10 Best Rufus Alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS

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Rufus is a wildly popular software for creating USB bootable drives which support various image formats including Windows ISO files and Linux distros. Further, many users prefer Rufus because of its lightweight size and extremely quick flashing. However, Rufus is only available on Windows OS so users keep looking for an alternative for other platforms. So, if you are on a lookout for a similar app, you have come to the right place. In this article, we have compiled a list for 10 best Rufus alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Also, we have ensured that the mentioned programs are quick to flash and easy to use. Now having said that, let’s go through the article and find the best Rufus alternative for you.

Best Rufus Alternatives

In this section, we have included 10 apps like Rufus which perform pretty fast and without bogging down the system. Apart from that, we have mentioned apps for all major operating systems including Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, and macOS. In addition, we have selected the apps in such a way that you can create macOS bootable media from a Windows device and vice versa. Similarly, you can create a Windows bootable drive from Linux machine as well. Now with that said, let’s begin the list without further ado.

1. Etcher

While Rufus is the gold standard for creating bootable USB drives, it’s limited to Windows operating system only. In contrast, Etcher is a full-fledged program which is available on all major platforms including macOS and supports all kinds of system images like ISO, DMG, IMG, etc. It’s also quite simple to use and the interface is very straightforward. You select a system image, the USB stick and click on Flash. That’s it. Apart from that, Etcher is also quite fast in flashing images, but it’s slightly behind Rufus. Having said that, the best part about Etcher is that it has something called Image Validation which verifies the system image and removable drive before flashing. This will help you save time from writing images on corrupt USB devices. Not to mention, Etcher is also open-source and completely free just like Rufus.

Pros

• Supports all major OS and system images


• Quite fast and comparable to Rufus


• Simple and easy to use


• Image validation for verifying images

Cons

Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, and Linux

Install: Website (Free)

2. PowerISO

PowerISO is our second pick for the best Rufus alternatives in this list. It’s not just a program for creating bootable USB drives but also comes with hosts of other features like converting various image formats to ISO, mounting disk, virtual drives, and more. Nevertheless, PowerISO can create bootable USB drives just like Rufus in no time. What I like about this app is that it’s quite fast at flashing images and does not overwhelm the user with many advanced options. However, bear in mind, PowerISO only works on Windows operating system. So, if you want to create a Windows bootable USB, PowerISO is among the best alternatives to Rufus.

Pros

• Best for flashing Windows OS


• Pretty fast at flashing images

Cons

• Does not support Linux or macOS platform


• Limited to ISO images only

Platform Availability: Windows

Install: Website (Free, one-time purchase of $29.95)

3. Media Creation Tool

Media Creation Tool is a unique app in this list which is specifically developed by Microsoft for seamlessly installing Windows 10 on PCs. It lets you download Windows 10 from Microsoft’s server and thereafter it creates a bootable USB automatically. You don’t need to manually do anything. That’s awesome, right? Based on your PC’s architecture, it detects the compatible configuration and downloads the latest Windows 10 ISO image. The only downside is that, unlike Rufus, it takes a bit more time to create a bootable USB drive. However, if you are looking for an app like Rufus, but without the extra hassle of downloading an image and ensuring compatibility, Media Creation Tool is the best substitute.

Pros

• Seamlessly download and flash the latest Windows 10 image


• Simple and easy to use

Cons

• Limited to Windows only


• A bit slower than Rufus

Platform Availability: Windows

Install: Website (Free)

4. UNetbootin

UNetbootin is a popular Rufus alternative for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. It is an incredibly lightweight tool which is compatible with several Linux distros. The best part is that UNetbootin is available on all major platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS. Basically, you will be able to create Linux-based bootable USB drives from any machine and without any issues. The flashing speed with UNetbootin is also really fast and can rival Rufus easily. So to sum up, if you want a Rufus alternative for flashing Ubuntu or any other Linux distro, there is no better option than UNetbootin. It’s damn good.

Pros

• Best for creating bootable USB for Ubuntu and other Linux-based distros


• Pretty quick in flashing images


• Supports all major platforms

Cons

• Supports Linux file formats only

Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, and Linux

Install: Website (Free)

5. Universal USB Installer

Universal USB Installer is primarily built for Linux based distributions, but it can also flash Windows ISO images flawlessly. In essence, Universal USB Installer is a great alternative to Rufus if you want support for both Windows and Linux system images. Besides that, the tool is absolutely quick and can create bootable USB drives within minutes. In fact, it’s very close to Rufus in terms of performance and platform compatibility. There is also an in-built USB formatting tool which can help you free the storage on your USB stick after installation. Simply put, Universal USB Installer is among the best alternatives to Rufus and you can definitely give it a try.

Pros

• Great app for flashing Windows and Linux images


• Very fast

Cons

Platform Availability: Windows and Linux

Install: Website (Free)

6. Diskmaker X

Diskmaker X is one of the best Rufus alternatives for macOS users. It’s a small utility which can seamlessly build a bootable macOS image on your USB stick. The process is quite simple. Launch the application and it will find the installation file using Spotlight. After that, it will detect the USB drive and will offer you to flash the system image. In terms of performance, the app is decently fast and works for the most part. Having said that, the great part about Diskmaker X is that it supports Mojave as well and that’s awesome. Simply put, if you are looking for a Rufus alternative for macOS, this is certainly the app to go for.

Note: In case, you want to create a Windows bootable USB on a Mac computer then you can use the native Boot Camp Assistant app.

Pros

• Best Rufus alternative for macOS


• Supports Mojave

Cons

Platform Availability: macOS

Install: Website (Free)

7. Win32 Disk Imager

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 provide the source of the system image and select the device to flash on. Press “Write” and you are done. To sum up, if you are looking to create bootable flash drives for small projects, Win32 Disk Imager will take you right home.

Pros

• Best for flashing low-level utilities


• Exceptional performance just like Rufus

Cons

• Does not support desktop-class operating systems

Platform Availability: Windows, Linux

Install: Website (Free)

8. WoeUSB

WoeUSB is an interesting app which lets you create a Windows bootable USB drive on a Linux machine. Basically, if you use Ubuntu or any other Linux distro, you can use WoeUSB to flash Windows ISO image on a removable drive. The best part about WoeUSB is that, unlike most Linux programs, it has a GUI interface and you can build a USB installer in a few clicks. No need to mess with commands and Terminal! Further, it supports Windows from Vista to the latest version of Windows 10. And it is compatible with older Legacy BIOS, MBR partition and the newer UEFI mode. All in all, WoeUSB is a godsend for people who want Rufus like features on Linux for creating Windows bootable drives.

Pros

• Best for creating Windows USB bootable drives on Linux or Ubuntu


• Simple and easy to use


• Flashing speed is pretty good

Cons

Platform Availability: Linux

Install: Website (Free)

9. TransMac

If you want to create a macOS bootable USB using a Windows PC then TransMac is a great app. Similar to Rufus, all you have to do is download the macOS DMG file and import it to TransMac. Further, insert the bootable USB drive and TransMac will format the drive in APFS file format. The flashing process is a bit longer given the DMG image is encrypted and the difference in the file system. However, the app works for the most part and you can create a macOS bootable media on a Windows computer. In terms of performance, it’s a bit slow and does not compare with the likes of Rufus, but it gets the job done. To conclude, if you don’t have an extra Mac in sight, TransMac is your best bet.

Pros

• Best for creating macOS USB installer on Windows PC


• Supports Apple File System

Cons

• A bit slow


• Pretty expensive

Platform Availability: Windows

Install: Website (15-day free trial, one-time purchase of $59)

10. Windows 7 USB Tool

As the name suggests, Windows 7 USB Tool is a program which lets you create a Windows bootable media for Windows 7, 8 and XP. It’s the most straightforward program where you select the ISO image, removable device and you are done. Since it’s pretty lightweight, Windows USB Tool does not take much time to flash system images. The flashing speed is very comparable to Rufus. In tandem, if you are using Windows 7/8/XP, you can use this simple tool to create a USB bootable drive in no time.

Pros

• Best Rufus alternative for Windows 7/8/XP


• Simple and pretty fast

Cons

Platform Availability: Windows

Install: Website (Free)

SEE ALSO: 8 Best Windows Photo Viewer Alternatives for Windows 10 in 2019

Which Rufus Alternative Did You Pick?

So that was our list of 10 best Rufus alternatives for all major operating systems and file formats. We have tried to include all the use-case scenarios so that you can easily create a bootable USB drive from any operating system and without any limitations. One thing we have kept common in all the alternatives is that the flashing speed is top-notch which is a distinct feature of Rufus. So that will be all from our side. If you liked our selection, do let us know in the comment section below.

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