UNetbootin vs Universal USB Installer
UNetbootin
unetbootin.github.io
Universal USB Installer
pendrivelinux.comSide by side
| Figure | UNetbootin | Universal USB Installer |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Bootable USB Software | 8.4 (#3) | 7.5 (#21) |
| Persistence | Ubuntu Live USB persistence is supported for preserving files between reboots. | Persistent Linux Live USB storage is supported, with current support for persistence files up to 40GB. |
| Purpose | UNetbootin creates bootable Live USB drives for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions without burning a CD. | Creates bootable USB drives from ISO files for Linux distributions, Windows installation media, recovery tools, antivirus utilities, cybersecurity tools, disk cloning, forensics, and other bootable software. |
| Support | The FAQ directs users to GitHub Issues for bug reports and GitHub Pull Requests for patches. | The maker provides a contact form and asks bug reports to include reproduction steps, operating system, ISO filename, tool version, and expected outcome. |
Plans
In their own words
UNetbootin
UNetbootin creates bootable Live USB drives for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions, allowing installation without burning a CD. It can download a supported distribution or use a Linux ISO already on the computer, and the listed targets are a USB drive or hard disk. Built-in downloads include Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, Linux Mint, and FreeBSD, as well as system utilities such as Parted Magic and SystemRescueCD. The site says most Linux ISO files should work, though some require extra boot options or changes, and some cannot boot from USB as-is. Non-Linux operating system ISOs should not be expected to work because they use a different boot mechanism. UNetbootin is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and is free; donations are accepted. The source code is available on GitHub under GNU GPL Version 2 or above. Linux download options include an Ubuntu PPA, 32-bit and 64-bit binaries, packages for several distributions, and source code.
Universal USB Installer
Universal USB Installer has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.