Fedora Media Writer vs Ubuntu Startup Disk Creator
Fedora Media Writer
fedoraproject.orgUbuntu Startup Disk Creator
ubuntu.comSide by side
| Figure | Fedora Media Writer | Ubuntu Startup Disk Creator |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Bootable USB Software | 8.0 (#7) | 7.5 (#20) |
| Data loss | The Fedora QA test instructions warn that writing an image destroys the USB stick's existing contents. | Writing the image destroys data currently stored on the selected USB device. |
| Purpose | Fedora Media Writer writes Fedora images to USB flash drives. | Startup Disk Creator writes an Ubuntu image to a USB stick to create bootable installation media. |
| Support | The project asks users experiencing crashes or writing errors to open an issue on GitHub. | Ubuntu’s older Startup Disk Creator tutorial points users who need help to Ubuntu Discourse, Ask Ubuntu, and IRC-based support. |
| USB requirement | Fedora's download page says a 4GB USB flash drive is needed to get started with Fedora Media Writer. | The guide requires a USB stick with at least 8 GB of storage. |
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.
Ubuntu Startup Disk Creator
Ubuntu Startup Disk Creator has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.