Utilities · head to head
Rufus vs Everything
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Rufus windows only, with no macOS or Linux build; Everything searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed
- They diverge on capability: Rufus covers Bootable USB creation, Everything covers Instant results.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Rufus and Everything actually diverge.
| Attribute | Rufus | Everything |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | Free; donations accepted |
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 Rufus
- Bootable USB creation
- No installation
- Partition scheme control
- Windows install customisation
Only in Everything
- Instant results
- MFT-based indexing
- Tiny footprint
- Regex and filters
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
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
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
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Rufus
Free- RufusFree
- Full functionality
- No usage limits
- Community support
Everything
Free- FreeFree
- Core functionality
- Personal use
Which should you pick?
Choose Rufus if
- You need bootable usb creation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want no installation.
Choose Everything if
- You need instant results.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want mft-based indexing.
Questions people ask
- Is Rufus or Everything better?
- Neither clearly leads. Rufus starts at Free and Everything at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Rufus or Everything?
- Rufus starts at Free and Everything at Free.
- Does Rufus or Everything run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Rufus for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Rufus best used for?
- Rufus is most often used for writing a linux or windows installer to a usb stick, creating live usb media with a persistent partition, recovering a machine that will not boot from its internal drive. Of those, writing a linux or windows installer to a usb stick and creating live usb media with a persistent partition are not what Everything is typically brought in for.
- What can Rufus do that Everything cannot?
- Rufus covers Bootable USB creation, No installation, Partition scheme control, Windows install customisation. Everything covers Instant results, MFT-based indexing, Tiny footprint, Regex and filters.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Rufus: Is Rufus free?
Yes, open source under the GPL.
Everything: Is Everything free?
Yes, free to use with donations accepted.
Rufus: Does Rufus run on macOS or Linux?
No, it is Windows only. balenaEtcher is the usual cross-platform equivalent.
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: 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.
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.