Fragrance comparison

CK Free vs Michael for Men

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

Updated 7 Nov 2026 2,919 ratings analysed

CK Free

Calvin Klein

3.391,868 votes

Rank #37,294 WoodyAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

30%scent match

Clearly different

5 wins

Michael for Men

Michael Kors

4.051,051 votes

Rank #738 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Michael for Men takes 5 of 7 categories.

CK Free
Choose it for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear.
Michael for Men
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

CK Free2/7

Michael for Men5/7

Ratings & consensus: Michael for Men
Community sentiment: Michael for Men
Longevity: Michael for Men
Sillage & projection: Michael for Men
Value for money: CK Free
Versatility: CK Free
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Michael for Men

Head-to-head breakdown

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

Fragrance

CK FreeCalvin Klein

Michael for MenMichael Kors

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.39/ 5 · 1,868 votes

Have 57%Had 36%Want 7%

4.05/ 5 · 1,051 votes

Have 68%Had 32%Want 0%

Category winnerMichael for MenRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

9%Love

48%Like

18%Ok

23%Dislike

2%Hate

1,868 votes

45%Love

44%Like

2%Ok

9%Dislike

0%Hate

946 votes

Category winnerMichael for MenMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity41

〰 Sillage37

♥ Love / hate60

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage62

♥ Love / hate81

Category winners

LongevityMichael for Men

SillageMichael for Men

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value64

¤ Price value57

Category winnerCK FreeBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

aromatic88%

fresh spicy77%

anis65%

soft spicy53%

powdery42%

fruity100%

sweet92%

woody84%

warm spicy77%

tobacco69%

aromatic61%

Scent match30%Clearly different · both woody and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

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

Top15 to 30 minutes

Juniper BerriesStar AniseWormwoodJackfruit

Heart30 to 60 minutes

SuedeTobaccoBuchu or AgathosmaCoffee

Base1 to 2 hours

Virginia CedarOakWoody NotesPatchouli

Top

Star AniseFir ResinCinnamonCardamomTarragonCorianderCarawayBergamot

Heart

TobaccoIncenseSuede

Base

Dried FruitsPlumPatchouliSandalwood

InformationalShared notesStar Anise, Suede, Tobacco and Patchouli. Durations are only published for CK Free, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring75

Summer100

Fall27

Winter11

Day100

Night17

Spring33

Summer11

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Category winnerCK FreeMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men89

Unisex10

Women1

Men94

Unisex4

Women2

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#37,294

PerfumerEllen Molner, Rodrigo Flores-Roux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#738

PerfumerHarry Fremont

Launched—

Reviews180

Category winnerMichael for MenHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

CK Free by Calvin Klein is a light woody aromatic scent designed for straightforward, casual wear. The fragrance opens with an airy mix of crisp juniper berries, star anise, bitter wormwood, and a mild tropical touch of jackfruit. As the initial sharpness settles, a restrained heart of soft suede, dry tobacco leaf, ar…

Reviews →

Michael for Men is a warm, spiced tobacco scent with plum, dried fruit and star anise giving it an old-school, dressed-up feel. It opens boozy and sweet on many wearers, then settles into smoky tobacco, incense and soft suede. It tends to suit cool weather best and usually reads mature, elegant and a little bold. Samp…

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.

Recent comparisons

Head-to-head activity from live history

Dans Ma Bulle Eau de ToiletteCarvenWINNER vs

NefertariAtelier Segall & BaruttiRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Cassilia BlackPacomaRUNNER-UP vs

Celestial FlowerThe Dua BrandWINNER

1 person compared this today

Icy Hard CandyHouse Of SillageRUNNER-UP vs

Un Air d'Amour Pour MadameDorinWINNER

1 person compared this today

PiscesBellaVitaWINNER vs

Montabaco VeranoOrmonde JayneRUNNER-UP

1 person compared this today

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, CK Free or Michael for Men?

Michael for Men takes 5 of 7 categories. CK Free is rated 3.39/5 from 1,868 votes; Michael for Men is rated 4.05/5 from 1,051 votes. Choose CK Free for a woody and aromatic character. Wins on value for money and versatility. Best in summer, daytime wear. Choose Michael for Men for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and longevity. Best in winter.

Which lasts longer, CK Free or Michael for Men?

Michael for Men lasts longest (Michael for Men 72/100, CK Free 41/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, CK Free or Michael for Men?

Michael for Men projects furthest (Michael for Men 62/100, CK Free 37/100), based on community performance votes.

Do CK Free and Michael for Men smell similar?

Clearly different: a 30% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody and aromatic accords. Common notes include Star Anise, Suede, Tobacco and Patchouli.

Is CK Free or Michael for Men better for summer or winter?

For summer, CK Free is the stronger pick. For winter, Michael for Men is the stronger pick. CK Free suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in CK Free and Michael for Men?

CK Free has top notes of Juniper Berries, Star Anise, Wormwood and Jackfruit, heart notes of Suede, Tobacco, Buchu or Agathosma and Coffee, a base of Virginia Cedar, Oak, Woody Notes and Patchouli. Michael for Men has top notes of Star Anise, Fir Resin, Cinnamon and Cardamom, heart notes of Tobacco, Incense and Suede, a base of Dried Fruits, Plum, Patchouli and Sandalwood.