Fragrance comparison

9am vs Real

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 15 Nov 2026 479 ratings analysed

4 wins

9am

Afnan

3.68417 votes

Rank #6,595 CitrusMusky

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Real

American Eagle · 2006

4.5062 votes

Rank #30,662 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

9am takes 4 of 5 categories.

9am
Choose it for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring.
Real
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in fall, daytime wear.

9am4/5

Real1/5

Ratings & consensus: Real
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: 9am
Sillage & projection: 9am
Value for money: 9am
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: 9am

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

9amAfnan

RealAmerican Eagle

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.68/ 5 · 417 votes

Have 80%Had 20%Want 0%

4.50/ 5 · 62 votes

Have 19%Had 54%Want 28%

Category winnerRealRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

30%Love

35%Like

18%Ok

11%Dislike

7%Hate

355 votes

64%Love

29%Like

0%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

14 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage58

♥ Love / hate68

⏱ Longevity55

〰 Sillage53

♥ Love / hate88

Category winners

Longevity9am

Sillage9am

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value79

¤ Price value58

Category winner9amBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

musky92%

aromatic84%

woody77%

warm spicy69%

lavender61%

citrus92%

woody69%

warm spicy53%

Scent match56%Closely related · both citrus, woody and warm spicy

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

LemonMandarin OrangeCardamomPink Pepper

Heart

LavenderOrange BlossomGreen AppleRose

Base

MuskMossCedarPatchouli

Top

Green LeavesWatery NotesMandarin OrangeLemonBergamotSea Notes

Heart

CardamomRoseOrange BlossomLily-of-the-Valley

Base

AmberVetiverSandalwoodMossResinsPatchouli

InformationalShared notesLemon, Mandarin Orange, Cardamom and Orange Blossom. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter19

Day–

Night–

Spring67

Summer33

Fall100

Winter100

Day100

Night75

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men29

Unisex53

Women18

Men0

Unisex0

Women100

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#6,595

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews56

Overall rank#30,662

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2006

Reviews0

Category winner9amHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Afnan 9am opens with bright lemon and mandarin, then settles into a clean lavender musk with green apple, soft woods, and a faint earthy edge. It reads fresh, lightly sweet, and easy to wear, though the sharp citrus opening and mossy-musky drydown can feel synthetic on some skin. This suits shoppers after an affordabl…

Reviews →

Real by American Eagle is an approachable woody spicy fragrance for men. It opens with a crisp, refreshing blend of green leaves and citrus notes before moving into a warm heart of cardamom and rose. The base of sandalwood and amber provides a clean, reliable finish that is perfect for daily office or casual wear thro…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, 9am or Real?

9am takes 4 of 5 categories. 9am is rated 3.68/5 from 417 votes; Real is rated 4.50/5 from 62 votes. Choose 9am for a citrus and musky character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in spring. Choose Real for a citrus and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, 9am or Real?

9am lasts longest (9am 66/100, Real 55/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, 9am or Real?

9am projects furthest (9am 58/100, Real 53/100), based on community performance votes.

Do 9am and Real smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, woody and warm spicy accords. Common notes include Lemon, Mandarin Orange, Cardamom and Orange Blossom.

Is 9am or Real better for summer or winter?

Real suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in 9am and Real?

9am has top notes of Lemon, Mandarin Orange, Cardamom and Pink Pepper, heart notes of Lavender, Orange Blossom, Green Apple and Rose, a base of Musk, Moss, Cedar and Patchouli. Real has top notes of Green Leaves, Watery Notes, Mandarin Orange and Lemon, heart notes of Cardamom, Rose, Orange Blossom and Lily-of-the-Valley, a base of Amber, Vetiver, Sandalwood and Moss.