26 GIMP Plugins to get Photoshop’s best features

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GIMP, the free and open-source image editor, is often blamed for its lack of polish in its interface. However, with sufficient addons (particularly plugins), you can achieve a lot of functionality found in other editors.

Our previous GIMP plugins post looked at best plugins for web design, photography etc. In this second roundup, we will take a look at plugins that bring Photoshop’s features to GIMP. This is significant, because GIMP typically draws a lot of flack for not having many of Photoshop’s functionality.

You might also want to read our previous posts on GIMP:

• More free GIMP plugins
• How to install brushes, gradients and plugins in GIMP
• Best GIMP brushes
• Free Photoshop brushes (Photoshop brushes work in GIMP 2.4 and above)
• Download Geometric Patterns, a free huge texture pack

These are GIMP 2.6 -compatible and tested plugins, but they would likely work for older versions too.

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GIMP plugins for Photoshop-like functionality

Wavelet Denoise: Reduce noise in each channel of an image separately

GREYCstoration: Removes grains or small artefacts (JPEG blocks effect) from images. It is based on anisotropic diffusion partial differential equations.

Liquid Rescale: Brings Photoshop’s content aware scaling to GIMP.

Image subdivide: Divide image into specified number of rows and columns and save any part.

Save for Web: Brings the Save for web feature that is much useful for web designers and others posting images to the web.

PSPI: Photoshop plugin wrapper that lets you use Photoshop plugins in GIMP.

Slice and Merge: Split one image ‘file’ into smaller ‘files’, and to recombine it successively. One single image ‘file’ can be split into unlimited number of files.

Unsharp Mask: Improves on the default unsharp functionality.

Photo finish: Round photo edges and apply a shadow border.

Photoshop pattern loader: Load Photoshop PAT patterns set as image in GIMP.

Soft focus: This script simulates soft focus.

Watermark: Add text as a watermark into an image.

Removing timestamp: This script removes the timestamp imprinted on photos by digital cameras.

Shadowed thumbnail: Create a thumbnail preview of an image with a shadow effect.

Flash SWF Export: A Python script that exports a GIMP image as a Shockwave Flash file or the layers of an GIMP image as a Shockwave Flash animation.

Plastiwrap: Script-fu that replicates the Photoshop filter Plastic Wrap.

Backup: GIMP script that backs up working image.

Wavelet Decompose: Script-fu that losslessly decompose an image into different detail scales. Useful for photo post processing.

High quality rescale: Improved upscaling using a new proof-of-concept algorithm.

Noise generator: Generate noise of a few different types.

Pencil drawing from photo: Script to create pencil drawing from photographic image.

Tear off: Python plugin that crops application screenshots with a jagged “torn-off” appearance.

GIMP reflection: Extends lower section of an image as a reflection of the original image.

Pandora: Simplifies the process of stitching together a sequence of panorama images.

Shadow recovery: Recover image information in dark parts.

Texturize: Create large and natural textures from a small sample.

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