Rufus Alternatives

Rufus creates bootable USB drives from ISO images with support for both BIOS and UEFI boot modes. This lightweight, portable Windows tool handles formatting and bootable media creation efficiently.

Ventoy leads as the top-ranked alternative, eliminating the need for reformatting by letting users copy ISOs directly onto USB drives and boot them without extraction. Users report keeping 20+ ISOs on a single flash drive with its multiboot approach. balenaEtcher ranks third with cross-platform support and a user-friendly interface that validates flashing, though some users note it struggles with Windows ISO files. UNetbootin ranks second with built-in Linux ISO downloads but focuses primarily on Linux distributions.

WoeUSB targets Linux users who need Windows installer USBs, while iVentoy enables network-based OS deployment to multiple machines via PXE boot selection.

filter to find the best alternatives

Rufus is a bootable usb creator, and the alternatives landscape divides between simple image flashers and multiboot managers. For open source transparency, Ventoy, balenaEtcher, and UNetbootin are popular choices among the 42 open-source alternatives available.

Linux users have native options in Ventoy and balenaEtcher, while WoeUSB specializes in creating Windows installer USBs from ISO or DVD on Linux systems. Windows users can choose multiboot-focused tools like Ventoy, YUMI exFAT, and WinSetupFromUSB for building installer and utility collections. macOS users have UNetbootin and balenaEtcher support, with macUSB targeting legacy macOS bootable drives without Terminal knowledge.

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Alternatives list

  1. DiskMaker X icon

    DiskMaker X

     16 likes
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    DiskMaker X (formerly Lion DiskMaker) is an application built with AppleScript that you can use with many versions of OS X/macOS to build a bootable drive from OS X/macOS installer program (the one you download from the App Store).

    12 DiskMaker X alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    DiskMaker X screenshot 1
     
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    4
    20
    Comments about DiskMaker X as an Alternative to Rufus
    Guest
    Negative
    7

    Rufus turns any CD Image to Bootable USB, while Diskmaker X works only with OS X disk images.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Only good to create OS X images - hence not an alternative as Rufus can create bootable USB from ANY image of ANY OS

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    only makes OS X bootable disks

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Show more comments
    3 of 4 comments
    Rufus Icon
    DiskMaker X icon

    • Some users think DiskMaker X is a great Rufus alternative, some don't.

    • DiskMaker X is Free and ProprietaryRufus is Free and Open Source
  2. WinUSB Maker Tool icon

    WinUSB Maker Tool

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    This is a small utility tool that will help you format and create bootable flash drives for Windows 7/8. It can be useful if you want to create installation media from bootable ISOs and if you want to install Windows7/8 on a system that doesn't have a CD-ROM device installed.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    WinUSB Maker Tool screenshot 1
     
  4. ImageUSB icon

    ImageUSB

     12 likes
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    ImageUSB is a free tool for writing an image to multiple USB Flash Drives (or reading image from an UFD).

    ImageUSB is designed for use with OSForensics.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Reading UFD image.
     
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    PassFab for ISO icon
    PassFab for ISO

    This tool simplifies the creation of bootable USBs, CDs, and DVDs through a streamlined three-step process. Compatible with Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit, it supports virtual drive mounting, language management, and facilitates OS...

    https://www.passfab.com
    Learn More
  6. SharpBoot icon

    SharpBoot

     4 likes
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    SharpBoot is a small utility for creating multiboot ISO or USB. You just need to drag-n-drop some iso files inside, and it automatically adds description and category (for supported ISO files, not shown in the screenshot). It uses Syslinux for the menu and bootloader.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    SharpBoot screenshot 1
     
  7. Batch ISO Creator icon

    Batch ISO Creator

     1 like
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    Batch ISO Creator is a lightweight Windows utility that turns multiple folders into ISO images in a single click —no command line, no scripts, no bloat.

    Cost / License

    • Pay once or Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Batch ISO Creator screenshot 1
     
  8. USBWriter icon

    USBWriter

     3 likes
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    USBWriter is tiny Windows tool that lets you write an image file directly to an USB drive. It requires no installation and depends on no bloated framework, it's just a little program that you may put on your desktop.

    42 USBWriter alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    USBWriter screenshot 1
     
  10. Kindd icon

    Kindd

     1 like
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    A kindful dd gui written in qt quick :). Contribute to LinArcX/Kindd development by creating an account on GitHub.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Kindd screenshot 1
     
  12. EasyBoot icon

    EasyBoot

     6 likes
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    EasyBoot makes creating a bootable CD or bootable DVD a straightforward process. Whether you want to make a MultiBoot CD that starts up in your language or you need bootable CDs with the company logo, EasyBoot meets your requirements.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    EasyBoot screenshot 1
     
  13. Caligula icon

    Caligula

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    A user-friendly, lightweight TUI wrapper for the dd command written in Rust that performs easy disk imaging and ISO burning with only a single command with graphs and rich confirmation dialogs.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Arch Linux
    • Nix Package Manager
    • Homebrew
    Screenshot of the Caligula TUI verifying a disk
     

  14. NIMMI

     3 likes
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    NIMMI, Nehul's ISO MultiBoot Manager and Installer, is an ISO installer-manager for Pen-Drive,USB Hard-Drive.It is very easy to use.And also is has been published under GNU license.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
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    1
    Comments about NIMMI as an Alternative to Rufus
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Its simpler and faster than any other alternative

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Rufus Icon
    • NIMMI is Free Personal and ProprietaryRufus is Free and Open Source
  15. TekDT USB Creator icon

    TekDT USB Creator

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    TekDT USB Creator is an automatic Windows installation USB/Hard drive creation free software. Help you install Windows for your computer as quickly, simply and as easily as possible.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    TekDT USB Creator screenshot 1
     
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