Rufus vs. Etcher: Which One Is the Better Choice for Creating a Bootable USB Drive?

A few years back, creating a bootable USB drive was an impossible task. But not anymore. Today, you can easily create a bootable USB flash drive for both Mac and Windows.

All this has been possible thanks to free and robust tools like Etcher and Rufus. But what are they?

Rufus, also known as The Reliable USB Formatting Utility with Source, is an open-source Microsoft application designed to create and format bootable USB drives or Live USBs.

BalenaEtcher, commonly referred to as Etcher, is a free and open-source utility tool designed for writing image files such as .img or .iso files onto storage devices. It also enables the creation of zip folders on storage media for crafting live SD cards and USB drives. This versatile software is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.

In short, both Rufus and Etcher are free utility tools for creating a bootable USB drive. But the question remains: which one is better?

To find the answer, let's delve into a detailed comparison of Rufus vs. Etcher.

Rufus vs. Etcher: Everything About Rufus

Rufus is a lightweight yet powerful Windows utility that can be installed on various operating systems on a single device. It serves as an excellent toolset, enabling you to store crucial Windows applications on a portable USB drive for access in case of an emergency system failure.

Rufus offers both basic and advanced options to help you better optimize USB drives. With this tool, you can create a Windows 10 UEFI bootable USB drive from an ISO image. It also comes in handy when you want to install or run Windows on partitions or Mac devices.

Rufus Features

• It is a 100% free utility software for Windows users.
• Rufus provides a DOS-compatible environment to run legacy tools with FreeDOS and MBR partitions.
• Enables formatting the USB disk into multiple file formats, including UDF, NTFS, ReFS, or FAT.
• Simplifies computing the MD5, SHA-256, and SHA-1 image hashes.
• Features elevated UAC (User Account Control) and UI (User Interface) structure.
• The program can be downloaded on both desktop computers and laptops.
• Includes an automatic update feature.
• Supports various regional languages.
• It is compatible with downloading retail ISO DVD images of Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 directly from Microsoft servers.
• Permits booting USB drives from .iso files, including Linux, Windows, and raw disk image files.

Pros

• User-friendly interface.
• Multiple advanced functions.
• Support for GPT/UEFI.
• Automatic USB detection.
• Completely free and open-source.

Cons

• Available only on Windows.
• Can install only one distro on a USB.

How to Use Rufus

Step 1. Plug your clean USB drive into your computer and open the Rufus program.

Step 2. Rufus will automatically detect your USB drive. Click on the Device and choose your USB from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. Make sure the Boot Selection option is set to Disk or ISO image, and then click on the Select button. Rufus will now open a file explorer window; you need to find the ISO image you want to burn onto the flash drive and choose it.

Step 4. In most cases, you'll need to create a Standard Windows installation. Rufus will automatically select the appropriate Partition Scheme for this purpose. However, you can change it if you wish.

Step 5. Give a name to the Volume label if desired, or leave it blank. Keep the File System and Cluster Size settings at their defaults. Then, click on the 'Start' button to create a bootable USB drive using Rufus.

Step 6. When a warning message appears on your screen, don't worry; simply click OK. Wait a few minutes for the process to complete.

Rufus vs. Etcher: Everything About Etcher

balenaEtcher was developed by balena and is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. Designed using the Electron framework, it is compatible with major operating systems, including macOS and Linux.

Etcher's source code is freely available online, should you wish to modify the software further. With Etcher, you can flash various image files onto your USB drive, including .iso, .img, and even zipped folders.

Etcher Features

• Etcher features a modern, straightforward, and visually appealing user interface. Additionally, a command-line interface is available.
• Permits flashing multiple boot partitions to a USB drive or SD card.
• Balena regularly updates Etcher with new and enhanced functionalities.
• Provides data security for your USB files.
• Aids in identifying corrupt cards.
• Supports installing live CD versions of Clonezilla, GParted, or Tux2live.

Pros

• Compatible with Mac, Linux, and Windows.
• User-friendly graphic interface.
• Free to use and modify.
• Burns images faster.

Cons

• Lacks advanced customization options.
• The file size is larger compared to Rufus.
• It sends data to balena by default, which needs to be manually disabled.

How to Use Etcher

Step 1: Open Etcher and connect a USB drive to your computer.

Step 2: Drag and drop your source image onto the Etcher dashboard to select it.

Step 3: Select the USB drive you want to boot from.

Step 4. Click the Flash button and wait for a few minutes for the burning process to complete.

Rufus vs. Etcher: Which One Is Superior?

After exploring both Rufus and Etcher, it's safe to say that both programs are fantastic. You can easily create a bootable USB drive with either Rufus or Etcher, making them both top choices in our opinion.

However, some users prefer Rufus over Etcher for creating bootable USBs because:

• Rufus provides more features and options for booting external drives.
• Etcher relies on system drives to identify target drives, which can be risky and potentially result in data loss.

However, Rufus is only compatible with Windows, whereas Etcher works with both Mac and Linux as well.

Overall, both Rufus and Etcher have their fair share of pros and cons. Hence, it's essential to understand your needs and choose the appropriate tool for creating bootable USB drives.

The Third Option for Creating a Bootable USB Drive - OS2Go Tools

If you're looking for a better utility tool than Rufus and Etcher to create a bootable USB drive, you can try OS2Go tools. This software isn't a direct replacement for Rufus or Etcher, as it employs a different method to create bootable drives.

Additionally, the software can fully clone your operating system to your USB drive, allowing you to run or use it on any device. You can also easily create a Windows To Go USB drive with this software.

Moreover, it is compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7. You can easily run Windows games or applications on Mac using this tool.

Therefore, OS2Go is a more feature-rich tool compared to Rufus or Etcher. It's a straightforward and user-friendly method to create bootable USB drives by following these steps:

Step 1. Install OS2Go on your Windows computer, which will show the used space on your system drive. Insert a USB drive with a capacity greater than the system drive's used space. Select the target USB drive and click Next to proceed.

Step 2. OS2Go will warn you that the following action will erase all data on your drive. Make sure you've backed up all important data. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 3. Adjust disk layout. The default disk layout on the target drive will be identical to the source drive. You can also edit the layout to suit your needs. Check the option if you're using an SSD as the Windows boot drive. Then, click Proceed.

Step 4. Then, OS2Go will begin creating the portable USB drive. This process may take a while, depending on your operating system and network conditions. Once the progress reaches 100%, the USB drive should be bootable.

Step 5. Insert the portable Windows USB and turn on your computer. Press the necessary key (F2, DEL, F10, etc.) to access the BIOS. Select to boot from the USB drive.

注意: 请确保便携式USB和目标计算机的启动模式（UEFI或Legacy）相同，否则可能无法启动。

Sum Up

While Rufus and Etcher are free and open-source software options for creating a bootable flash drive, they both have their drawbacks. Rufus is limited to Windows users, and Etcher poses a risk to your data.

Thus, we recommend using the tool OS2Go. Although this program might not be free, it is secure, highly compatible, and user-friendly. With OS2Go, there's no need for a clean installation of the Windows OS to enjoy a bootable USB drive on any other PC or Mac.