Looking for one thing, I found another (because Internet). Anyhow, I though this list put together by user bat3a on blenderartists.org, might come handy when discussing similar functions on max/blender, or when one wishes to migrate (..direction of your choice) 
. The list was based on a previous version of Blender (2.64.9) so we can assume thing got only better since then.
Legend:
Max's modifiers | Blender's equivalent
- max description if no functional equivalent
NA : not applicable
duf! : didn't understand the functionality
List:
Affect Region | Vertex Weight Proximity
Attribute Holder | Object->Custom properties
Bend | simple deform
Bevel | curve->geometry
Bevel Profile | curve->geometry
The Camera Map | UV projection
Cap Holes | NA
- builds faces in the holes in a mesh object.
Cloth and Garment Maker | sewing spring patch (not in trunk)
CrossSection | duf!
- creates a "skin" across multiple splines. It works by connecting the vertices of 3D splines to form a skin.
Delete Mesh | NA
- provides parametric deletion based on the current sub-object selection level in the stack.
Delete Patch | NA
- provides parametric deletion based on the current sub-object level in the stack.
Delete Spline | NA
- provides parametric deletion of spline geometry based on the current sub-object selection level in the stack.
Displacement Approximation | Vertex Weight Proximity
Displace | Displace
Edit Mesh | Vertex group selection
Edit Normals | NA
- gives you explicit and procedural, interactive control over each of an object's vertex normals.
Edit Patch | same as Edit Mesh
Edit Poly | same as Edit Mesh
Edit Spline | same as Edit Mesh for curves
Extrude | curve->geometry
Face Extrude | Solidify with vertex group selection
FFD (Free-Form Deformation) | Lattice
Fillet/Chamfer | curve->bevel
Flex | physics->soft-body
HSDS | Multiresolution
Lathe | curve->taper
Lattice | Wire Frame operator | (destructive)
- converts the segments or edges of a shape or object into cylindrical struts with optional joint polyhedra at the vertices
Linked XForm | Copy Transforms Constraint
LS Mesh | NA (external mesh type)
- refines a Lightscape mesh object.
MapScaler | NA
- works in object space to maintain the scale of a map applied to an object. This lets you resize the object via its creation parameters without altering the scale of the map.
Material | NA | iww
- allows you to animate, or simply change, the assignment of material IDs on an object.
MaterialByElement | addons->gyes | (destructive)
- lets you apply different material IDs to objects containing multiple elements, at random or according to a formula.
Melt | NA
- lets you apply a realistic melting effect to all types of objects, including editable patches and NURBS objects, as well as to sub-object selections passed up the stack.
Mesh Select | same as Edit Mesh
MeshSmooth | Subdivision surface
Mirror | Mirror
Morpher | object data->shape keys
MultiRes | Decimate
Noise | Displace->with noise map
Normal | NA
- unify or flip the normals of an object without applying an Edit Mesh.
Normalize Spline | addons->looptools->space (for meshes only)
- adds new control points in the spline at regular intervals.
NSurf Sel | same as Edit Mesh for NURBS
Optimize | Decimate
Patch Select | same as Edit Mesh for patch mesh
PatchDeform | simple deform
PathDeform | simple deform
Point Cache | NA
- lets you store and sub-object animation to a disk file that records only changes in vertex positions, and then play back the animation using the information in the disk file instead of the keyframes.
Poly Select | same as Edit Mesh
Preserve | NA | iww
- lets you retain, as much as possible, the edge lengths, face angles, and volume of an edited and deformed mesh object using an unmodified copy of the object before it was deformed.
Projection | bake normals (destructive)
- is used primarily to manage objects for producing normal bump maps.
Projection Holder | duf!
- appears for objects being used by the Projection's Project Mapping feature.
ProOptimizer | Decimate
Push | NA
- lets you "push" object vertices outward or inward along the average vertex normals.
Quadify Mesh | Remesh
Relax | Smooth
Renderable Spline | NA
- lets you set the renderable properties of a spline object without needing to convert the object to an editable spline.
Ripple | Wave
Select By Channel | NA
- works in conjunction with the Channel Info utility.
Shell | Solidify
Skew | NA
- lets you produce a uniform offset in an object's geometry.
Skin | Armature
Skin Morph | Armature->multiple modifiers
Skin Wrap | Mesh Deform
Skin Wrap Patch | same as Skin Wrap but for patches
Slice | same as mesh edit
Smooth | NA
- edit smooth groups
Spherify | Cast
Spline IK Control | Hooks with spline constrain
Spline Select | NA | same as mesh select but for curves
- passes a sub-object selection of shapes up the stack to subsequents
Squeeze | NA
- lets you apply a squeezing effect to objects, in which the vertices closest to the object's pivot point move inward.
STL Check | NA
- The STL Check checks an object to see if it's correct for exporting to an STL (stereolithography) file format.
Stretch | Restore Volume (not in trunk)
Subdivide | NA
-provides an algorithm for creating meshes used for radiosity processing.
Substitute | proxy
Surface | NA
- generates a patch surface based on the contours of a spline network.
SurfDeform | same as patch deform for NURBS
Sweep | NA | It is similar to Loft
- extrude a cross-section along an underlying spline or NURBS curve path
Symmetry | Mirror
Taper | simple deform
Tessellate | subdivision surface->simple mode
Trim/Extend | NA
- used primarily to clean up overlapping or open splines in a multi-spline shape so that lines meet at a single point.
TurboSmooth | Subdivision surface
Turn to gPoly | NA
- converts geometry to the hardware mesh format used internally by 3ds Max.
Turn To Mesh | apply in all modifiers
Turn To Patch | NA | apply in all modifiers
Turn To Poly | apply in all modifiers
Twist | Screw
UVW Mappings | UVProject
Vertex Weld | Remove doubles (destructive)
VertexPaint | Vertex Paint
Volume Select | NA
- make a sub-object selection of vertices or faces for passing up the stack to another ors.
Wave | Wave
Welder | NA
- smoothes a mesh that has a tear in it.
XForm | Applying transforms
. The list was based on a previous version of Blender (2.64.9) so we can assume thing got only better since then.Legend:
Max's modifiers | Blender's equivalent
- max description if no functional equivalent
NA : not applicable
duf! : didn't understand the functionality
List:
Affect Region | Vertex Weight Proximity
Attribute Holder | Object->Custom properties
Bend | simple deform
Bevel | curve->geometry
Bevel Profile | curve->geometry
The Camera Map | UV projection
Cap Holes | NA
- builds faces in the holes in a mesh object.
Cloth and Garment Maker | sewing spring patch (not in trunk)
CrossSection | duf!
- creates a "skin" across multiple splines. It works by connecting the vertices of 3D splines to form a skin.
Delete Mesh | NA
- provides parametric deletion based on the current sub-object selection level in the stack.
Delete Patch | NA
- provides parametric deletion based on the current sub-object level in the stack.
Delete Spline | NA
- provides parametric deletion of spline geometry based on the current sub-object selection level in the stack.
Displacement Approximation | Vertex Weight Proximity
Displace | Displace
Edit Mesh | Vertex group selection
Edit Normals | NA
- gives you explicit and procedural, interactive control over each of an object's vertex normals.
Edit Patch | same as Edit Mesh
Edit Poly | same as Edit Mesh
Edit Spline | same as Edit Mesh for curves
Extrude | curve->geometry
Face Extrude | Solidify with vertex group selection
FFD (Free-Form Deformation) | Lattice
Fillet/Chamfer | curve->bevel
Flex | physics->soft-body
HSDS | Multiresolution
Lathe | curve->taper
Lattice | Wire Frame operator | (destructive)
- converts the segments or edges of a shape or object into cylindrical struts with optional joint polyhedra at the vertices
Linked XForm | Copy Transforms Constraint
LS Mesh | NA (external mesh type)
- refines a Lightscape mesh object.
MapScaler | NA
- works in object space to maintain the scale of a map applied to an object. This lets you resize the object via its creation parameters without altering the scale of the map.
Material | NA | iww
- allows you to animate, or simply change, the assignment of material IDs on an object.
MaterialByElement | addons->gyes | (destructive)
- lets you apply different material IDs to objects containing multiple elements, at random or according to a formula.
Melt | NA
- lets you apply a realistic melting effect to all types of objects, including editable patches and NURBS objects, as well as to sub-object selections passed up the stack.
Mesh Select | same as Edit Mesh
MeshSmooth | Subdivision surface
Mirror | Mirror
Morpher | object data->shape keys
MultiRes | Decimate
Noise | Displace->with noise map
Normal | NA
- unify or flip the normals of an object without applying an Edit Mesh.
Normalize Spline | addons->looptools->space (for meshes only)
- adds new control points in the spline at regular intervals.
NSurf Sel | same as Edit Mesh for NURBS
Optimize | Decimate
Patch Select | same as Edit Mesh for patch mesh
PatchDeform | simple deform
PathDeform | simple deform
Point Cache | NA
- lets you store and sub-object animation to a disk file that records only changes in vertex positions, and then play back the animation using the information in the disk file instead of the keyframes.
Poly Select | same as Edit Mesh
Preserve | NA | iww
- lets you retain, as much as possible, the edge lengths, face angles, and volume of an edited and deformed mesh object using an unmodified copy of the object before it was deformed.
Projection | bake normals (destructive)
- is used primarily to manage objects for producing normal bump maps.
Projection Holder | duf!
- appears for objects being used by the Projection's Project Mapping feature.
ProOptimizer | Decimate
Push | NA
- lets you "push" object vertices outward or inward along the average vertex normals.
Quadify Mesh | Remesh
Relax | Smooth
Renderable Spline | NA
- lets you set the renderable properties of a spline object without needing to convert the object to an editable spline.
Ripple | Wave
Select By Channel | NA
- works in conjunction with the Channel Info utility.
Shell | Solidify
Skew | NA
- lets you produce a uniform offset in an object's geometry.
Skin | Armature
Skin Morph | Armature->multiple modifiers
Skin Wrap | Mesh Deform
Skin Wrap Patch | same as Skin Wrap but for patches
Slice | same as mesh edit
Smooth | NA
- edit smooth groups
Spherify | Cast
Spline IK Control | Hooks with spline constrain
Spline Select | NA | same as mesh select but for curves
- passes a sub-object selection of shapes up the stack to subsequents
Squeeze | NA
- lets you apply a squeezing effect to objects, in which the vertices closest to the object's pivot point move inward.
STL Check | NA
- The STL Check checks an object to see if it's correct for exporting to an STL (stereolithography) file format.
Stretch | Restore Volume (not in trunk)
Subdivide | NA
-provides an algorithm for creating meshes used for radiosity processing.
Substitute | proxy
Surface | NA
- generates a patch surface based on the contours of a spline network.
SurfDeform | same as patch deform for NURBS
Sweep | NA | It is similar to Loft
- extrude a cross-section along an underlying spline or NURBS curve path
Symmetry | Mirror
Taper | simple deform
Tessellate | subdivision surface->simple mode
Trim/Extend | NA
- used primarily to clean up overlapping or open splines in a multi-spline shape so that lines meet at a single point.
TurboSmooth | Subdivision surface
Turn to gPoly | NA
- converts geometry to the hardware mesh format used internally by 3ds Max.
Turn To Mesh | apply in all modifiers
Turn To Patch | NA | apply in all modifiers
Turn To Poly | apply in all modifiers
Twist | Screw
UVW Mappings | UVProject
Vertex Weld | Remove doubles (destructive)
VertexPaint | Vertex Paint
Volume Select | NA
- make a sub-object selection of vertices or faces for passing up the stack to another ors.
Wave | Wave
Welder | NA
- smoothes a mesh that has a tear in it.
XForm | Applying transforms
