Utilities · head to head
Everything vs Rufus
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Everything searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed; Rufus windows only, with no macOS or Linux build
- They diverge on capability: Everything covers Instant results, Rufus covers Bootable USB creation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Everything and Rufus actually diverge.
| Attribute | Everything | Rufus |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free; donations accepted | Open source, no licence fee |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Everything
- Instant results
- MFT-based indexing
- Tiny footprint
- Regex and filters
Only in Rufus
- Bootable USB creation
- No installation
- Partition scheme control
- Windows install customisation
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Everything
- Finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on Windows Searchnot Rufus
- Locating duplicates and stray files across large drivesnot Rufus
- Navigating a machine with hundreds of thousands of filesnot Rufus
Rufus
- Writing a Linux or Windows installer to a USB sticknot Everything
- Creating live USB media with a persistent partitionnot Everything
- Recovering a machine that will not boot from its internal drivenot Everything
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Everything
- Searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed
- Windows and NTFS only: no macOS or Linux build, and non-NTFS volumes fall back to slower indexing
- Requires administrator rights to read the Master File Table
Rufus
- Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build
- Single-purpose: it writes drives and does nothing else
- Some of its Windows setup bypass options work around vendor requirements and may not survive future releases
Pricing, plan by plan
Everything
Free- FreeFree
- Core functionality
- Personal use
Rufus
Free- RufusFree
- Full functionality
- No usage limits
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Everything if
- You need instant results.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want mft-based indexing.
Choose Rufus if
- You need bootable usb creation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want no installation.
Questions people ask
- Is Everything or Rufus better?
- Neither clearly leads. Everything starts at Free and Rufus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Everything or Rufus?
- Everything starts at Free and Rufus at Free.
- Does Everything or Rufus run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Everything for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Everything best used for?
- Everything is most often used for finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on windows search, locating duplicates and stray files across large drives, navigating a machine with hundreds of thousands of files. Of those, finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on windows search and locating duplicates and stray files across large drives are not what Rufus is typically brought in for.
- What can Everything do that Rufus cannot?
- Everything covers Instant results, MFT-based indexing, Tiny footprint, Regex and filters. Rufus covers Bootable USB creation, No installation, Partition scheme control, Windows install customisation.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Everything: Is Everything free?
Yes, free to use with donations accepted.
Rufus: Is Rufus free?
Yes, open source under the GPL.
Everything: Why is it so much faster than Windows Search?
It reads the NTFS Master File Table directly instead of crawling the filesystem, so indexing a whole volume takes seconds.
Rufus: Does Rufus run on macOS or Linux?
No, it is Windows only. balenaEtcher is the usual cross-platform equivalent.
Everything: Can it search inside files?
Only in a limited way. It is built for filename search, and full content search is not what it is for.
Rufus: Why choose Rufus over the built-in tools?
It is faster than most alternatives and gives explicit control over partition scheme and target system, which matters when a machine will not boot from default media.