In this article, we are going to list down the 10 best Rufus alternatives that you can use in 2021. Rufus is a crazily popular software for creating USB bootable drives on Windows, which support various bootable iso formats, including Windows ISO files and the Linux distros. Many users prefer Rufus because of its tiny size and rapid flashing. However, Rufus is only available on the Windows OS, so users always keep looking for an alternative for the other platforms.
There are few questions that might pop up like what does Rufus do? What can I use instead of Rufus? Is Rufus USB safe? and many more. In short, it helps you create a bootable USB drive for windows, macOS, Linux. And, some of the time you get unable to launch Rufus this time error.
So, if you are on a treasure hunt for Rufus similar application, you have come to the right place. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the best Rufus alternatives for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Also, we’ve ensured that the mentioned programs are quick to make USB bootable and easy to use. Now, let’s dig in through the article and find the best Rufus program alternative for you. Some of the time Rufus throws an error like this version of Rufus doesn’t support iso.
In this section, we have included 10 of the best apps like the Rufus, which perform fast and without bogging down the OS. Apart from all that, we have also mentioned apps for all major operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, and macOS. Besides, we have selected the best apps in such a way that you can easily create macOS bootable media from a Windows OS and vice versa. Similarly, you can also create a Windows bootable drive from the Linux machine as well. Now with all that said, let’s begin the list of 10 Rufus alternatives without any further talking.
10 Best Rufus Alternatives for Linux, Windows, and Ubuntu
Etcher
While Rufus is apar the best standard for creating bootable USB drives, it’s limited to Windows operating system only. In contrast, Etcher is a full-fledged program that is available for all the major platforms, including the macOS and supports all system images like ISO, DMG, IMG, etc. It also has simple UI ane easy to use, and the user interface is very straightforward. You select the system image, and the USB stick and then click on Flash. That’s it. Etcher is quite fast in flashing images, but it’s slightly behind Rufus.
The Etcher has Image Validation, which verifies the system image and removable drive before flashing. This Etcher will also help you save time from writing images on the corrupt USB devices. Etcher is also an open-source and completely free, just like Rufus.
Pros
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- Supports all primary OS and system images
- Quite fast and comparable to Rufus
- Simple and easy to use
- Image validation for verifying images
Cons
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- None
Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, and Linux
Download: Website (Free)
PowerISO
The PowerISO is our second pick for the best Rufus alternatives on this Rufus alternative list. It’s not just a program (unlike Rufus) for creating bootable USB drives but also comes with tons of other features like converting the various image to ISO, mounting disk, virtual drives, and many more.
Nevertheless, The PowerISO can easily create a bootable USB stick just like Rufus in no time. What I like more about this app is that it’s unbelievably fast at making USB bootable and does not bury the user with many of the advanced options. However, keep in mind, PowerISO only works on the Windows operating system. So, if you want to make a USB bootable, PowerISO is among the best alternatives to Rufus.
Pros
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- Best for flashing Windows OS
- Pretty fast at flashing images
Cons
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- It does not support Linux or macOS platform
- Limited to ISO images only
Platform Availability: Windows
Download: Website (Free, one-time purchase of $29.95)
The Media Creation Tool
The Media Creation Tool is a unique app in this list, which is specially developed by tech giant Microsoft for the smooth installing of Windows 10 on the PCs. It lets you download Windows 10 directly from Microsoft’s server, and after that, it creates a bootable USB automatically. You don’t need to do anything manually. That’s awesome. Based on your PC’s architecture, it automatically detects the compatible OS build and then downloads the latest Windows 10 ISO image on to your system.
The only downside of the Media Creation Tool is that, unlike Rufus, it takes more time to create a bootable USB thumb drive. However, if you are looking for an application like Rufus, but without any hassle of downloading an image and ensuring its compatibility with your system architecture, Media Creation Tool is the best substitute.
Pros
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- Seamless download and flash the latest windows 10 image
- Simple and easy to use UI
Cons
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- Limited to Windows only
- Slower than Rufus
Platform Availability: Windows
Download: Website (free)
UNetbootin
UNetbootin is also a popular Rufus alternative for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. It is an incredibly lightweight tool that is compatible with several of the Linux distros. The best part of UNetbootin is that it is available on all major platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. 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 breakneck and can face a challenge with Rufus easily. So, if you want a Rufus alternative for booting Ubuntu or any of the other Linux distro, there is no other option than UNetbootin top 10 Rufus alternatives.
Pros
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- Best for creating a bootable USB for Ubuntu and all the other Linux-based distros
- Pretty quick in flashing images
- Supports all the major platforms
Cons
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- Supports Linux file formats only
Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, and Linux
Download: Website (Free)
Universal USB Installer
Universal USB Installer is a primarily built for Linux based distributions, but it can also flash Windows ISO images flawlessly. In essence, Universal USB Installer is an excellent alternative to Rufus if you want support for both Windows and Linux system images. Besides that, the tool is quick and can create bootable USB drives within minutes. It’s very similar to Rufus in terms of performance and platform compatibility. There is also a built-in USB formatting tool which can help you free the storage on your USB stick after installation. Universal USB Installer is among one of the best alternatives to Rufus, and you can give it a try.
Pros
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- Efficient app for flashing Windows and Linux images
- Very fast
Cons
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- Does not support macOS
Platform Availability: Windows and Linux
Download: Website (Free)
Diskmaker-X
Diskmaker-X is one of the best Rufus alternatives for macOS users. It’s a small utility that can smoothly build a bootable macOS image on your USB drive. The process is straightforward. Launch the application, and it will detect the installation file using Spotlight. It’ll detect the USB drive automatically and will ask for your permission to flash the system image. In terms of performance, the Diskmaker-X application is decently fast and works for the most part. The significant part about Diskmaker X is that it supports Mojave as well, and that’s awesome. So, if you are looking for a Rufus alternative for macOS, this is undoubtedly the best app.
Note: In case, if you want to create a Windows bootable USB on a macOS computer, then you can also use the native Boot Camp Assistant app.
Pros
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- Best Rufus alternative for the macOS
- Built-in support for Mojave
Cons
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- None
Platform Availability: macOS
Download: Website (Free)
Win32 Disk Imager
It 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 a real sense, Win32 Disk Imager is an alternative to Rufus because the performance is exceptionally tremendous, and the flashing speed is in its league. The best part of the Win32 Disk Imager is that the user interface is so clean and straightforward. You provide the system image and select which device to flash on. Click on “Write,” and you are done.
So, if you are looking to create bootable flash drives for small projects, Win32 Disk Imager will take you right home.
Pros
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- Best for flashing low-level utilities
- Exceptional performance just like Rufus
Cons
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- Does not support desktop-class operating systems
Platform Availability: Windows, Linux
Download: Website (Free)
WoeUSB
WoeUSB is an exciting app that lets you create a Windows bootable USB drive on a Linux machine. If you use Ubuntu or any of the other Linux distro, you can use WoeUSB to flash Windows ISO image on a removable disk drive quickly. The best part about WoeUSB is that it has a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and you can soon build a USB installer in a few clicks. It even supports Windows starting from Vista to the latest version of Windows 10. And it is compatible with the older Legacy BIOS, MBR partition, and the newer UEFI mode.
All in one, WoeUSB is a bonus for people who want Rufus like features on their Linux for creating Windows bootable USB drives for Rufus alternative windows.
Pros
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- Windows USB bootable drives on Ubuntu or Linux
- Simple and easy to use
- Flashing speed is good
Cons
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- Limited to Linux OS
Platform Availability: Linux
Download: Website (Free)
TransMac
If you like to create a macOS bootable USB drive using a Windows system, then TransMac is a great app. It’s similar to the RUFUS; all you have to do is download the macOS DMG file and import it in the TransMac. After that, insert the bootable USB drive, and TransMac will format the disk in the APFS file format. The flashing process of the TransMac takes a bit longer because the DMG image is encrypted and the differences in the file system. However, the application works for the most part, and you can easily create a macOS bootable drive on a Windows computer.
In terms of performance, it’s a bit slower than the Rufus, but it gets the job done. To sum up, if you don’t have an extra Mac in sight, TransMac is your best bet for software like Rufus.
Pros
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- Best for creating a macOS USB installer on Windows PC
- Supports Apple File System
Cons
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- Bit slow
- Expensive
Platform Availability: Windows
Download: Website (15-day trial, one-time purchase $59)
Windows 7 USB Tool
Windows 7 USB Tool is a program that lets you create a Windows bootable media for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and XP. It’s the most straightforward program where you have to select the ISO image, USB device, and your work is done. Windows USB Tool does not take a long time to make a bootable USB and considered among 10 Rufus Alternatives. The flashing speed is very comparable to the Rufus. If you are currently using Windows 7 or 8, you can use this tool to create a USB bootable drive for yourself in no time.
Pros
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- The best alternative for Windows 7/8/XP
- Simple and pretty fast
Cons
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- Limited to Windows only
Platform Availability: Windows
Download: Website (Free)
Which Rufus Alternatives did you like?
So, that was our list of the top 10 Rufus alternatives for all major operating systems and file formats. We included all the use-case scenarios so that you can easily create a bootable USB thumb drive from any of the operating system and without any limitations. Unetbootin alternative is also One thing we have kept standard in all of the alternatives mentioned above by comparing the flashing speed, which is a unique feature of the Rufus. So that’s all from our side. If you liked our selection of the best alternatives for Rufus, do let us know in the comment section below.
