Tired of searching for the best Rufus alternatives? Here are some of the best working alternatives to Rufus, which work just as well. These are more capable and robust than the original Rufus application.
Rufus is a popular tool for creating live bootable USBs containing windows IOS files and Linux Distros. Because of its lightweight software package and ease of usability, many computer engineers prefer Rufus over any other software. However, other great Rufus Alternatives available in the market have similar features.
Because Rufus is only available for Windows machines, many Mac and Linux users still search for a better alternative to Rufus to satisfy their needs. Today in this post, we will discuss some of the best Rufus alternatives. So without further discussion, let’s start.
Best Rufus Alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS
Yet, many Rufus alternatives are available in the market, which works great. However, because of software availability and stability, some don’t work as well. Today we have handpicked some of the best Rufus alternatives for Windows, Linux, and Mac users. So lean back and check them all out!
1. PowerISO
Power ISO is a great tool for making live bootable media. Not only that, but it is also capable of converting various image formats to ISO. It is a great function as most image files are easy to access via ISO format.
Apart from that, Power ISO can also mount disks, virtual drives and much more. The best part is its speed and reliability. It is incredibly fast when it comes to flashing images into media drives.
Pros:
- Best for flashing Windows OS
- Pretty fast at flashing images
Cons:
- Only available for Windows PC
- Only supports ISo file format
2. UNetbootin
You probably have heard about this before. It is an excellent alternative to the Rufus tool available for ubuntu and other Linux distro. UNetbootin is a portable image flashing tool available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS PC.
The best part about UNetbootin is that it allows you to create a Linux-based bootable USB from any machine. The flashing speed with UNetbootin is also breakneck and can rival Rufus easily.
Pros:
- Best for creating bootable USB for Ubuntu and other Linux-based distros
- Supports cross-platform devices
Cons:
- Supports Linux file formats only
3. Universal USB Installer
As the name suggests, it is a Universal USB installer primarily made for Linux-based distros. You should pick the Univeral USB installer to flash Windows and Linux-based image files.
It quickly loads and can create bootable USB drives at insanely fast rates. It is very similar to Rufus in terms of performance and appearance.
Pros:
- Supports both Windows & Linux file images
- Blazing-fast flashing speeds
Cons:
- Not available for Mac OS
4. Etcher
Etcher is a full-fledged program and a complete replacement for the Rufus image flashing tool. It is available for all major platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. It supports all system image files, including ISO, DMG, IMG and more.
The flashing process is also very easy and simple to understand. Just a few clicks and your work will be done without any hassle. The best part about Etcher is that it has Image Validation, which verifies the system image and removable drive before flashing. 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
Cons:
- None
5. WoeUSB
This is the best choice if you’re not tech-savvy and want a simplistic program to flash firmware files on your Linux machine. WoeUSB is a simple-to-use program that lets you create a Windows bootable USB driver on Linux PC.
Just a few simple clicks and your work will be done. No more confusing options and settings. 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.
Pros:
- Best for creating Windows USB bootable drives on Linux or Ubuntu
- Simple and easy to use
Cons:
- Available to Linux OS only
6. TransMac
TransMac is sure not the best Rufus alternative. However, it is pretty important to flash Mac OS files to live USB drivers. TransMAC can flash Mac OS DMG files using a windows machine without any complicated issues.
TransMac will format the drive in APFS file format. The process takes a long time since DMG files are encrypted and hard to flash. However, TransMac is one-of-a-kind software and gets the work done!
Pros:
- Best for creating macOS USB installer on Windows PC
- Supports Apple DMG File System
Cons:
- Prolonged file flashing process
7. Media Creation Tool
It is the official flashing tool from Microsoft itself. The tool is free to use. However, it has a few limitations, as the flashing process is rather slow.
On top of that, you can only flash windows ISO files but not Linux or other OS. But if you only want to flash windows, this is the most trusted and reputable tool.
Pros:
- Simple to use UI
Cons:
- Very slow file flashing process
8. Diskmaker X
If you’re a Mac user from the widow’s platform, you will miss the Rufus tool. Diskmaker X is a replica of Rufus, which works on Mac OS efficiently. It even can flash windows iso fils and is free to use.
Pros:
- Support Mac OS
Cons:
- none
9. YUMI – Multiboot USB Creator
The Universal USB Installer is yet another option that works with Windows. All things considered, this program appears to be the same as the Universal USB Installer, as the same individual develops it. However, YUMI was developed to facilitate the creation of multiboot USB sticks.
The ability to install many OSes onto a single drive sets this program apart from Rufus. The process is limited only by the capacity of the drive’s memory. In general, making a bootable USB is the same as with Rufus.
10. Deepin Boot Maker
Deepin Boot Maker is one piece of software that can combine multiple bootable USB drives into a single portable system. This program isn’t as feature-rich as Rufus, but it can create a bootable USB drive quickly and easily. It’s compatible with Mac, Windows, and any other OS.
One useful feature of Deepin Boot Maker is that it can repair non-bootable drives. So, if you have a non-working drive, you can turn it into a functional one with the help of this tool. If your needs are minimal, this program is a fantastic substitute.
From Editor’s Desk
So that was our list of the best Rufus alternatives for all major operating systems and file formats. Let us know which one suits your needs better. We will keep updating the list as more potential Image flashing software pops up.
