USBImager

Free plan Open source LinuxMacWindows

What USBImager is

USBImager writes disk images to USB drives and creates backups. It can read raw images, compressed files such as .gz, .bz2, .xz and .zst, and archives including .zip, .tar, .cpio and .pax. After writing, it can compare drive contents with the image to verify the result. Backups can be saved in raw or ZStandard compressed format, and images can be sent to microcontrollers over a serial line. USBImager is available for Linux, macOS and Windows, with builds listed for Windows, macOS, Ubuntu LTS, Raspberry Pi OS, Arch/Manjaro and Linux PC. It has a minimalist native interface in 18 languages and is intended for people who may be uncomfortable with command-line tools. The maker says it tries to avoid overwriting the system disk and that synchronized writes ensure data is on disk when progress reaches 100%. The executable can be used alone or with the archive’s desktop integration files. The software is open source under the MIT license and costs nothing.

Who it suits

USBImager suits people who want to write USB disk images or make backups without relying on command-line tools. It is available on Linux, macOS and Windows.

What it does well

Reads raw, compressed and archived images.
Verifies writes by comparing disk contents.
Creates raw or ZStandard compressed backups.
Supports Linux, macOS and Windows.
Open source under the MIT license.

What to know first

XZ dictionaries larger than 1 gigabyte are unsupported.

Limits

USBImager does not support xz compression dictionaries larger than 1 gigabyte.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	free · Open-source desktop utility · no paid tiers stated	Free

As bztsrc.gitlab.io lists them, read 15 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the USBImager website.
Download the build for Windows, macOS, Ubuntu LTS, Raspberry Pi OS, Arch/Manjaro, or Linux PC.
Use the archive's desktop integration files, or run the executable by itself.
Write an image to a USB drive, or create a raw or ZStandard compressed backup.
Report problems through the GitLab issue tracker.

Verdict

USBImager combines image writing, write verification, backups and serial transfers in a free utility. Its stated limitation is that it does not support xz compression dictionaries larger than 1 gigabyte.

Questions

How much does USBImager cost?

The Free plan costs nothing.

Which platforms can run USBImager?

It is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Listed builds include Windows, macOS, Ubuntu LTS, Raspberry Pi OS, Arch/Manjaro, and Linux PC.

Is USBImager open source?

Yes. Its Free plan is open source and MIT licensed.

What image formats can it read?

It reads raw disk images, compressed images such as .gz, .bz2, .xz, and .zst, and archives including .zip, .tar, .cpio, and .pax.

Can USBImager verify a write?

Yes. It can compare the disk contents with the image after writing.

Where can users report problems?

The README directs users to the GitLab issue tracker.

Facts from USBImager's own pages

Archive input: Archive input includes ZIP and ZIP64, ZZZip, TAR, CPIO, and PAX, with the first archive file used when multiple files exist. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Audience: The maker says the app is intended for non-expert users who may be uncomfortable with the command line. · gitlab.com, 7 Oct 2026
Backup creation: It can read a removable device into a raw DD image or a zstd-compressed backup. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 15 Oct 2026
Backups: It can create backups in raw or ZStandard compressed format. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 7 Oct 2026
Build process: Developers can compile on Windows with MinGW, on macOS with Apple command-line tools, and on Linux with libc, libX11, and the GNU toolchain. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Compressed input: Compressed images can be read on the fly from gzip, bzip2, xz, and zstd files. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 15 Oct 2026
Compression limitation: XZ dictionaries larger than 1 GB are unsupported, while the default supported dictionary size is 64 MB. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Desktop integration: The archive's additional files provide desktop integration such as icons; the executable can also be used by itself. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 7 Oct 2026
Developer identity: The associated GitHub account identifies the developer as Zoltan Baldaszti under the username bztsrc. · github.com, 15 Oct 2026
Device safety: The interface filters out the system disk by default and provides separate flags to list all devices or force writing. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Distribution through Homebrew: Homebrew lists USBImager cask version 1.0.10 for Intel and Apple Silicon macOS, although the cask is marked disabled. · formulae.brew.sh, 15 Oct 2026
Documentation: The repository supplies a manual PDF, README installation and usage instructions, command-line flag reference, compilation guidance, and an issue tracker. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Downloads: The maker's repository lists builds for Windows, macOS, Ubuntu LTS, Raspberry Pi OS, Arch/Manjaro and Linux PC. · gitlab.com, 7 Oct 2026
Extensibility: The source is separated into stream, disk, user-interface, and language layers, and supports debug builds and test-device compilation switches. · github.com, 15 Oct 2026
Founded: 2020 · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 28 Sept 2026
Image formats: The program reads raw image formats including IMG, BIN, RAW, ISO, and DD. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 15 Oct 2026
Interface and languages: It provides a minimalist native interface and is available in 18 languages. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 7 Oct 2026
Languages: The application includes dictionaries for 18 languages and detects the operating system language automatically. · bztsrc.gitlab.io, 15 Oct 2026
Licence: The project is open source under the MIT license, whose text permits use, modification, distribution, sublicensing, and sale with the notice retained. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Limit: The README says xz compression dictionaries larger than 1 gigabyte are not supported. · gitlab.com, 7 Oct 2026
Limit: missing advanced boot features: An AlternativeTo reviewer says Rufus and Ventoy are preferable when multi-boot creation or more options are needed. · alternativeto.net, 15 Oct 2026
Limit: permissions and fonts: The documentation requires elevated permissions or device-group configuration on some systems, and X11 builds may need Unifont or fontconfig fixes. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Limit: Raspberry Pi launch problem: A GitLab issue reports that a user could not run the AArch64 archive on Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye and requested Flatpak or AppImage packaging. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026
Linux support: Linux distributions are supported through X11, GTK+, Ubuntu Debian packages, Arch AUR packages, and Raspberry Pi builds. · gitlab.com, 15 Oct 2026

Where USBImager stands on Freedom251

Bootable USB Software#2 of 38