AppBreakup
Submit an app
balenaEtcher logo

balenaEtcher

Free, open-source app for flashing OS images to SD cards and USB drives.

Open sourceUSB and disk imaging tools
Visit balenaEtcherSee 3 alternatives
Verified facts
4 of 4
Alternatives ranked
3
Approved reviews
0
Visits sent from here
0

About balenaEtcher

balenaEtcher is a cross-platform image flasher made by balena, the IoT company. It reduces writing an OS image to three steps: choose the image file or URL, choose the target drive, and flash. After writing it validates the result, and it hides system drives by default so you're less likely to wipe your own hard disk by mistake. It's popular for Raspberry Pi SD cards and Linux live USBs, and project websites can add a 'Flash with Etcher' button. It runs on Windows 10 and later, macOS and most Linux distributions, and it's free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. Built on Electron, the download is much larger than simpler tools. It writes images byte-for-byte, so Windows installer ISOs won't boot without extra steps that Etcher doesn't do.

Best for: Raspberry Pi and Linux users who want a foolproof way to flash an image to a card or stick.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Very simple three-step interface
  • Validates writes and hides system drives by default
  • Same app on Windows, macOS and Linux

Why people leave

  • Can't make bootable Windows installer USBs
  • Large Electron download for a simple task
  • One image per drive, no multi-boot

Top balenaEtcher alternatives

See all 3
  1. 1Rufus logo
    Rufus

    Tiny, fast and able to create Windows installer USBs, if you're on Windows.

    66.5
  2. 2Ventoy logo
    Ventoy

    Put many ISOs on one stick and pick at boot instead of reflashing each time.

    62.6
  3. 3Fedora Media Writer logo
    Fedora Media Writer

    Downloads and writes Fedora for you, with a restore option for the drive afterwards.

    59.6

Why people left balenaEtcher

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from balenaEtcher, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers

Write a review of balenaEtcher
Your rating of balenaEtcher

Never shown publicly. A work email helps us verify you.

What did you use it for, and what was good or bad? At least 40 characters.

A GitHub username, your company domain, or say you can send a screenshot. Verified reviews count more.

By submitting, you confirm you're at least 16 and agree to our terms. Your name, rating, review and the date are published; your email isn't. See our privacy policy.

balenaEtcher: common questions

Is balenaEtcher free?

Yes. balenaEtcher is free, open-source software.

Is balenaEtcher open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at balena-io/etcher.

What platforms does balenaEtcher run on?

balenaEtcher is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

What are the best alternatives to balenaEtcher?

The highest-ranked balenaEtcher alternatives right now are Rufus, Ventoy and Fedora Media Writer. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 3 balenaEtcher alternatives