• Update interval: For everyday personal use, start with 24 hours and adjust to your provider’s requirements. There’s no need to make a request every minute just to get timely updates.
• Privacy: Subscription URLs often contain access tokens. Hide the full URL in screenshots, public logs, and support requests.

Switching profiles doesn’t merge them automatically

Saving separate profiles for home, work, and testing usually lets you choose one to activate; it doesn’t run all three sets of rules at once. To share common rules, check whether the client supports global overrides and how they’re applied relative to profile-specific overrides. Back up the subscription sources, local rules, and scripts too. Exporting only the current node list is rarely enough to restore the original setup.

Test usability with the same workflow

Screenshots can’t show the effort involved in everyday tasks. Try these five things in every candidate client: import the same configuration, switch the same proxy group, find a connection, update the subscription, and restore network access after fully quitting. That compares real workflows, not default color schemes.

1. Check the listening port: The examples below assume the mixed port is set to 7890; this isn’t a promise that every client uses that default. Update the commands to match the actual value shown in the interface.
2. Test with an explicit proxy: Leave TUN off and specify the proxy in the command first. Confirm that the local port, core, and outbound route form a working connection.
3. Check the rule: In the connections view, check which rule and proxy group matched the test request. A successful HTTP response doesn’t prove it went through the expected node; it may have connected directly.
4. Then enable traffic capture: Remove the explicit proxy arguments from the command and test the coverage of system proxy or TUN separately.
5. Test recovery: Check once after quitting, restarting, and waking from sleep. After quitting, make sure the system proxy isn’t pointing to a local port that’s no longer active.

# Example: local mixed port is set to 7890
curl --proxy http://127.0.0.1:7890 --connect-timeout 10 \
  --max-time 20 --head https://example.com/

# SOCKS test: resolve domain names through the proxy
curl --proxy socks5h://127.0.0.1:7890 --connect-timeout 10 \
  --max-time 20 --head https://example.com/

The 10-second connection timeout and 20-second total limit above prevent the test from hanging; they aren’t speed test results. Latency shown in a node list usually measures request time to a particular test URL, and varies with the URL, node egress, and current network conditions. It isn’t a direct measure of download bandwidth. To compare two clients, keep the node, test URL, rules, and DNS settings the same.

Choosing a client for desktop or mobile

Linux, Windows, and macOS

For a fresh Linux installation, first check whether Clash Verge Rev offers a package for your distribution and CPU architecture, then test service permissions, the system tray, and startup behavior. If you prefer a different interface layout, try the available FlClashs package for your platform with the same workflow. Windows users can also consider Clash Nyanpasu. On macOS, weigh a full-window interface against ClashX Meta’s menu bar workflow, and make sure the package matches your Apple silicon or Intel Mac.

If you frequently edit rules, prioritize final configuration inspection, log filtering, and override management. If you mainly switch nodes, look for a clear proxy group view, reliable tray status, and proper cleanup on exit. If you’re migrating from Clash for Windows, keep your old configuration as a backup, but don’t blindly reuse its service paths, cache directories, or system permission settings.

On Android, focus on background operation and network changes

Android clients typically request system VPN permission through VpnService. This allows the app to create a local VPN interface; it doesn’t mean you’re connected to a remote VPN server. VPN connections generally compete for use within the same user or work profile, so check for conflicts when another VPN or some local traffic-filtering tools are enabled.

• Check background restrictions under Settings → Apps → your client → Battery. The exact labels vary by manufacturer.
• Test on both Wi-Fi and mobile data, then lock the screen and wait to make sure battery-saving policies don’t stop the client.
• For per-app routing, check whether the option means “proxy only selected apps” or “bypass selected apps”—the two do the opposite.
• For a new device, don’t default to the unmaintained Clash for Android just because its old interface feels familiar.