GNU GRUB Alternatives for Linux

There are many alternatives to GNU GRUB for Linux if you are looking for a replacement. The best Linux alternative is rEFInd - Boot Manager, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 10 alternatives to GNU GRUB and 13 are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to GNU GRUB are Limine, Libreboot, Grub2Win and Clover EFI bootloader.

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Alternatives
GNU GRUB alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. rEFInd is a fork of the rEFIt boot manager for computers based on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and Unified EFI (UEFI). Like rEFIt, rEFInd is a boot manager, meaning that it presents a menu of options to the user when the computer...

    11 rEFInd - Boot Manager alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2012

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  2. Limine icon
     8 likes

    Limine is an advanced x86/x86_64 BIOS and UEFI bootloader that supports modern PC features such as Long Mode, 5-level paging, multi-core startup, and more thanks to the stivale and stivale2 boot protocols.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2021

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  3. Libreboot icon
     21 likes

    Libreboot is a free software project based on coreboot, aimed at replacing the proprietary BIOS firmware contained by most computers. Libreboot is a lightweight system designed to perform only the minimum number of tasks necessary to load and...

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2014

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    Good alternative?
     
  4. Grub2Win icon
     12 likes

    Safely dual boot Windows and Linux without touching the Windows MBR.

    Grub2Win installs to Windows 8, Windows 7, XP, 2000 or Vista. It boots native, open source GNU grub version 2.00 code. Everything is contained in one 7 MB directory on your Windows C: drive.

    The simple Windows.

    16 Grub2Win alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2013

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  5. This is EFI-based bootloader for BIOS-based computers created as a replacement to EDK2/Duet bootloader http://www.tianocore.org . To compile it needs to place Clover sources into edk2/ folder.

    8 Clover EFI bootloader alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2016

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  6. GRUB for DOS is the dos extension of GRUB. It enables dos users to run the configuration console directly in real mode. The project also contains an utility called WINGRUB, an GUI intends to help configuring and installing GRUB in the WINDOWS environment.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2010

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  7.  5 likes

    Burg is a brand-new boot loader based on GNU GRUB. It uses a new object format which allows it to be built in a wider range of OS, including Linux/Windows/OSX/FreeBSD, etc.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2012

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • US flagUnited States
    burg screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  8. The Plop Boot Manager is a small program to boot different operating systems.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2023

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  9.  5 likes

    GAG (initials, in spanish, of Graphical Boot Manager) is a Boot Manager program. It's loaded when the computer is turned on and allows you to choose the operating system you want to use.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2012

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  10. The development of LILO as classic bootloader for GNU/Linux systems was restarted in June 2010. Because of the simpleness LILO has some advantages comparing with Grub and Grub2. But nowadays LILO is not the bootloader for all situations. But LILO is longtime proved and stable.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2011

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  11. Syslinux icon
     2 likes

    The Syslinux Project covers lightweight bootloaders for the MS-DOS FAT filesystem (SYSLINUX), network booting (PXELINUX), booting from the ISO 9660 filesystem (ISOLINUX), and Linux ext2/ext3/ext4 or Btrfs filesystems (EXTLINUX).

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2026

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • MS-DOS
    • FreeDOS
    Good alternative?
     
  12. Written in C++ and licensed under GNU GPL, XOSL (eXtended Operating System Loader) is a user-friendly, window-based graphical boot manager handling large disks and over 30 different operating systems.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Since

    • Since 2012

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
12 of 13 GNU GRUB alternatives