UNetbootin Alternatives and Similar Software

UNetbootin makes it super easy to create live USB drives for Linux distributions. It even lets you download various distributions right from within the app. Some users have unfortunately reported issues running it on modern systems so alternatives are helpful to have.

Some alternatives focus on copying rather than creating ISOs. You can easily filter those out of the list with the burn-iso feature. Creating a live USB drive is typically a one-time affair so installing an app to use it just once isn't really optimal. You can filter the list for portable apps that don't need installation.

These apps are overwhelmingly free, most being open-source. They're all desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux.

The list of alternatives was last updated: 9/12/2019 3:42:00 PM

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Alternatives to UNetbootin for all platforms with any license

Rufus

Rufus is a utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives, such as USB keys/pendrives, memory sticks, etc.
- Easy to use. I used it with tails 2.10 when unetbootin wouldn't work. Guest • Feb 2017 • 17 agrees and 10 disagrees
Free Open Source Windows PortableApps.com
Create bootable USB Windows To Go Lightweight Burn iso ... Bad Blocks checking Create BIOS bootable drive Create bootable Image Create UEFI bootable drive Install DOS to USB Ease of use GNU/linux-libre Optimal performance Portable Support for UDF extension UEFI Support USB to FAT USB to NTFS USB to UDF Add a feature

1004 Like
balenaEtcher

balenaEtcher is a free and open-source image burner with support for Windows, OS X and GNU/Linux. It makes USB and SD card image burning as simple and fast as possible. FEATURES Validated Burning - No more writing images on corrupted cards and wondering why your device isn't booting. Hard Drive Friendly - Makes drive selection obvious to avoid wiping your entire hard-drive Beautiful Interface - Who said burning SD cards has to be an eyesore. Open Source - Made with JS, HTML, node.
- Very simple and effective, creates a bootable USB key almost in a single click (very unusual considering everyone is struggling with UNetbootin since many years!) Guest • Jun 2018 • 1 agrees and 1 disagrees
- I have a 64GB USB key, and UNetbootin kept insisting on creating an odd FAT32 partition that always failed to boot properly. Also, Windows and Mac had trouble identifying and/or reading it. Etcher worked the first time. No confusing setup options, just select the .iso and burn. Simple like it should be! Guest • Mar 2018 • 0 agrees and 1 disagrees
- Works on more operating systems. Better language support. Truly open source and free. onesnapp • Oct 2017 • 2 agrees and 0 disagrees
- Actually seems to work under OS X unlike Unetbootin now cemagr • Jan 2017 • 9 agrees and 4 disagrees
- Very simple, great interface, Awesome! :) bl4ckf4ll • Apr 2017 • 2 agrees and 1 disagrees
- Doing a Arch bootable key was a nightmare on a Mac with UNetbootin, no way to make it working. With Etcher one try and it was perfectly ok :) Guest • Jul 2016 • 6 agrees and 1 disagrees
- Etcher combines the universality of UNetbootin with the functionality of Rufus and adds an incredible and simple interface. ATShields934 • Aug 2016 • 5 agrees and 3 disagrees
Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux
Write ISO to SD card Beginner friendly Validated Burning Create bootable USB ... Creating Bootable USB Electron based Gui Convert installation CD/DVD to USB Material design Persistent Storage Portable Support for S.M.A.R.T. data User friendly Add a feature

377 Like
YUMI

YUMI (Your Universal Multiboot Installer), is the successor to MultibootISOs. It can be used to create a Multiboot USB Flash Drive containing multiple operating systems, antivirus utilities, disc cloning, diagnostic tools, and more. Contrary to MultiBootISO's which used grub to boot ISO files directly from USB, YUMI uses syslinux to boot extracted distributions stored on the USB device, and reverts to using grub to Boot Multiple ISO files from USB, if necessary.
- YUMI is the only app I've found that makes reliable USB installers for UEFI systems (GPT partition table, FAT32 partitions) and its multiboot features with persistence for the Ubuntu family of distributions is extremely useful. RogueScholar • Dec 2017 • 5 agrees and 1 disagrees
Free Open Source Windows PortableApps.com Wine WineBottler
Create Multiboot USB Multiboot USB Create bootable USB Multi-windows ... Persistent Storage UEFI Support Add a feature

221 Like
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 Install. Other features include; Persistence (if available), and the ability to fat32 format the flash drive (recommended) to ensure a clean install.

Free Open Source Windows
Create bootable USB Multiple languages No need to format Persistent Linux ... Portable Portable Linux Add a feature

164 Like
dd

dd, that stands for ‘data duplicator’, is a command-line utility for Unix mainly used for copying and converting data. This tool can be used for: • Backing up and restoring an entire hard drive or a partition. • Copy regions of raw device files like backing up MBR (master boot record). • Converting data formats like ASCII to EBCDIC. • Converting lowercase to uppercase and vice versa. • Creating files with fixed size.
- There's more to creating a bootable USB drive than moving blocks of bits. Guest • Jul 2018 • 6 agrees and 7 disagrees
- its not a burning iso software.. Guest • Apr 2018 • 3 agrees and 4 disagrees
- It's easier than GUI if you won't deal with UEFI stuff Guest • May 2017 • 7 agrees and 6 disagrees
- Not a full-featured GUI-application like the rest, but way more flexible, versatile and reliable for more tech-savvy users. Guest • Sep 2016 • 5 agrees and 5 disagrees
Free Open Source Mac Linux BSD
Command line interface Create image Add a feature

57 Like
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. This software also offers an exclusive option of automatic virtualization to directly run Linux in Windows without any configuration nor installation.
- 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.
Free Open Source Windows
Create bootable USB Portable Linux USB to FAT Add a feature

117 Like
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. MultiBootUSB also provides an option to uninstall distro(s) at any time, if you wish.

Free Open Source Windows Linux
Multiboot USB Boot HDD Partition Command line interface Command Line support ... Create bootable USB Install Syslinux Multi OS Add a feature

56 Like
WinSetupFromUSB

WinSetupFromUSB is a Windows program, which prepares multiboot USB flash or fixed disk to install any Windows versions since 2000/XP, boot various Linux and *BSD flavors, as well as many Windows, Linux, DOS based and other utilities. Since version 1.1 program can create USB disk with Windows versions which support (U)EFI (Vista x64 SP1 and later x64 versions), which USB disk can be used in both (U)EFI and Legacy BIOS modes.

Free Windows
Code Quality Create bootable USB Install Syslinux Multiboot USB ... Preinstalled Environment builder Portable UEFI Support Add a feature

40 Like
MultiSystem

Multisystem is an awesome tool created by LiveUSB.info, that works similar to our Windows based MultiBootISOs USB creator, but was created for use within Linux. It also uses Grub2 instead of Grub Legacy, and can be run from within Ubuntu Linux to create a Custom Multiboot UFD containing your favorite Bootable Live Linux Distributions. (via http://www.pendrivelinux.com/multiboot-create-a-multiboot-usb-from-linux/ )
- MultiSystem is good alternative to UNetBootin and builds a menu of isos to allow you select which image to load. UNetBootin only allows the installation of one image/distro per pendrive. Guest • Dec 2018 • 1 agrees and 0 disagrees
Free Open Source Linux
Create bootable USB Create Multiboot USB Create multiple OS boot Multiple languages ... Multiboot USB Mutli-image handling Add a feature

32 Like
Easy2Boot

You can prepare an Easy2Boot USB drive using Windows or linux. Then add all your payload files (.iso, .img, .ima, etc.) to one of the folders on your USB drive (e.g. \_ISO\MAINMENU folder) by drag-and-drop at any time. A new menu is automatically created each time you boot from it. Works with 99% of linux liveCD ISOs and supports Windows Install ISOs too! Install from an unmodified XP ISO file to a RAID/AHCI/SATA system (no need to nLite the ISO first).

Free Windows Linux
Create bootable USB Portable UEFI Support USB to FAT ... USB to NTFS Add a feature

29 Like
WinToFlash

WinToFlash starts a wizard that will help to make USB bootable and pull over the contents of a windows installation CD or DVD and prep the USB drive to become a replacement for the optical drive. It can also do this with your LiveCD or DOS. WinToFlash help you to create bootable USB and pull over the contents of a Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 2008, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 installation disk and prep the USB drive to become a replacement for the optical drive.
- Bundleware Installer bundled with adware: https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/efc98043b5e2d3f36e4cfce1074e66dfc7859345195ad3cbf51605df6c7b1e53/analysis/1424526399/
Freemium Windows
Create bootable CD Create bootable USB Convert installation CD/DVD to USB Multiple languages ... Multiboot USB Preinstalled Environment builder Portable UEFI Support USB to FAT USB to NTFS Add a feature

51 Like
SARDU

SARDU (short for Shardana Antivirus Rescue Disk Utility) creates a multiboot all-in-one USB drive, CD or DVD for free (personal and non commercial use). Hard disks, external hard disks and all removable media are supported. The bootable device can include comprehensive collections of antivirus rescue cd, utilities and popular live distributions of Linux. Windows PE can also be included, as well as recovery disks and install media for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Seven and Windows Eight.

Free Personal Windows Linux
Create bootable CD Create bootable USB LiveUSB Multiboot USB ... Persistent Linux Portable UEFI Support Add a feature

31 Like
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AIO Boot

AIO Boot possesses unique, advanced and user-friendly features. Here is one of the many great features of AIO Boot. - Support boots in both UEFI and Legacy BIOS modes. --- UEFI mode: Grub2, Clover and rEFInd. --- Legacy mode: Grub2, Grub4Dos, Clover, Enoch Chameleon and Syslinux. --- You can choose between Grub2 and Grub4Dos as the default boot loader. Only use Grub4Dos if your computer is not compatible with Grub2. - Supports hard drive, external hard drive and USB, including SDcard.

Free Windows
Create bootable USB Create Multiboot USB Add a feature

10 Like
Deepin Boot Maker

Deepin Boot Maker is a boot maker developed by Deepin Technology Team. It is simple in interface and easy to operate. It helps users to easily make deepin boot disk.

Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux
Multiple languages Add a feature

11 Like
SUSE Studio ImageWriter

Utility for writing raw disk images & hybrid isos to USB keys.

Free Open Source Windows Linux
Create bootable USB Small-footprint Add a feature

15 Like
RMPrepUSB

RMPrepUSB allows the Windows user to easily and quickly 'roll their own' multiboot USB drive. Features: - USB partitioning - USB formatting in several file systems such as FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS formats - Make bootable a USB drive - Run a USB speed test, size/speed test - Install Grub4dos and SYSLINUX - Make a BartPE bootable USB drive - Create AXT2 FS on any USB drive.

Free Windows
Create bootable USB Hardware Monitoring Install Syslinux Multiboot USB ... Mutli-image handling Preinstalled Environment builder Portable USB to FAT USB to NTFS Add a feature

15 Like
DiskMaker X

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). As soon as you launch the application, it tries to find the OS X Install program with Spotlight. Then, it proposes to build a bootable install disk and make it look as nice as possible.

Free Mac
Create bootable USB Add a feature

15 Like
Mac Linux USB Loader

Mac Linux USB Loader is an application that allows you to create bootable USB drives containing a Linux distribution that can boot natively on Apple's Macintosh computers using their EFI system, regardless of whether or not the selected distribution has UEFI support.

Commercial Mac
Bluetooth Support Create bootable USB Persistent Storage Add a feature

8 Like
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Tuxboot

Tuxboot helps you to create a bootable Live USB drive for Clonezilla live, DRBL live, GParted live and Tux2live. It is modified from UNetbootin and runs on both MS Windows and GNU/Linux. You can choose to download the latest version of Clonezilla live, DRBL live, or GParted live ISO/zip file then create the live USB

Free Open Source Windows Linux
Operating system Add a feature

5 Like
WinUSB

WinUSB is a simple tool that enable you to create your own usb stick Windows installer from an iso image or a real DVD.

Free Open Source Windows
Create bootable USB Convert installation CD/DVD to USB Add a feature

5 Like
ROSA Image Writer

Optical drives are rapidly disappearing from our computers of all kinds, and consequently installing operating systems from USB flash disks is becoming increasingly popular. ISO images of the ROSA Linux distribution were originally intended for burning to DVD disks, but they can as well be written to flash disks which would allow you to boot from them and launch the Live system or start installation.

Free Open Source Mac Windows Linux
Create bootable Image Create bootable USB Add a feature

8 Like
Startup Disk Creator

Startup Disk Creator (usb-creator) is an official tool to create Live USBs of Ubuntu from the Live CD or from an ISO image. The tool is included by default in all releases after Ubuntu 8.04.
- Commonly available on Ubuntu, simple and easy to use. Guest • Feb 2019 • 0 agrees and 1 disagrees
Free Open Source Linux Ubuntu
Create bootable USB Add a feature

3 Like
GNOME MultiWriter

* GNOME MultiWriter can be used to write an ISO file to multiple USB devices at once. Supported drive sizes are between 1Gb and 32Gb. * MultiWriter may be useful for QA testing, to create a GNOME Live image for a code sprint or to create hundreds of LiveUSB drives for a trade show.

Free Open Source Linux
Validated Burning Create bootable USB Convert installation CD/DVD to USB Write ISO to SD card ... Persistent Storage Portable Add a feature

2 Like
Install Disk Creator

Install Disk Creator simplifies creating a bootable OS X installer.

Free Mac
Create bootable USB Add a feature

4 Like
XBoot

XBoot is a easy-to-use utility for creating Multiboot USB/ISO.You may have seen many bootable ISO files like Linux live CDs , Antivirus rescue CDs etc. XBoot can combine these ISO files in to one Multiboot ISO file or create Multiboot USB in just few clicks. Simply Drag and drop ISO files in to XBoot and click Create ISO or Create USB button.
- Discontinued The project is no longer developed since 2013. Last version, 1.0 Beta 14, released in July 2011, can be still downloaded from the official website.
Free Windows
Create bootable CD Create bootable USB Drag n drop Multiboot USB ... Portable Add a feature

16 Like