BurnAware
ActiveOverview
BurnAware is disc burning software for creating data, audio, video, and bootable CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs including M-Disc and BDXL formats up to 100 GB. It supports ISO image creation, burning, and extraction, multisession discs, and disc copying. Available in Free, Premium, and Professional editions, it targets home users for basic burning tasks and advanced users needing features like data recovery and command-line support.
Key Features
- Data Disc Burning - Burns data to CD, DVD, or Blu-ray discs with support for multisession and spanning.
- Audio CD Creation - Creates audio CDs from files with CD-Text and audio tag support.
- Video DVD Conversion - Converts video files to MPEG2 format and burns as data DVDs (Premium/Professional).
- ISO Image Handling - Creates, burns, and extracts ISO images, including bootable ones.
- Disc Copying and Backup - Copies discs directly or backs up to ISO images.
- Blu-ray and M-Disc Support - Handles BDXL up to 100 GB and M-Disc formats.
- Data Recovery - Recovers files from damaged discs (Professional).
- Command-Line Interface - Supports automated burning via console and .bafl file lists (Professional).
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Burn data/audio/video discs, make/burn ISO images, backup discs. |
| Premium | Paid (trial available) | All Free features plus video DVD converter, disc spanning/copying. |
| Professional | Paid (trial available) | All Premium features plus data recovery, audio grabber, console burner, multiburn, business use. |
Platforms & Requirements
Runs on Windows operating systems. Supports CD/DVD/Blu-ray drives including BDXL and M-Disc. No macOS, Linux, or mobile support.
Integrations & Ecosystem
- ISO/UDF file systems
- Bootable disc creation
- M-Disc and BDXL media
- Command-line automation (.bafl files)
- CD-Text and audio tags
- Multisession disc import
- VIDEO_TS folder burning
- Disc error checking
Alternatives
| App | Difference |
|---|---|
| ImgBurn | Free and lightweight, focuses on disc imaging and verification but lacks video conversion and modern Blu-ray support. |
| CDBurnerXP | Free with similar basic burning features but no Premium tiers or BDXL/M-Disc support. |
| Ashampoo Burning Studio | Commercial with more multimedia tools like disc ripping, but higher cost and less command-line focus. |
| Nero Burning ROM | Feature-rich commercial suite with broader media editing, but significantly more expensive and bloated. |
Reputation
BurnAware is regarded as a reliable free disc burning tool with strong support for modern media like M-Disc and BDXL. Users praise its simple interface and feature completeness in the free version compared to competitors. Criticisms include limited advanced features without upgrading and occasional reports of bundled installers in third-party downloads. Developed in Russia, it maintains active updates as of version 19.0.
Sources (9)
- https://www.burnaware.com/download.html
- https://www.burnaware.com
- https://burnaware-free.software.informer.com
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVp6BYramg8
- https://burnaware.en.filerox.com/support
- https://www.burnaware.com/help/command-line.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiYgnxRGS3s
- https://tutorials.mediaket.net/software-tutorials/burnaware-tutorial.html
- https://www.burnaware.com/faq.html