balenaEtcher
6.8#3 in bootable usb softwareFrom $1,720 a yearFree planLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitbalenaEtcher vs Raspberry Pi Imager
Raspberry Pi Imager
6.2#9 in bootable usb softwareFree planFree planLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | balenaEtcher | Raspberry Pi Imager |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
| Open source | Etcher is free and open source, and the maker welcomes community contributions. | Raspberry Pi publishes the Imager source code in a public GitHub repository. |
| Purpose | Etcher flashes OS images to SD cards and USB drives. | Raspberry Pi Imager installs Raspberry Pi OS and other operating systems onto storage media for use with a Raspberry Pi. |
balenaEtcher plans
- balenaCloud FreeFree
- balenaEtcherFree
- balenaCloud Prototype$159 a month
- balenaCloud Pilot$329 a month
- balenaCloud Production$1,439 a month
- balenaCloud Prototype$1,720 a year
Raspberry Pi Imager plans
- Raspberry Pi ImagerFree
Pick balenaEtcher if…
Etcher suits people creating installation media or writing an OS image to an SD card or USB drive on Linux, macOS, or Windows. Users who need persistent storage on a live USB should look elsewhere.
Pick Raspberry Pi Imager if…
Imager suits people preparing bootable storage for Raspberry Pi devices, including headless setups that need credentials or remote access configured in advance. It also supports PC and Mac images through Raspberry Pi Desktop.