Gpick
What it is
Gpick is a free, open-source color picker and palette editor for Linux. It samples colors from the desktop, with magnification and keyboard control of the pointer, and can automatically assign color names. For building palettes, it can extract colors from images, generate schemes, mix colors, vary lightness or saturation, and create harmonious combinations. Its oversampling feature averages multiple pixel values and provides five falloff types for sampling noisy or patterned sources. Gpick imports and exports Inkscape/GIMP palettes and Adobe Swatch Exchange files; it also exports MTL, CSS, HTML, and customizable text files. HTML exports let people preview and share palettes without palette-editing software. A floating mode offers a pointer-following window and notification-area icon for basic picking, but does not include palette editing or color adjustment. Command-line arguments allow use from other programs or scripts. The project is BSD-3-Clause licensed, with Debian and Ubuntu amd64 packages and source archives listed for download.
For and against
For
- Samples colors with magnification and keyboard pointer control
- Creates palettes from images and color schemes
- Exports palettes as CSS, HTML, MTL, and more
- Command-line arguments support use by scripts
Against
- Available platform listed is Linux
- Floating mode excludes palette editing and color adjustment
The verdict
Gpick combines desktop color sampling with a broad set of palette creation and export tools. Its floating mode is limited to basic picking, while fuller palette work is available in the main tool.
Who it suits
Gpick suits Linux users who sample desktop colors or create palettes for graphic design applications. Its command-line options may also suit people connecting it to scripts or other programs.
Plans and prices
Gpick
No paid plans or usage limits stated
Read 11 Oct 2026 · gpick.org
On the record
- Color names
- It can assign color names automatically.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Color sampling
- It supports magnification and keyboard control of the mouse pointer.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Command line
- Command-line arguments allow Gpick to be used from other programs or scripts.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Export formats
- It exports Inkscape/GIMP palettes, Adobe Swatch Exchange, Alias/WaveFront Material, CSS, HTML, and customizable text files.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Floating mode
- Floating picker mode uses a pointer-following window and notification-area icon, and is intended for basic color picking without palette editing or color adjustment.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Floating picker
- Its floating picker mode provides a pointer-following window and notification area icon for basic color picking.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Import formats
- It imports Inkscape/GIMP palette files, Adobe Swatch Exchange files, and customizable text files.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The repository says Gpick can sample desktop colors and create palettes for graphic design applications.github.com · read 11 Oct 2026
- Latest listed release
- The downloads page lists version 0.4.0-1 packages dated 2025-11-29.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- License
- The project repository identifies its license as BSD-3-Clause.github.com · read 11 Oct 2026
- Linux downloads
- The official downloads page lists Debian and Ubuntu packages for amd64, plus source archives.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Noisy image sampling
- Oversampling averages multiple pixel values and offers five falloff types to help pick colors from noisy or patterned sources.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Oversampling
- Its oversampling feature averages multiple pixel values and offers five falloff types.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Palette creation
- It can create a palette from an image and includes color scheme tools, color mixing, lightness and saturation variations, and harmonious colors.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Palette formats
- It imports and exports Inkscape/Gimp palettes and Adobe Swatch Exchange files; it also exports MTL, CSS, HTML, and customizable text files.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Palette sharing
- Exported HTML pages can be used to preview and share palettes with people who do not use Gpick or other palette editing software.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Palette tools
- It can create palettes from images, generate color schemes, mix colors, vary lightness or saturation, and create harmonious colors.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- Gpick is an advanced color picker and palette editing tool.gpick.org · read 11 Oct 2026
