Software Alternatives & Reviews

Win32 Disk Imager VS Balena Etcher

Compare Win32 Disk Imager VS Balena Etcher and see what are their differences

Win32 Disk Imager logo Win32 Disk Imager

Create and restore image backups of disk drives.

Balena Etcher logo Balena Etcher

Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives, safely and easily.
  • Win32 Disk Imager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-28
  • Balena Etcher Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-22

Win32 Disk Imager videos

How To | Create An SD Card Backup Image | Win32 Disk Imager Review | Microsoft Windows

More videos:

  • Review - Burning IMG files to SD Cards with Win32 Disk Imager

Balena Etcher videos

Wish.com 2000MW Laser Etcher Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Make Bootable USB in Windows 10 or Bootable SD // Etcher Tutorial
  • Review - Linux App Review / Etcher

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Win32 Disk Imager and Balena Etcher)
Cyber Security
100 100%
0% 0
Bootable USB
0 0%
100% 100
Backup & Restore
100 100%
0% 0
Utilities
15 15%
85% 85

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Win32 Disk Imager and Balena Etcher

Win32 Disk Imager Reviews

14 Rufus alternatives for Linux, Mac, and windows
Win32 Disk Imager is a popular tool targeted at the Windows platform. Version 0.9 of the tool can also flash older legacy systems such as Windows XP and Vista.
10 Best Rufus Alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS - Beebom
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...

Balena Etcher Reviews

7 Best Rufus Alternatives To Create Bootable USB In 2022
So these were some of the best Rufus alternatives that you can try. Suppose you’re still confused about which one to use. In that case, we’d recommend ‘balenaEtcher’ and ‘Ventoy.’ For Linux users, ‘WoeUSB’ for Windows media creation, ‘Ventoy,’ ‘balenaEctcher,’ and ‘Popsicle’ will all do the job.
Source: fossbytes.com
10 Best Rufus Alternatives in 2022 (USB Bootable Tools)
If you are searching for an easy-to-use tool to create bootable USB drives, Etcher might be the best pick. It’s a full-fledged bootable USB tool available for Windows and macOS. The user interface of Etcher is quite simple to use, and it supports all sorts of system images like DMG, ISO, IMG, etc. Etcher is an open-source tool, and it’s entirely free to use.
Source: techviral.net
14 Rufus alternatives for Linux, Mac, and windows
Now, Balena has a host of other solutions. This includes cloud, balenaOS, balena Engine, and even their flashing hardware called balenaEtcherPro. Balena Etcher is perfect for creating ready-to-go bootable drives. But, It does not provide options for persistence. They still support a wide range of iso images including Windows iso.
Rufus Alternatives – 8 Best USB Bootable Software For Linux
WoeUSB comes in wherein Etcher falls short. It is compatible with Windows ISO and even recommended by Etcher. Similar to Etcher, even WoeUSB doesn’t show you internal drives. It automatically detects the removable USB drives and you just have to select the appropriate one and click on Install. It handles all the complexities by itself. WoeUSB supports Windows from Vista to...
Source: techwiser.com
8 Free USB Bootable Software For Windows
Etcher is the new kid on the block and the easiest to use bootable software in this list. The main reason to build Etcher was to escape the complexity of selecting multiple options and settings with different Operating-system. It just requires few clicks to convert your SD card or USB into a bootable drive. It supports Windows, Linux based OS and even macOS. Etcher also has...
Source: techwiser.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Balena Etcher seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 15 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Win32 Disk Imager mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Win32 Disk Imager yet. Tracking of Win32 Disk Imager recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Balena Etcher mentions (15)

  • How long does a dd to memory stick write of the img file take?
    Consider using BalenaEtcher.app It usually transfers at the maximum data rate possible and includes checks so you don't accidentally overwrite the wrong disk. Source: about 1 year ago
  • This is my first time installing linux, can someone tell what this can be?
    Tbh if I were you I would just flash the Debian image to a USB with Rufus or BalenaEtcher and boot from the USB. Just make sure to disable secure boot before doing so, otherwise the USB won't boot. Also you should probably uninstall the Debian loader from Windows. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Best way to create a windows install usb stick on macOS Monterey without using terminal
    You can download the iso and use something like https://balena.io/etcher. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Flexible distro for an absolute noob who wants to learn hands-on
    The live mode only works with an USB. You can set it up with Balena Etcher (http://balena.io/etcher/). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Hey guys, I really need some help. I have no idea what to do.
    Ah on mac, that explains a little bit. So rufus does not exist for mac, but you can use something like balena etcher steps are: 1. Download the iso (keep in downloads folder, not on usb) 2. Open etcher and select the iso and the usb stick (verify it’s the right one) 3. Start etching (will ask for admin password) 4. When it’s finished put usb in your new computer and boot it 5. When the monitor displays a logo... Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Win32 Disk Imager and Balena Etcher, you can also consider the following products

Clonezilla - Clonezilla is a suite of software that's designed to allow you to back-up and image new hard drives with your data.

Rufus - Rufus is a piece of software that allows you to transform a portable drive, like a flash drive or other USB drives, into a bootable drive that can be used for a variety of purposes. Read more about Rufus.

YUMI - YUMI (Your USB Multiboot Installer), is a tool that allows you to boot multiple ISO files from one USB drive.

Macrium Reflect - Macrium Software - the creators of Macrium Reflect backup, imaging and cloning software.

UNetbootin - UNetbootin is a utility for creating live bootable USB drives. The name of the software is short for Universal Netboot Installer, and its most prevalent use has been to create bootable versions of Linux distributions on a USB drive.

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office - (Formerly Acronis True Image) Complete protection for your digital life