Rufus · Linux · macOS · Checked on 4 October 2026
Rufus alternative for Linux and macOS
Rufus runs on Windows only. Bootable is a different, younger tool for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Why look for an alternative
Rufus lists Windows 8 or later as its requirement, and its FAQ says there are no plans to port it to other operating systems ([1], [3]). On Linux or macOS you need a different tool.
What Bootable does
- Writes ISO, IMG, RAW, and XZ, gzip, Zstandard, or bzip2 images to USB drives and SD cards, with SHA-256 read-back verification.
- Creates UEFI Windows installer media (GPT or MBR, FAT32, split WIM) on Linux, Windows, and macOS, with Windows 11 setup options.
- Browses a catalog and verifies publisher checksums on downloads.
- Accepts only whole removable or USB drives and re-finds the drive before writing.
- Has a desktop app, terminal UI, and CLI.
Try it: write an ISO, Windows 11 USB on Linux, or Windows 11 USB on macOS.
What Bootable does not do
- No legacy BIOS boot yet (UEFI only).
- No Linux persistence and no multiboot.
- No general formatting (FAT, NTFS, UDF, exFAT, ext), Windows To Go, or DOS media.
- Backup is raw IMG/RAW/DD only; VHD, VHDX, and FFU are planned. Windows RAW backup is unavailable.
- Unsigned builds today, and no localization.
- Early-stage software: v0.1.4, with only the latest release supported.
If you need any of these, Rufus on Windows, Ventoy for multiboot and legacy BIOS, or balenaEtcher for a simple cross-platform flasher may suit you better. Planned items are on the roadmap.
Side-by-side with Rufus
Checked on . Bracketed numbers link to the Rufus source.
| Feature | Bootable | Rufus |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Linux x86-64, Windows 10+ x86-64, macOS on Apple Silicon. | Windows 8 or later (x64, x86, ARM64 builds). The FAQ says there are no plans to port Rufus to other operating systems.[1][3] |
| Interfaces | Desktop GUI, terminal UI, and CLI. The GUI and TUI expose the same features. | Graphical interface. CLI and TUI: not checked.[2] |
| Built-in image catalog or downloads | Yes. DistroWatch, Omarchy, and Raspberry Pi catalogs, with publisher checksum verification. Official Microsoft ISO and UEFI Shell downloads are planned, not shipped. | Downloads official Microsoft Windows 8, 10, and 11 retail ISOs and UEFI Shell ISOs. No Linux distribution catalog listed.[2] |
| Read-back verification of the write | Yes for raw images: the written range is read back and compared by SHA-256. Windows installer media gets a boot-tree check instead. | Not checked for this page. |
| System-disk protection | Accepts only whole USB or removable drives. Rejects fixed, system, partition, read-only, and undersized targets, and re-finds the drive by stable ID before writing. | Not checked for this page. |
| Telemetry and ads | No ads. No telemetry code in the source. Network use is for catalogs and downloads. | The home page states the website shows ads. App telemetry: not stated in the pages checked.[1] |
| License | Apache-2.0. | GPL v3 or later.[1][2] |
| Windows installer media options | GPT or MBR FAT32 UEFI media with split-WIM support on Linux, Windows, and macOS. Setup options: TPM, Secure Boot, and RAM checks; account, region, privacy, BitLocker, quality-of-life, CA 2023, SkuSiPolicy, and S Mode. | Windows 11 media for PCs without TPM or Secure Boot, OOBE setup (local account, privacy options), and Windows To Go.[2] |
| Legacy BIOS boot | No. UEFI only today. Legacy BIOS helpers are planned. | Yes. Creates BIOS or UEFI bootable drives.[2] |
| Persistence | No. Planned. | Yes. Creates persistent Linux partitions.[2] |
| Multiboot | No. Planned as a separate, explicit strategy. | Not listed in its feature list.[2] |
| Signed builds | No. Releases are not code-signed and the macOS build is not notarized. SHA-256 files and GitHub provenance are published. | Yes. Binaries are signed with a Windows Authenticode signature.[3] |
Full details, strengths, and sources: Bootable vs Rufus.
Bootable is not affiliated with Rufus. Software changes; check the official sites before deciding.