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Utilities · head to head

Find My vs Rufus

Find My logo

Find My

Utilities

Apple's built-in app for locating devices, AirTags and shared people locations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rufus logo

Rufus

Utilities

Create bootable USB drives on Windows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Find My it only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.; Rufus windows only, with no macOS or Linux build
  • They diverge on capability: Find My covers Device location, Rufus covers Bootable USB creation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Find My and Rufus actually diverge.

Attributes where Find My and Rufus differ
AttributeFind MyRufus
Pricing modelFree, built into Apple hardware and iCloudOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsiOS, macOSWindows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Find My

  • Device location
  • Lost Mode and remote erase
  • AirTag and Find My network tracking
  • People sharing
  • Unknown tracker alerts
  • Offline finding

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.

Find My

  • Locating a lost or stolen iPhone, iPad or Mac and remotely locking or erasing itnot Rufus
  • Tracking an AirTag attached to keys, a bag or luggagenot Rufus
  • Sharing live location with family members who have mutually agreed to share backnot Rufus
  • Getting an alert if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with you unexpectedlynot Rufus

Rufus

  • Writing a Linux or Windows installer to a USB sticknot Find My
  • Creating live USB media with a persistent partitionnot Find My
  • Recovering a machine that will not boot from its internal drivenot Find My

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Find My

  • It only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.
  • People location sharing requires both parties to have Apple devices and an iCloud account, which limits it in mixed-platform families or groups.
  • AirTags and the Find My network have been documented as a stalking tool when hidden on a person or vehicle without their knowledge, and while Apple has added unknown-tracker alerts, the underlying misuse risk is real and has prompted lawsuits and product changes over time.
  • Remote erase on a lost device is permanent and cannot be undone if the device is later recovered, so users need to be certain before using it.
  • It depends on other nearby Apple devices for offline location via the Find My network, so location accuracy in areas with few Apple device users nearby can be poor.

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

Find My

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Included with every Apple device and iCloud account
    • No subscription tier

Rufus

Free
  • RufusFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Find My if

  • You need device location.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want lost mode and remote erase.
Find My review

Choose Rufus if

  • You need bootable usb creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want no installation.
Rufus review

Questions people ask

Is Find My or Rufus better?
Neither clearly leads. Find My 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, Find My or Rufus?
Find My starts at Free and Rufus at Free.
Does Find My or Rufus run on more platforms?
Find My runs on iOS, macOS. Rufus runs on Windows.
Can I use Find My for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Find My best used for?
Find My is most often used for locating a lost or stolen iphone, ipad or mac and remotely locking or erasing it, tracking an airtag attached to keys, a bag or luggage, sharing live location with family members who have mutually agreed to share back, getting an alert if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with you unexpectedly. Of those, locating a lost or stolen iphone, ipad or mac and remotely locking or erasing it and tracking an airtag attached to keys, a bag or luggage are not what Rufus is typically brought in for.
What can Find My do that Rufus cannot?
Find My covers Device location, Lost Mode and remote erase, AirTag and Find My network tracking, People sharing. Rufus covers Bootable USB creation, No installation, Partition scheme control, Windows install customisation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Find My: Does Find My cost anything?

No, it is free and built into every Apple device with an iCloud account.

Rufus: Is Rufus free?

Yes, open source under the GPL.

Find My: Can someone track my location without my consent?

Not through the People feature, which requires mutual opt-in, though hidden AirTags placed without consent are a documented separate misuse case Apple has added alerts to detect.

Rufus: Does Rufus run on macOS or Linux?

No, it is Windows only. balenaEtcher is the usual cross-platform equivalent.

Find My: Is this the same as Find My Kids?

No, Find My Kids is an unrelated third party family location tracking app, not made by Apple.

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.

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