10 Best Rufus Alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS - Beebom

1

Rufus

Rufus is a wildly popular software for creating USB bootable drives which support various image formats including Windows ISO files and Linux distros. Further, many users prefer Rufus because of its lightweight size and extremely quick flashing. However, Rufus is only available on Windows OS so users keep looking for an alternative for other platforms. So, if you are on a lookout for a similar app, you have come to the right place. In this article, we have compiled a list for 10 best Rufus alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Also, we have ensured that the mentioned programs are quick to flash and easy to use. Now having said that, let's go through the article and find the best Rufus alternative for you.

#Utilities #Boot Disk Utilities #Bootable USB 6 social mentions

2

Balena Etcher

While Rufus is the gold standard for creating bootable USB drives, it's limited to Windows operating system only. In contrast, Etcher is a full-fledged program which is available on all major platforms including macOS and supports all kinds of system images like ISO, DMG, IMG, etc. It's also quite simple to use and the interface is very straightforward. You select a system image, the USB stick and click on Flash. That's it. Apart from that, Etcher is also quite fast in flashing images, but it's slightly behind Rufus. Having said that, the best part about Etcher is that it has something called Image Validation which verifies the system image and removable drive before flashing. This will help you save time from writing images on corrupt USB devices. Not to mention, Etcher is also open-source and completely free just like Rufus.

#Utilities #Bootable USB #Boot Disk Utilities 15 social mentions

3

PowerISO

PowerISO is our second pick for the best Rufus alternatives in this list. It's not just a program for creating bootable USB drives but also comes with hosts of other features like converting various image formats to ISO, mounting disk, virtual drives, and more. Nevertheless, PowerISO can create bootable USB drives just like Rufus in no time. What I like about this app is that it's quite fast at flashing images and does not overwhelm the user with many advanced options. However, bear in mind, PowerISO only works on Windows operating system. So, if you want to create a Windows bootable USB, PowerISO is among the best alternatives to Rufus.

#CD Image Creator #DVD Image Creator #DVD Image Editor 2 social mentions

4

Media Creation Tool

Media Creation Tool is a unique app in this list which is specifically developed by Microsoft for seamlessly installing Windows 10 on PCs. It lets you download Windows 10 from Microsoft's server and thereafter it creates a bootable USB automatically. You don't need to manually do anything. That's awesome, right? Based on your PC's architecture, it detects the compatible configuration and downloads the latest Windows 10 ISO image. The only downside is that, unlike Rufus, it takes a bit more time to create a bootable USB drive. However, if you are looking for an app like Rufus, but without the extra hassle of downloading an image and ensuring compatibility, Media Creation Tool is the best substitute.

#Windows Tools #Utilities #Boot Disk Utilities

5

UNetbootin

UNetbootin is a popular Rufus alternative for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. It is an incredibly lightweight tool which is compatible with several Linux distros. The best part is that UNetbootin is available on all major platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS. Basically, you will be able to create Linux-based bootable USB drives from any machine and without any issues. The flashing speed with UNetbootin is also really fast and can rival Rufus easily. So to sum up, if you want a Rufus alternative for flashing Ubuntu or any other Linux distro, there is no better option than UNetbootin. It's damn good.

#Utilities #Bootable USB #Boot Disk Utilities 59 social mentions

6

Universal USB Installer

Universal USB Installer is primarily built for Linux based distributions, but it can also flash Windows ISO images flawlessly. In essence, Universal USB Installer is a great alternative to Rufus if you want support for both Windows and Linux system images. Besides that, the tool is absolutely quick and can create bootable USB drives within minutes. In fact, it's very close to Rufus in terms of performance and platform compatibility. There is also an in-built USB formatting tool which can help you free the storage on your USB stick after installation. Simply put, Universal USB Installer is among the best alternatives to Rufus and you can definitely give it a try.

#Utilities #Bootable USB #Boot Disk Utilities

7

DiskMaker X

Diskmaker X is one of the best Rufus alternatives for macOS users. It's a small utility which can seamlessly build a bootable macOS image on your USB stick. The process is quite simple. Launch the application and it will find the installation file using Spotlight. After that, it will detect the USB drive and will offer you to flash the system image. In terms of performance, the app is decently fast and works for the most part. Having said that, the great part about Diskmaker X is that it supports Mojave as well and that's awesome. Simply put, if you are looking for a Rufus alternative for macOS, this is certainly the app to go for.

#Utilities #Bootable USB #Boot Disk Utilities 44 social mentions

8

Win32 Disk Imager

Win32 Disk Imager is one of the oldest programs for flashing low-level utilities like Raspbian and ARM-based operating systems on SD cards and USB sticks. In true sense, Win32 Disk Imager is a Rufus alternative because the performance is exceptionally great and the flashing speed is in its own league. And that is not all, the user interface is as simple as it can get. You provide the source of the system image and select the device to flash on. Press "Write" and you are done. To sum up, if you are looking to create bootable flash drives for small projects, Win32 Disk Imager will take you right home.

#Utilities #Cyber Security #Backup & Restore

9

WoeUSB

WoeUSB is an interesting app which lets you create a Windows bootable USB drive on a Linux machine. Basically, if you use Ubuntu or any other Linux distro, you can use WoeUSB to flash Windows ISO image on a removable drive. The best part about WoeUSB is that, unlike most Linux programs, it has a GUI interface and you can build a USB installer in a few clicks. No need to mess with commands and Terminal! Further, it supports Windows from Vista to the latest version of Windows 10. And it is compatible with older Legacy BIOS, MBR partition and the newer UEFI mode. All in all, WoeUSB is a godsend for people who want Rufus like features on Linux for creating Windows bootable drives.

#Utilities #Boot Disk Utilities #Bootable USB

10

TransMac

If you want to create a macOS bootable USB using a Windows PC then TransMac is a great app. Similar to Rufus, all you have to do is download the macOS DMG file and import it to TransMac. Further, insert the bootable USB drive and TransMac will format the drive in APFS file format. The flashing process is a bit longer given the DMG image is encrypted and the difference in the file system. However, the app works for the most part and you can create a macOS bootable media on a Windows computer. In terms of performance, it's a bit slow and does not compare with the likes of Rufus, but it gets the job done. To conclude, if you don't have an extra Mac in sight, TransMac is your best bet.

#CD Image Creator #DVD Image Creator #DVD Image Editor

As the name suggests, Windows 7 USB Tool is a program which lets you create a Windows bootable media for Windows 7, 8 and XP. It's the most straightforward program where you select the ISO image, removable device and you are done. Since it's pretty lightweight, Windows USB Tool does not take much time to flash system images. The flashing speed is very comparable to Rufus. In tandem, if you are using Windows 7/8/XP, you can use this simple tool to create a USB bootable drive in no time.