Best Clash GUI Clients: Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, and Android Compared

Start with your devices and traffic-routing needs

For desktop use only, compare the workflows in Clash Verge Rev and FlClash. If you also use an Android phone, FlClash is worth trying first to minimize the learning curve when switching devices. For games, command-line tools, or apps that ignore the system proxy, check the client's TUN support and required system permissions. Don't choose based on screenshots alone.

A GUI client handles subscription imports, settings, core startup, and connection status. The mihomo core parses configuration, applies rules, and establishes proxy connections. With the same core, nodes, and rules, the client name alone can't tell you which will be faster. Differences are more likely to show up in permission handling, configuration merging, update behavior, and troubleshooting tools.

• For long-running desktop use: Check service mode, startup behavior, tray controls, and recovery after sleep.
• For using one subscription on desktop and mobile: Check the configuration format, group names, and fields supported on each platform.
• If you edit rules often: Check whether local overrides are preserved and whether you can inspect the final active configuration.
• If you only need browser access: Test the system proxy first and leave TUN off to simplify troubleshooting.

Clash Verge Rev, FlClash, and Android: A Comparison

Start with platform support, then compare workflows. The table below focuses on how each client is used, not on turning interface preferences into a performance ranking. Check the release notes for the specific installer you're considering for its architecture, minimum system requirements, and core version.

For desktop configuration work, try Clash Verge Rev first

If you regularly edit rules, inspect logs, or manage multiple subscriptions, start by seeing whether Clash Verge Rev's workflow suits you. The key isn't how many settings it has, but whether you can clearly distinguish the original subscription, your local changes, and the configuration that's actually running. Use it long term only if your custom rules still behave as expected after subscription updates.

Use both desktop and Android? Try FlClash first

If you want a similar interface on desktop and mobile, try FlClash first. A similar interface doesn't mean identical system permissions: desktop system proxy settings and service installation are separate from Android VPN authorization and background restrictions. Successfully importing a subscription also doesn't mean traffic is being routed on every device.

Check mihomo core and subscription compatibility

First, note two details: the client version and the version of the core actually running. Find them in the client's version information or startup logs; don't mistake the client version for the mihomo version. This guide doesn't name a single "latest version," since packaging and update schedules vary by platform.

If a subscription won't import, reports an unknown field, or can't connect using a particular protocol, check the subscription's output format first, then confirm that the core supports the relevant fields. Some subscription providers let you choose Clash- or mihomo-compatible output in their service settings. Pasting a node list in another format may not work.

1. Import the same valid subscription and confirm that configuration validation passes and the proxy groups and node count match its contents.
2. Check the protocol settings required by the server, such as TLS, SNI, transport type, and UDP support. Don't remove fields just because you don't recognize them.
3. Select a node, visit a known test destination, and check the connection log for the rule and outbound used.
4. If parsing fails, save the exact error and core version, then check the configuration documentation. Don't switch between several clients in a row to mask the problem.

Keep subscription updates separate from local overrides

Updating a subscription may replace remote configuration content. Keep persistent direct-connect domains, DNS changes, and rules in a local override or merge mechanism explicitly supported by the client. Merge order and script interfaces vary by client, so recheck everything when migrating. Don't overwrite one client's entire data directory with another's.

TUN support: Compare permissions and recovery

TUN routes eligible traffic through a virtual network interface and routing rules, usually covering more than the system proxy. But enabling it doesn't guarantee that every connection will use the proxy. Exclusion routes, app routing, direct rules, and other VPNs can all change the path. Whether traffic is intercepted and whether it uses a proxy node are two separate questions.

Desktop: Check the service before enabling TUN

On Windows, check whether the client requires a background service to be installed or enabled. On macOS and Linux, grant the network configuration permissions specified by the client. Running as an administrator isn't a substitute for routine troubleshooting. If TUN won't start, check the logs for permission, interface creation, or routing errors before deciding whether to restart the service.

• Turn off system proxy and TUN in other clients first to prevent two apps from changing routes at the same time.
• After enabling TUN, test your browser, command-line tools, and the apps you actually use.
• Test after waking from sleep or switching networks to make sure DNS and connections recover.
• Turn off TUN and quit the client, then confirm that your regular network connection still works.

Android: Check VPN authorization and background restrictions

Android clients usually route traffic through the system VPN interface. Two VPNs of this kind usually can't run at the same time under the same user or work profile. Confirm system authorization on the first connection. If connections drop when the screen locks, check the app's battery settings, background permissions, and persistent notification. When excluding an app, check whether the client excludes it from traffic interception or routes it directly through rules; those are different settings.

For games or voice apps that need UDP, confirm that the node, protocol, and server support UDP forwarding. TUN support in the client can't add capabilities the server doesn't have. If a speed test succeeds but an app doesn't work, check its actual connection log instead of repeatedly running latency tests.

Test both clients with the same ports and rules

Use the same test conditions for both clients to compare their workflows fairly. Start with the same subscription, node, rule mode, and test destination, and run only one client at a time. The partial YAML example below illustrates settings; it isn't a complete, ready-to-run subscription, and you don't need to overwrite fields generated automatically by the client.

mixed-port: 7890
allow-lan: false
mode: rule
log-level: info

7890 is an example mixed port that can handle HTTP and SOCKS5. Use the port shown in your client. If it's already in use, choose an available port, such as 7897, and update the proxy address in your app as well. allow-lan: false keeps the proxy endpoint unavailable to your local network, which is a good starting point for testing on your own device.

Use the command line to verify the proxy endpoint—not just the toggle

After enabling the proxy endpoint, run the command below in a terminal to test the HTTP proxy path. In Windows Command Prompt or PowerShell, call curl.exe explicitly; on other systems, use the installed tool's name. The example targets this site. One successful request doesn't prove that every app is connected.

curl.exe --proxy http://127.0.0.1:7890 --head --max-time 15 https://clash67.com/

This command explicitly uses the proxy, so it can test the local proxy endpoint, but it can't prove that TUN is working. To test TUN, remove the explicit proxy arguments, make sure the app and environment variables aren't setting another proxy, then check the client's connection log for the destination, rule, and outbound. If the rule selects a direct connection, a successful request doesn't prove that the proxy node works.

Record four results before deciding

1. Import: Can the subscription update, and do error messages point to the specific problem?
2. Routing: Does the connection view show the destination, matched rule, and actual outbound?
3. Recovery: Do the configuration and connection recover as expected after restarting the client or switching networks?
4. Maintenance: Do local rules survive subscription updates, and can you restore a backup if something goes wrong?

Choose a client for your use case

Desktop-first, with frequent configuration changes

Try Clash Verge Rev first, focusing on configuration editing, overrides, and service management. Choose FlClash instead if its workflow feels more natural. If both handle your usual mihomo configuration needs, prioritize how quickly you can find and fix problems over interface polish.

Android-first, with occasional desktop use

Start by evaluating app routing and background reliability in FlClash for Android, then install the desktop version to compare workflows. Don't assume that an older Android client supports every protocol and extended configuration field in a current subscription just because it can import it. Check its maintenance status, release notes, and actual core version before deciding whether to keep using it.

Have a stable configuration and planning to migrate

Export or back up your current configuration first, and note the mixed port, DNS mode, proxy group selection, and local rules. Quit the old client before starting the new one. Test the system proxy first, and enable TUN only if needed. Once the new client is stable, remove the old service and startup items so you have a way to roll back if migration fails.