Rufus Alternatives for Windows

There are many alternatives to Rufus for Windows if you are looking for a replacement. The best Windows alternative is UNetbootin, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Rufus and many of them are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to Rufus are balenaEtcher, YUMI, Ventoy and MultiBootUSB.

Rufus alternatives are mainly Bootable USB Creators but may also be Disc Burners or CD Burners. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Rufus.

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Rufus

1385

Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator

Windows
PortableApps.com

Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives, such as USB keys/pendrives, memory sticks, etc.

Learn more about Rufus

UNetbootin
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Linux Distro
Mac
Windows
Linux
PortableApps.com
50 alternatives to UNetbootin
UNetbootin (Universal Netboot Installer) is a cross-platform utility that can load Linux and other distributions to a partition or USB drive. It loads distributions either by downloading listed Linux and BSD like distributions, a variety of system utilities and rescue disks ISO...
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UNetbootin Features
1. PortableUNetbootin can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. Ad-freeUNetbootin doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Privacy focusedUNetbootin is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. LightweightUNetbootin consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Persistent Linux
Automatic downloading
Download ISO Images
Windows To Go
Burn iso
Portable Linux
UNetbootin vs Rufus opinions
Most users think UNetbootin is a great alternative to Rufus.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Kandi
Easy to use. Supports a huge variety of platforms
Top positive comment•
18

Guest
Fast, easy to use and in a few clicks you're good to go
Top positive comment•
12

cvanelli
Cannot write Windows ISOs
Top negative comment•
0

Guest
does not do UEFI mode does not recognize external hdd/ sdd does not do windows bootable drives and have issues even with some linux distros does not do multiple booting images on single drive
Negative comment•
11

Guest
UNetbootin is for Linux Distributions. Rufus is for creating bootable USBs in general, independant from the target OS.
Negative comment•
1

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5 of 14 comments
balenaEtcher
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Mac
Windows
Linux
48 alternatives to balenaEtcher
balenaEtcher is a free and open-source image burner with support for Windows, macOS and GNU/Linux. It makes USB and SD card image burning as simple and fast as possible.
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balenaEtcher Features
1. PortablebalenaEtcher can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. LightweightbalenaEtcher consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
User friendly
Graphical User Interface
Write ISO to SD card
Burn iso
Create bootable Image
Validated Burning
Material design
Electron based
Persistent Storage
Support for S.M.A.R.T. data
balenaEtcher vs Rufus opinions
Most users think balenaEtcher is a great alternative to Rufus.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
Can make bootable usb for linux not windows.
Top positive comment•
1

espectalll
It's simple, it's easy, it's slick, and it's multiplatform, May not be for everyone, but surely is for most people.
Top positive comment•
9

Guest
Cannot select between gpt and mbr partition styles
Top negative comment•
56

VinayMalhotra
Stable secure less confusing Easy and Fast
Positive comment•
0

0DayExploit
Easy to use , User Friendly Interface
Positive comment•
0

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5 of 35 comments
YUMI
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Windows
PortableApps.com
Wine
WineBottler
42 alternatives to YUMI
YUMI (Your Universal Multiboot Installer), is the successor to our MultibootISOs. It can be used to create a Multiboot Bootable USB Flash Drive containing multiple operating systems, antivirus utilities, disc cloning, diagnostic tools, and more.
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YUMI Features
1. LightweightYUMI consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. PortableYUMI can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Create Multiboot USB
Multiboot USB
Can install to internal hard drives/ssds
Persistent Storage
UEFI Support
Multi boot
Multi-windows
YUMI vs Rufus opinions
Most users think YUMI is a great alternative to Rufus.
Lehuga
It has all of it, support even Linux in one flashdrive
Positive comment•
0

Guest
Multiboot abilities that are useful in making a useful debugging bootable usb
Positive comment•
0

Guest
Has moltiboot option, persistent file with ubuntu, windows to go with other distros in the same USB
Positive comment•
-1

DiGiTaL_CORE
YUMI now has (albeit alpha) support for UEFI. I have yet to need anything while making multiboot USBs. I love the fact I can make a single partition bootable without having to reformat my entire EHD.
Positive comment•
10
Ventoy
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Windows
Linux
41 alternatives to Ventoy
Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO files. With ventoy, you don't need to format the disk again and again, you just need to copy the iso file to the USB drive and boot it.
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Ventoy Features
1. PortableVentoy can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. LightweightVentoy consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Multi boot
Multiboot USB
Create Multiboot USB
UEFI Support
Persistent Storage
Multi-windows
VHD Boot
Ventoy vs Rufus opinions
Almost everyone thinks Ventoy is a great alternative to Rufus.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
onkoe
I have over 20 ISOs on one flash drive because of this utility. It's my favorite software for multiboot USBs. Keep in mind, however, that it doesn't work on any Mac hardware.
Top positive comment•
4

Guest
It allows simple drag & drop of ISO files to a USB drive and then offers a Grub-style menu to select which ISO to boot from, as opposed to having to outright "burn" the ISO to a drive.

Not 100% compatible, but 99.999%.
Top positive comment•
2

mblithium
Create a separate partition for booting and a special one for placing OS ".iso" files easily.
Positive comment•
2

umitseyhan
You don't need to reformat the stick every single time. Just a casual copy-paste operation of .iso files.
Positive comment•
2

Hau_Kai
It offers the option to multiboot, whilst retaining other files. Add multiple ISOs, remove or update them, all the while other files are unchanged so you can use your fastest and largest USB pendrives, without affecting their use for other tasks.
Positive comment•
3

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5 of 8 comments
MultiBootUSB
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Windows
Linux
39 alternatives to MultiBootUSB
MultiBootUSB is a software to create multi boot live Linux on a removable media i.e USB disk. It is similar to UNetbootin but many distros can be installed, provided you have enough space on the disk.
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MultiBootUSB Features
1. Command line interfaceMultiBootUSB either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
Multiboot USB
Multi OS
Create Multiboot USB
Install Syslinux
Boot HDD Partition
Discontinued
The project seems no longer developed and the official website is no longer available. Last version, 9.2.0, released in April 2018, can be still downloaded from GitHub.

MultiBootUSB vs Rufus opinions
Most users think MultiBootUSB is a great alternative to Rufus.
NickFreeman
support for multiple live linux distros
Positive comment•
-2
Universal USB Installer
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Linux Distro
Windows
37 alternatives to Universal USB Installer
Universal USB Installer is a Live Linux USB Creator that allows you to choose from a selection of Linux Distributions to put on your USB Flash Drive. The Universal USB Installer is easy to use. Simply choose a Live Linux Distribution, the ISO file, your Flash Drive and, Click...
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Universal USB Installer Features
1. PortableUniversal USB Installer can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
No need to format
Portable Linux
Persistent Linux
Multiple languages
Universal USB Installer vs Rufus opinions
Most users think Universal USB Installer is a great alternative to Rufus.
checholin
Very simple and easy to use. Supports Persistent Linux.
Positive comment•
0

Guest
It is complete, with all you need, to put an OS in yur USB
Positive comment•
0
Easy2Boot
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Bootable USB Creator
Windows
Linux
15 alternatives to Easy2Boot
Flexible and configurable USB drive multiboot solution which also supports UEFI booting.
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Easy2Boot Features
1. PortableEasy2Boot can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Multiboot USB
Highly costomizable
UEFI Support
USB to NTFS
USB to FAT
Multi boot
Easy2Boot vs Rufus opinions
Most users think Easy2Boot is a great alternative to Rufus.
LinuxLive USB Creator
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Linux Distro
Windows
39 alternatives to LinuxLive USB Creator
LiLi USB Creator is a free software for Windows that allows you to create a bootable Live USB key with a Linux on it.
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LinuxLive USB Creator Features
Create UEFI bootable drive
Portable Linux
USB to FAT
Discontinued
The program seems to be no longer updated. Last version, 2.9.4, released in September 2015, can be still downloaded from the official website. The project has officially been abandonned on December, 22nd 2020 (announcement on their blog).

LinuxLive USB Creator vs Rufus opinions
Most users think LinuxLive USB Creator is a great alternative to Rufus.
UltraISO
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
ISO Creator
Bootable USB Creator
Windows
70 alternatives to UltraISO
CD image files are easily created with UltraISO. Duplicate discs to a CD image, create bootable CDs and audio CD images - and UltraISO also handles DVD image files. If you need to know how to make a CD image or need to edit an ISO image file, UltraISO is the tool you need.
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UltraISO Features
Burn iso
Convert Img to ISO
ISO Editing
IT Asset Management
ISO ripping
Based on Arch Linux
Create bootable CD
Windows XP Compatibility
UltraISO vs Rufus opinions
Most users think UltraISO is a great alternative to Rufus.
mblithium
Not for creating bootable drives.
Negative comment•
0

Guest
doesn't create bootable usb
Negative comment•
0
SUSE Studio ImageWriter
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Bootable USB Creator
Windows
Linux
37 alternatives to SUSE Studio ImageWriter
Utility for writing raw disk images & hybrid isos to USB keys.
Suggest and vote on features
SUSE Studio ImageWriter Features
Small-footprint
SUSE Studio ImageWriter vs Rufus opinions
Most users think SUSE Studio ImageWriter is a great alternative to Rufus.
cvanelli
cannot write Windows ISOs
Negative comment•
0

Guest
Excellent Image writer in USB
Positive comment•
1

Guest
Good but some cannot write some isos, including windows server
Positive comment•
1