Boot-US vs OpenCore
Boot-US
boot-us.deOpenCore
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Boot-US | OpenCore |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 1 |
| Spec score · Boot Manager Software | 9.0 (#1) | 7.6 (#13) |
| Configuration | The package includes a graphical Windows configuration program and command-line versions for Windows and 64-bit Linux. | The libraries include parsing for the plist configuration format. |
| Purpose | Boot-US is a universal boot manager for using existing operating systems independently of one another. | OpenCore is a bootloader distributed with a development SDK. |
| Support | The author says licensed users' questions should be answered within a working day, while answers for non-licensed users may take from a day to a week. | The project README directs users to a list of OpenCore discussion forums. |
Plans
Boot-US
- Private PC / public school useFree
- Boot-US 4.x.x · 1 PC€24.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x, 1 PC$24.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x · 5 PCs€59.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x, 5 PCs$59.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x · 20 PCs€119.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x, 20 PCs$119.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x · 100 PCs€299.50, paid once
- Boot-US 4.x.x, 100 PCs$299.50, paid once
In their own words
Boot-US
Boot-US is a boot manager for x86 machines that lets you start existing operating systems independently, including multiple separate Windows systems. It supports both BIOS and UEFI booting and works with MBR and GPT disks of any size. The package has a graphical configuration program for Windows and command-line versions for Windows and 64-bit Linux. It also includes tools to inspect partition details, hide partitions, and back up or restore disks and partitions. The site lists version 4.2.4, including a Linux 64-bit command-line version and a service for restoring UEFI variables when Windows starts or shuts down. SHA256 values are listed for that version’s downloads. The non-licensed package is free for private PCs and public schools, and can be tried for one month. Commercial use requires a license after the trial. Listed licenses are one-time payments, starting at €24.50 for one PC; some password protection functions require a version 4 license. The license page says the software is provided without warranty and used at the user’s own risk.
OpenCore
OpenCore is a bootloader distributed with a development SDK. Its repository includes UEFI support libraries for Apple-specific UEFI drivers, with support for loading Apple disk images and manipulating PNG images. The libraries also cover Apple PE image signature verification, supplemental Apple UEFI secure boot code, XNU kernel driver injection, and a patch engine. For configuration, they parse plist files; OcGuardLib provides safe integral arithmetic, type-alignment checks, and a UBSan runtime. The project lists UEFI and BIOS support, multiboot, boot-entry editing, and boot-menu customization. It is described as multiplatform, with Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted among the listed platforms. OpenCore is free and open source under the BSD-3-Clause license. Release source archives are available as zip and tar.gz files, including version 1.0.7. The README points users to discussion forums in several languages, including KVM configuration discussion. Documentation also lists third-party kernel extensions and says that list is informational and provided without warranty.