Fedora Media Writer vs LibreELEC USB-SD Creator
Fedora Media Writer
fedoraproject.orgLibreELEC USB-SD Creator
libreelec.tvSide by side
| Figure | Fedora Media Writer | LibreELEC USB-SD Creator |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Bootable USB Software | 8.0 (#7) | 7.9 (#9) |
| Founded | 2003 | 2016 |
| Purpose | Fedora Media Writer writes Fedora images to USB flash drives. | The app selects and downloads a LibreELEC image for an HTPC device and creates bootable USB or SD card media. |
| Support | The project asks users experiencing crashes or writing errors to open an issue on GitHub. | The project directs users with app problems to its USB-SD Creator Support forum. |
Plans
In their own words
Fedora Media Writer
Fedora Media Writer creates bootable USB drives by writing Fedora images to them. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and can download the image before writing. A Live Fedora drive can be booted to try Fedora without making permanent changes to the computer. Getting started requires a 4GB USB flash drive.
Writing uses direct access to the device and replaces its existing contents and partition layout. Fedora Media Writer includes a Restore feature to put the drive back into a standard single-partition layout. Image checks can include comparing the USB device with the downloaded ISO or booting it and running a media check. Fedora also advises verifying downloaded images with a checksum file signed by a Fedora Project OpenPGP certificate. Installation options include Fedora's RPM package, Flathub on Linux, Windows releases, and a macOS DMG. The project identifies the software as GPL-2.0 licensed and directs users with crashes or writing errors to open a GitHub issue. It is free: free.
LibreELEC USB-SD Creator
LibreELEC USB-SD Creator prepares bootable USB sticks or SD cards for an HTPC. It can select and download the latest stable LibreELEC image, show older stable releases, or use a local .img.gz file supplied by the user. Writing the image overwrites all data on the selected target device. LibreELEC describes its operating system as a lightweight Linux distribution built for Kodi on popular media-center hardware. The free, open-source Creator currently runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 and macOS 14 or newer. A Linux build for Ubuntu and Debian derivatives is not currently available. The application checks for updates but does not download or install them automatically. Version 1.5 added Arabic and Korean translations. LibreELEC signs the macOS app to help avoid Gatekeeper issues and provides SHA-256 links for Windows and macOS installers. Support is directed to the USB-SD Creator Support forum. The project says its default configuration is intended for home networks, not security-sensitive networks.