
balenaEtcher
6.8#3 in bootable usb softwareFrom $1,720 a yearFree planLinuxmacOSWindows
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| Fact | balenaEtcher | WinToUSB |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Etcher flashes OS images to SD cards and USB drives. | WinToUSB creates portable Windows installations on external hard drives, USB flash drives, or Thunderbolt drives. |
| Support | The documentation directs users with problems to raise an issue on GitHub, where the balena.io team can help. | Hasleo provides technical support by email and describes technical support as free. |
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.
WinToUSB suits Windows users who want portable installations, bootable installation or WinPE media, or a way to update a Windows To Go workspace. The free edition is limited to home use and omits cloning, BitLocker, and partition resizing or moving.