- Bootable USB tools side by side
- Ten ways to put an operating system on a USB stick
- One image, many images, or a Windows stick from Linux
- The computer you'll make the stick with
- Checks that save a wasted afternoon
- Five questions before you choose a USB tool
- My advice before you flash a drive
- Frequently asked questions
The best Rufus alternatives depend on what you're putting on the stick and which computer you're making it on. Some tools write one image and finish, some keep several ISO files on one multiboot drive, and one makes Windows installers from Linux. Ten bootable USB tools for Windows, Mac and Linux follow, in no particular order, each described from its own website.
Rufus is a popular way to make a bootable USB drive, but its download page lists Windows builds only, which is why plenty of Mac and Linux users go looking for something else. Others want a stick that holds more than one operating system, or a tool built for one job and nothing more.
Rufus itself isn't in this list. The ten tools below are listed alphabetically, in no particular order, and each description comes from the developer's own page, read as of Nov 2026. I've labelled the operating system on every entry, since that's usually the first thing that rules a tool in or out.
Bootable USB tools side by side
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| balenaEtcher | Single-image flasher | One image onto a USB drive or SD card |
| Easy2Boot | Multiboot USB kit | Installers, live systems and DOS tools on one drive |
| Fedora Media Writer | Single-image flasher for Fedora | Trying Fedora Linux from a stick |
| ISO to USB | Windows ISO burner | Burning an ISO straight to a USB stick |
| Microsoft installation media tool | Official Windows 11 media maker | A clean Windows 11 install on an x64 PC |
| UNetbootin | Live Linux USB maker | Live Linux sticks from Windows, Linux or Mac |
| Universal USB Installer | Bootable USB creator | Linux live drives, Windows installers and repair tools |
| Ventoy | Open source multiboot tool | Adding ISO files without reformatting |
| WoeUSB-ng | Linux tool for Windows installers | Windows installer sticks made on Linux |
| YUMI | Multiboot USB creator | Several ISOs and live systems on one stick |
Ten ways to put an operating system on a USB stick
balenaEtcher
Best for: Flashing one OS image to a USB drive or SD card in three steps, from a free, open source app for Windows, Linux or Mac.
Easy2Boot
Best for: Building one USB drive that installs Windows from XP to 11, boots Linux ISOs and runs DOS programs, on legacy BIOS and UEFI machines.
Fedora Media Writer
Best for: Writing a live Fedora Linux image to a flash drive so you can try it before installing, with downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux.
ISO to USB
Best for: Windows users who'd like a small freeware program that burns an ISO file directly to a USB drive and can make a bootable Windows disk.
Microsoft installation media tool
Best for: Making a bootable Windows 11 USB or DVD from Microsoft's own download page, for x64 PCs only, since it can't create media for Arm-based PCs.
UNetbootin
Best for: Creating a bootable live USB for Ubuntu, Fedora and other Linux distributions without burning a CD, from Windows, Linux or Mac OS X.
Universal USB Installer
Best for: Putting live Linux, Windows installers and repair tools on a USB drive from Windows or Linux, with persistence for supported Linux live USBs.
Ventoy
Best for: Copying Windows or Linux ISO, WIM, IMG or VHD files onto one stick and booting any of them, on legacy BIOS or UEFI, without reformatting.
WoeUSB-ng
Best for: Linux users who need a Windows USB installer made from an ISO image or a real Windows DVD, from a GPL-licensed rewrite of WoeUSB.
YUMI
Best for: Booting several ISOs, live Linux distributions and tools from one stick, made on Windows or Linux, with a Py edition its page recommends.
One image, many images, or a Windows stick from Linux
Read the ten developer pages side by side and the tools turn out to do three different jobs. The first kind writes one image and finishes. balenaEtcher describes a three-step process for Windows, Linux and Mac with no command lines, Fedora Media Writer puts a live Fedora image on a flash drive so you can try it before installing, ISO to USB burns an ISO straight to the drive, and the Microsoft installation media tool makes a Windows 11 installer for x64 PCs.
The second kind keeps several systems on one stick. Ventoy's page says you copy ISO files onto the drive instead of reformatting it each time, YUMI builds a multiboot drive that boots several ISOs and live systems, and Easy2Boot's page says its three menu systems include the one just mentioned. Universal USB Installer sits close to this group, putting live Linux, Windows installers and repair tools on a single drive.
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Then there's the gap many people searching this list run into. WoeUSB-ng's page says it's a Linux program that makes a Windows USB installer from an ISO image or a real Windows DVD. UNetbootin works the other way round, making live Linux USBs from Windows, Linux or Mac OS X without burning a CD.
That's the split most people don't expect: picking the right kind of tool matters more than picking a name. If you only ever install one system, a flasher is all you need. If you carry a toolkit of installers and rescue disks, a multiboot stick saves you rewriting the drive every time.
The computer you'll make the stick with
- On Windows. Most of these tools run on Windows, including the official Windows 11 media maker, a small ISO burner and the multiboot builders.
- On a Mac. Fewer options run natively. The cross-platform flasher, the Fedora writer and the live Linux maker all list Mac downloads, so start there.
- On Linux. Several tools have Linux builds, and one exists mainly to make Windows installers from a Linux machine.
- Old and new PCs. Check whether the computer you'll boot uses legacy BIOS or UEFI. Several pages here mention both, and the Windows 11 media tool only makes media for x64 PCs, not Arm-based ones.
- SD cards. If the target is a single-board computer rather than a PC, pick a flasher that names SD cards as well as USB drives.
Checks that save a wasted afternoon
No tool can rescue a bad download or a wrong click, so a few checks come first.
- Get the image from its official source. Download the ISO from the operating system's own site, not a mirror you found in a forum.
- Check the checksum. Most operating system download pages publish one. Compare it with the file you downloaded before you write anything, because a damaged ISO makes a stick that won't boot.
- Pick the right drive. Flashing erases the drive you select. Unplug other USB drives and read the drive name twice.
- Back up the stick first. Anything already on it will be lost, unless you're adding files to a multiboot drive that's already set up.
- Keep your licence handy. A Windows installer stick still needs a valid Windows licence on the PC you install it on.
If it's Windows 11 you're installing, my guide to making a Windows 11 bootable USB covers the official route, and the Windows 11 system requirements are worth checking before you start. Trying Linux instead? Here's whether Ubuntu is free.
Five questions before you choose a USB tool
- Which operating system will I make the stick on?
- Do I need one system on the stick, or several?
- Will I boot it on an older BIOS machine, a UEFI one, or both?
- Am I writing to a USB drive or an SD card?
- Do I want a tool that does one job, or one I'll keep adding ISO files to?
Do you make a bootable USB tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice before you flash a drive
Choose the kind of tool before the name. If you'll install one system once, a single-image flasher is the simplest route. If you carry installers and rescue disks around, a multiboot stick saves you rewriting the drive each time, and if you're on Linux making a Windows installer, use a tool built for exactly that. Whatever you pick, check the ISO's checksum against the one on the official download page, and check you've picked the right drive, because flashing wipes it.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Rufus?
It depends on the job and your computer. A single-image flasher suits one install, a multiboot tool suits a stick with several systems, and Mac or Linux users need a tool with a build for their system, since Rufus's download page lists Windows builds only.
Is there a Rufus alternative for Mac?
Yes. Several tools in this list name Mac or macOS downloads on their own pages, as of Nov 2026, including a cross-platform image flasher and a live Linux USB maker.
Can I make a Windows installer USB on Linux?
Yes. One tool here is a Linux program built to make a Windows USB installer from an ISO image or a Windows DVD, and some multiboot tools can hold Windows installers too.
What's the difference between a flasher and a multiboot tool?
A flasher writes one image to the drive and replaces whatever was there. A multiboot tool sets the drive up once, then lets you add several ISO files and choose which one to boot.
Will making a bootable USB erase the drive?
Writing an image erases the drive you select, so back up anything on it first. Some multiboot tools let you add ISO files later without reformatting, once the first setup's done.
Are these bootable USB tools free?
Many of them describe themselves as free or open source on their own pages, as of Nov 2026. Download only from the developer's official page, and check it before you install anything.
