Tech riderRev. 4 Oct 2026
balenaEtcher
- 1Runs onLinux, Mac, Windows
- 2CostsFree plan · paid from $143.33/mo
- 3Windows appYes
- 4macOS appYes
- 5Linux appYes
- 6Persistent storageNo
6 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: etcher.balena.io, balena.io
Overview
balenaEtcher is ranked #1 of 39 in bootable USB software on Specifiction. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan. Paid plans start at $143.33/mo.
balenaEtcher plans and pricing
All plansbalenaCloud Prototype $159/mo $159/month 30 devices included · 1 user · $3 / additional device / month balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
balenaCloud Pilot $329/mo $329/month 60 devices included · 3 users · $2 / additional device / month balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
balenaCloud Production $1,439/mo $1,439/month 110 devices included · 5 users · $2 / additional device / month balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
balenaCloud Prototype $1,720/yr $1,720/year 30 devices included · 1 user · $36 / additional device / year balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
Compared on bootable USB software
- Free plan
- Yesetcher.balena.io
- Windows app
- Yesetcher.balena.io
- macOS app
- Yesetcher.balena.io
- Linux app
- Yesetcher.balena.io
- Persistent storage
- Noetcher.balena.io
Facts
- Purpose
- Etcher flashes OS images to SD cards and USB drives.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- It can create USB installation media from bootable ISOs and install operating systems to flash drives.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Flash validation
- Etcher confirms when flashing has completed to help ensure the card will boot and is not corrupted.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Drive protection
- It warns users and hides system drives by default to help prevent accidentally wiping a hard drive.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Workflow
- The interface uses a three-step process and requires no command line.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Etcher is free and open source, and the maker welcomes community contributions.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Flash with Etcher
- Website and blog owners can add a Flash with Etcher button so users can install their OS from that site.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Raspberry Pi
- Etcher can directly flash Raspberry Pi devices that support USB device boot mode.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Linux support
- The documentation lists Linux on most distributions for Intel 64-bit systems.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Windows support
- The documentation lists Windows 10 and later for Intel 64-bit systems.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- macOS support
- The documentation lists macOS 10.13 and later on Intel and Apple Silicon.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Drive erasure
- Etcher erases the whole target drive and replaces its data when flashing.etcher.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- Etcher does not support configuring persistent storage for live USB drives.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Windows images
- Windows images may require special treatment to boot, which Etcher is not designed to perform.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The documentation directs users with problems to raise an issue on GitHub, where the balena.io team can help.etcher-docs.balena.io · 4 Oct 2026
Company
- Founded
- 2011etcher.balena.io · 28 Sept 2026
Best balenaEtcher alternatives
See all 12 All accessCh 02 Buddi Free planLinuxMac Free to start7.2 All accessCh 03 UNetbootin Free planLinuxMac Free to start7.1 All accessCh 04 YUMI Free planLinuxWindows Free to start7.1 All accessCh 05 Easy2Boot Free planLinuxWindows Free to start6.9 All accessCh 06 TFLint Free planLinuxMac Free to start6.9 All accessCh 07 Universal USB Installer Free planLinuxWindows Free to start6.9
Where it ranks on Specifiction
Is balenaEtcher yours?
Claim it for free: prove the domain, then correct facts, plans and screenshots. An editor reviews every change.
Sources
- etcher.balena.io· checked 4 Oct 2026
- etcher-docs.balena.io· checked 4 Oct 2026
- etcher-docs.balena.io/FAQ/· checked 4 Oct 2026
- balena.io/pricing· checked 4 Oct 2026