Compare software

flash vs Raspberry Pi Imager: catalog facts
flash	Raspberry Pi Imager
Best for: Users preparing SD cards for devices such as Raspberry Pi	Best for: Setting up or reflashing a Raspberry Pi
Free Free and open source under the MIT license.	Free Free from Raspberry Pi.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux
Writes local or downloaded images to SD cards Can set hostname and Wi-Fi settings in supported images All 3 strengths for flash Writes local or downloaded images to SD cards Can set hostname and Wi-Fi settings in supported images Can wait for a card to be inserted	Official tool maintained by Raspberry Pi Writes to both SD cards and USB drives All 3 strengths for Raspberry Pi Imager Official tool maintained by Raspberry Pi Writes to both SD cards and USB drives Handles Raspberry Pi OS and other images
Supports macOS and Linux Progress display requires pv	Built mainly around Raspberry Pi use rather than general disk imaging
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for flash github.com/hypriot/flash Catalog checked October 8, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Raspberry Pi Imager raspberrypi.com/software Catalog checked September 23, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.