Greatest Rufus different for Mac: High 8 choices

As a former Home windows person, Rufus was my favourite software for creating bootable drives. I wasn’t aware of the worth of those drives till I began utilizing them to recuperate knowledge and change between working techniques for gaming functions. And these capabilities are simply as essential on Mac, which is why so many individuals seek for a Rufus equal for Mac.

The fantastic thing about macOS is you could set up a wide range of third-party apps that match the clear, easy-to-use interface and are equally useful. I’m going to go over some alternate options to Rufus on Mac.

What’s a Rufus?

In a nutshell, Rufus is an open-source software that lets anybody create bootable USB drives. It’s fast and simple to make use of, with a wide range of options like partition schemes and superior codecs. This system is fashionable amongst tech lovers, avid gamers, builders, and normal Home windows customers for its versatility and skill to assist with a variety of capabilities.

Is there a Rufus for Mac?

Rufus is designed particularly for the Home windows working system, which suggests it is totally incompatible with macOS. Mac has its personal instruments for creating bootable drives by means of Terminal and Disk Utility, that are helpful sufficient, however should you’re trying to find a extra user-friendly different, I’ve put collectively this listing under, together with a desk for a fast overview:

Greatest Rufus alternate options for Mac

With out additional ado, let’s go over the eight prime alternate options to Rufus for macOS. Not all of them are precise replicas of the app, however they arrive with distinctive capabilities you’ll in all probability discover extremely helpful.

1. Disk Drill: Highly effective restoration software with byte-to-byte backup

We’ve all been by means of the nightmare of looking for a file that we swear was on our pc, solely to appreciate it’s lengthy gone. Disk Drill is a top-rated knowledge restoration app that allows you to detect misplaced information and restore them. Customers could make bootable byte-to-byte disk photos by merely utilizing the Byte-to-byte Backup perform underneath the Additional Instruments part. The software creates an actual copy of your onerous drive or a partition, so in case your Mac’s onerous drive ever fails, you’ll be ay-okay.

What I like:

✅ Suitable with all fashionable gadgets like iPhone, iPad, Android, and USB and SD playing cards.

✅ Use Finder to seek out recovered knowledge.

What’s lacking:

❌ Lacks superior bootable drive creation choices as a knowledge restoration software.

2. balenaEtcher: Dwell USB drives and SD playing cards

Previously simply often called “Etcher,” balenaEtcher is an open-source utility like Rufus that lets customers write picture information and zipped folders to create stay USB drives and SD playing cards. Which means it might probably put working techniques or restoration instruments onto these drives for straightforward set up or troubleshooting. An additional bonus is that balenaEtcher verifies that written knowledge so you may keep away from corruption, and it has loads of versatility whether or not you need to arrange a Raspberry Pi mission or run a stay setting.

What I like:

✅ Open-source, actively maintained by the neighborhood.

✅ Helps a number of file codecs, together with ISO, IMG, and ZIP.

What’s lacking:

❌ Solely helps disk picture information and may’t be used for non-image-based duties.

3. WinDiskWriter: Straightforward bootable USB creation

WinDiskWriter is a brilliant user-friendly “Rufus for Mac” as a result of it doesn’t require a ton of setup and allows you to create bootable USB drives very quickly. Whereas it’s designed for Home windows, it might probably run on macOS, too, because it’s written in Goal-C for prime compatibility with older variations of macOS.

Supply: github.com

What I like:

✅ Light-weight and easy, straightforward for rookies to make use of.

✅ Helps a wide range of ISO information.

What’s lacking:

❌ Restricted superior choices because it’s designed with ease of use in thoughts.

4. Raspberry Pi Imager: Bootable media for Pi initiatives and past

Because the title suggests, the Raspberry Pi Imager is made to create bootable SD playing cards or USB drives particularly for Raspberry Pi initiatives. Regardless of its main use, although, it’s also possible to use it to put in different working techniques, which is especially helpful if you wish to entry sure applications which might be solely appropriate with sure techniques.

What I like:

✅ Select from a variety of pre-configured working techniques.

✅ Set preferences earlier than writing the working system picture.

What’s lacking:

❌ Not as versatile for non-Raspberry Pi techniques.

5. DiskMaker X

DiskMaker X pairs completely with macOS installer apps (ones downloaded from the App Retailer) to create bootable drives for restoration or for reinstalling macOS. Naturally, it received’t be filled with options like Rufus or its Mac alternate options, but it surely’s environment friendly and easy should you’re in search of a program that caters to those particular wants.

What I like:

✅ Particularly designed for macOS.

✅ Fast and simple course of, perfect for rookies.

What’s lacking:

❌ Primary performance with no help for customized ISOs.

6. Ventoy: Multi-ISO booting for final flexibility

Ventoy has a leg up over Rufus in that it might probably copy ISO information proper to the USB drive with out having to format the drive each time. Are you able to think about storing a number of ISO information on one drive and having the ability to select which one to spice up up when beginning your pc? It’s definitely a helpful function that fits you should you like having a number of choices in attain always.

What I like:

✅ Drag and drop new ISO information with out reformatting.

✅ Cross-platform help for a wide range of working techniques like Linux and Home windows.

What’s lacking:

❌ No graphical interface for personalisation.

7. UNetbootin: Cross-platform bootable USB made straightforward

UNetbootin is appropriate with macOS, Linux, and Home windows, making it a go-to should you worth cross-platform compatibility. It’s a stripped-down software that doesn’t require you to be overly tech-savvy, with a three-step course of that allows you to select the ISO file, goal the USB drive, and click on OK. It helps each persistent storage (save information on the bootable drive) and non-persistent storage (momentary boot).

What I like:

✅ Helps persistent storage.

✅ Light-weight and intuitive.

What’s lacking:

❌ Much less intuitive because it favors Linux-based OSes over macOS.

8. Set up Disk Creator

Set up Disk Creator is one other program particular to macOS, because it facilities round creating bootable USB drives to put in or reinstall macOS. Supporting macOS installations from a number of variations, it has a no-fluff method that does precisely what it says out of the field.

What I like:

✅ No-frills answer.

✅ Mac-native.

What’s lacking:

❌ Pretty primary and lacks superior choices.

How to decide on the very best Rufus equal?

Like with any selection, selecting your Rufus equal all is determined by your preferences and desires. Affected by choice paralysis? Let me aid you determine issues out:

• What options does it have? Are you curious about having a great deal of options out there, or are you extra interested by getting the fundamentals executed properly? Test to see that it helps the file codecs you need and whether or not it might probably assist with a variety of capabilities or only one.
• Is it straightforward to make use of? Will you want numerous technical information to make use of the software, or is it constructed for rookies?
• Is the choice particularly made for Mac? Is it tailor-made to macOS customers, or does it primarily help different working techniques, comparable to Linux?
• Is there a free trial or demo? Testing a program is the easiest way to see whether or not it strains up with what it says it does and what you consider it does.

Prepared to decide on your Rufus macOS different?

As you may see, there’s no scarcity of applications to assist create bootable drives on macOS. Rufus is perhaps an ideal software on Home windows, however shifting over to macOS doesn’t imply abandoning all these helpful options altogether. Whether or not you prioritize customizability, selection, or simplicity, one among these apps on my listing is bound to do the trick.

If you would like an app that can provide you peace of thoughts with retrieving misplaced information and creating byte-to-byte disk photos, why not check out Disk Drill on Setapp — a subscription app that provides you entry to 250+ iOS and macOS apps? Begin your 7-day free trial at present!