Creed Aventus is probably the most popular fragrance in the world – but it’s damn expensive.
So for those of us who aren’t millionaires, what’s the best Aventus alternative out there?
I’m going to run through the best Aventus imitations I’ve come across, as well as a couple that you should avoid.
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Best Scent for Winter
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Top Pick Overall
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Premium Alternative
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4.4
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4.8
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4.3
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$163.99 ($163.99 / Fl Oz)
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$35.97 ($9.99 / Fl Oz)
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- Serious masculinity with smokey pineapple, dark amber, and woodsy notes.
- Lasts for around 10 hours - an absolute beast.
- Incredibly similar to Aventus. I'd say 90% the same.
- One of my most complimented fragrances for an excellent price.
- Beautiful masculine pineapple with a little less smokiness than Aventus.
- Top-tier longevity and projection. You’ll get a full day's wear without issue.
I’ve tested all of the major contenders to help you work out which is right for you.
Let’s get into it!
Best Creed Aventus Alternatives
Armaf Club De Nuit Intense Man – Best Aventus Alternative Overall
Hacivat by Nishane – Best Aventus Alternative for Winter
The Scent of Peace for Men by Bond No9 – Best Premium Aventus Alternative
Vibrant Leather by Zara – Best High-Street Aventus Alternative
Explorer by Montblanc – A Classy Aventus Alternative
Musky Oakmoss by Dossier – Best Budget Aventus Alternative
And Two to Avoid…
London by English Laundry – Best Creed Alternative… for Five Minutes
Pineapple Vintage – Good Creed Alternative, Bad Customer Service
Armaf Club De Nuit Intense Man – Best Aventus Alternative Overall
I’m telling you right now – Club De Nuit Intense Man is one of the most complimented fragrances in my collection.
Incredibly similar to Aventus. I'd say 90% identical.
One of the most complimented fragrances in my collection.
It’s very similar to Aventus. I doubt 99% of people would be able to tell the difference.
But it somehow manages to get me even more positive female attention than Aventus did when I wore it.
It’s an exceptional pick at this price point, but I’ll concede that there are a couple of hints that Club De Nuit Intense Man isn’t a truly premium cologne.
First, the opening is a BLAST of citrus. Personally, I like it – but I’ve had people describe it as a little harsh if they’re around me when I’m applying it.
Also, the projection is a little less consistent than Creed. Aventus is fireworks for the whole 10-hour ride, Club De Nuit Intense Man starts a little too strong and ends a little too weak.
But even with that in mind, you need to remember that compared to Aventus Club De Nuit Intense Man is basically free. This Armaf cologne is about as similar a scent as you can get, and represents great value for money.
At the moment I have one of the newer batches, which I sense is just a touch weaker than the older ones.
The older batches are almost impossible to come by. If you can get hold of a bottle at a reasonable price, jump at the chance.
Worst case, you can mail it to me and I’ll pay you for your trouble 😉
| Top Notes: | Lemon, Pineapple, Bergamot, Blackcurrant and Apple |
| Middle Notes: | Birch, Jasmine and Rose |
| Base Notes: | Musk, Ambergris, Patchouli and Vanilla |
Hacivat by Nishane – Best Aventus Alternative for Winter
Hacivat is like Aventus’ cooler older brother, and I don’t say that lightly. It’s darker, earthier, and in my opinion a little more mature. It makes Aventus feel carefree and playful by comparison.
Serious masculinity with smokey pineapple, dark amber, and woodsy notes.
Lasts for around 10 hours - an absolute beast.
Put it this way: Darth Vader would wear Hacivat instead of Aventus.
It’s a gloomier, broody fragrance that suits cooler weather best. The dark-amber, woodsy dry-down undercuts the familiar pineapple opening with some serious masculinity.
It feels “greener” than Aventus from a healthy dose of patchouli and oakmoss.
Hacivat is also the only Aventus alternative I’ve found that outperforms the original. It’s a 10-hour projection monster.
With that in mind, less is more with this one. 1-2 sprays max; 3-4 is way overkill.
- Check our guide for more of the best affordable winter colognes.
| Top Notes: | Pineapple, Grapefruit and Bergamot |
| Middle Notes: | Cedar, Patchouli and Jasmine |
| Base Notes: | Oakmoss and Woodsy Notes |
The Scent of Peace for Men by Bond No9 – Best Aventus Alternative
Let’s get one thing straight – Scent of Peace for Him is a top-tier fragrance in its own right with a cult following. It’s the best Bond No9 cologne in my opinion.
Beautiful masculine pineapple with a little less smokiness than Aventus.
Top-tier longevity and projection. You’ll get a full day's wear without issue.
It’s about 80% similar in terms of scent. It has that pineapple inflection for sure, but maybe lacks a little of that smokiness. It is lighter and brighter than Aventus, for sure.
This woody masculinity and energizing pineapple is perfect for showing the world you’re in control and can handle business while having some fun and expressing yourself.
The Scent of Peace is less “sexy CEO” energy than Aventus, and makes me think more of an impressive manager who’s great at his job, and is maybe a little eccentric.
As the hours go on, this pineapple note fades, and with it the association with Aventus. By the end of the dry down, you’re left with an aquatic, blue-ish scent.
Longevity and projection are comparable with Aventus. You’ll get a full day’s wear without issue.
Most people look to alternatives to make a saving, but The Scent of Peace for Men isn’t actually that much cheaper than Aventus.
So if you’re looking for a budget Aventus imitator, look elsewhere.
| Top Notes: | Pineapple, Juniper Berries and Bergamot |
| Middle Notes: | Currant Buds |
| Base Notes: | Cedar and Vetiver |
Vibrant Leather – Best High-Street Alternative
Vibrant Leather is a masculine and professional-smelling fragrance, delivering CEO confidence and authority.
Very similar to Aventus Creed. Does an excellent job for a fraction of the price.
Citrus and bergamot combine for a masculine and professional-smelling fragrance.
It does an excellent job of mimicking the heavyweight cologne for a fraction of the price.
If you’ve always wanted to get into Creed fragrances but can’t afford them, this is the cologne for you.
It opens up with the iconic combo of bergamot and zesty lemon and lime. This freshness fades within an hour or two into a wood, musky aroma.
The leather in the name is rather quiet. I interpret Vibrant Leather as a fresh and clean fragrance, rather than the dark leather the name prepares you for.
As you’d expect for a cheaper cologne, it doesn’t pack quite as much of a punch as its designer inspiration. Vibrant Leather wears as more a light Eau de Toilette than a powerful Eau de Parfum. It’s a watered-down interpretation, but you can’t expect anything more for the price.
You’ll get an hour or so of solid projection before Vibrant Leather retreats to skin-scent territory for a further 4-5.
Even with that in mind, Vibrant Leather is a scent I would recommend to anyone. For a hilariously low price, you’re blessed with a real compliment-collecting fragrance that is truly versatile.
| Top Notes: | Bergamot, Citruses |
| Middle Note: | Bamboo |
| Base Note: | Leather |
Explorer by Montblanc – A Classy Aventus Alternative
You can tell Montblanc Explorer is inspired by Aventus just from looking at the bottle.
Montblanc Explorer melds invigorating bergamot with earthy clary sage and a robust, woody base. Bold and dynamic.
This fruity, warm, amberish concoction is pretty sweet. In the opening, the fruity notes are a little tart and remind me of the Aventus pineapple, but there’s no smokiness.
The real similarity starts in the heart, with bergamot front and center. It’s got a refreshing, palate-cleansing quality that tends to pick up compliments.
Ambroxan and a touch of leather lend a masculine sense that implies authority and will help add a boost to your confidence. The woodsy, vetiver base helps to stiffen and round out the sweeter fruit notes and prevents Explorer from feeling too safe or summery, which is great.
Montblanc Explorer lasts a good 6 hours too, which is plenty for a cologne in this price range. It’s a popular fragrance that’s widely available, and you’ll have an easier time getting hold of a bottle than some of the more niche choices on this list.
| Top Notes: | Pink Pepper and Clary Sage |
| Middle Notes: | Leather and Vetiver |
| Base Notes: | Ambroxan, Patchouli and Cacao |
Musky Oakmoss by Dossier – Best Budget Aventus Alternative
Dossier colognes are relatively unknown, but I’ve got a feeling that’s going to change over the next few years.
Dossier makes no bones about the fact that Musky Oakmoss is inspired by Creed Aventus. It’s front and center on the box and marketing material.
They’re not wrong. It does smell a lot like Aventus, particularly in the opening. It’s a fresh burst of citrus – not quite the pineapple of the original, but still bright enough to come pretty close.
Then we meet the richer heart of bergamot, rose, oakmoss, and patchouli. It’s powdery and weighted really nicely. The rose in particular is a nice touch that adds sophistication without tilting feminine.
The dry drown brings the musk you’ve been waiting for and adds a little mystery and intrigue. Without it, Musky Oakmoss might come off a little light and bright. The musk is an important grounding influence that ties everything together in a masculine cologne that implies authority and leadership.
As you’d expect from a budget alternative, Musky Oakmoss is not quite as strong as Creed Aventus. All the elements are there, but it’s just not as powerful.
That said, it’s still a great deal for the price.
Plus, all Dossier fragrances are vegan, cruelty-free, and use skin-friendly, “clean” ingredients. So you can do good while you smell good.
This cologne in particular offers a fresh and refined Aventus-esque experience and would be well worth the money at twice the price.
| Top Notes: | Citric Notes |
| Middle Notes: | Bergamot, Rose and Patchouli |
| Base Notes: | Musk, Oakmoss and Woodsy Notes |
Want the Real Deal? Consider a Decant From MicroPerfumes.com
If none of these fragrances are jumping out at you, maybe consider getting a sample decant of the real deal.
You can order 2ml vials of fragrances from Microperfumes for just a few bucks to try out designer colognes without blowing the bank.
The most affordable place to try genuine samples of designer colognes - starting at 99 cents.
A huge range of the most popular colognes, with quick and easy shipping options.
Once you’ve tried Aventus, there’s a good chance you’ll fall in love and be able to justify splashing out on a full-sized bottle. At least, that’s what happened to me.
And Two to Avoid…
London by English Laundry – Best Creed Alternative… for Five Minutes
London English Laundry smells identical to Creed Aventus for five minutes. That’s because that’s how long it lasts.
Okay, it’s probably closer to an hour, but you get the point. This stuff was recommended to me by a friend as an excellent Creed Aventus alternative, but it’s weak.
Honestly, one of the most short-lived fragrances I’ve ever set my nose upon.
Beyond that, the initial spray is almost identical to Aventus. Within 20 minutes it starts drying down and gets a little fruiter, with a touch of vanilla and cedar in the base.
Because it’s so light I’d recommend only considering London English Laundry for hot summer days where it has a chance to carry. It’s not got the firepower to cut through the cold air.
Just prepare to respray throughout the day. It’s a glovebox cologne, best sprayed directly before you arrive at whatever it is you’re doing so it has a chance of surviving.
P.S I had to mention this cologne somewhere. As a Londoner myself, I can’t resist representing my city. God save the Queen etc.
| Top Notes: | Pineapple, Blackberry and Apple |
| Middle Notes: | Juniper, Bergamot, Patchouli and Ambergris |
| Base Notes: | Oakmoss, Musk, Jasmine and Vanilla |
Pineapple Vintage – Good Creed Alternative, Bad Customer Service
Pineapple Vintage does a great job of capturing the Aventus DNA in the opening. It’s light and fresh, and for the first hour or so it smells a lot like Creed.
However, as it progresses it can’t keep up with the depth you expect from Aventus. The classic version is a bit too sweet and tart, without any of the smoke you’d hope for.
Longevity across the range is within the realm of 4 – 6 hours, which is perfectly respectable for a cologne at this price point. My only issue, at least with the original, is that the second ride is basically just pineapple.
If you’re willing to branch out into their flankers, Pineapple Vintage can at least give you an authentic Creed batch code experience. They have about a dozen versions, each with different levels of pineapple, smoke, and musk, and the marginal variations are similar to those you find across Aventus batches.
It is such a shame that the customer service is just horrible. When I bought a couple of bottles last year, one came with a loose sprayer and had leaked all over the box.
I reached out to them in good faith to have a replacement sent out but heard nothing.
3 more emails, radio silence.
This is despite stating on their website that refunds are available for products not as described. I’ve since opened a dispute with PayPal so I’m hoping that will speed things along.
I should have done my due diligence. Having read reviews from online forums it turns out I’m not alone. Other disappointed customers have been promised full refunds and only been partially repaid, for example.
That said, the juice itself is still good, so I’d be happy to order again through a third party where I know any complaints will be taken seriously.
Check out our review of the best places to buy cologne online to make sure you’re protected.
| Top Notes: | Pineapple, Apple and Birch |
| Middle Notes: | Bergamot, Rose and Jasmine |
| Base Notes: | Ambergris, Musk, Patchouli and Vanilla |
Is Creed Aventus Worth it?
As a fragrance enthusiast, I believe everyone has to try Creed Aventus at least once, and if you’ve got a bit of cash it’s still worth it to Aventus in your collection.
It’s iconic for a reason. A lot of edgy bros don’t like it anymore because of all of the attention that it receives, but I don’t go along with that.
Anything popular is going to attract haters, but frankly, people’s opinion of a cologne doesn’t change how it smells. I continue to rock Aventus shamelessly – and I love it.
What to Look For in a Good Aventus Alternative?
Aventus is famed for three primary characteristics. The first two are in the opening – tart pineapple, but crucially with an added hint of smokiness. This is not simply a bright, shiny fruity fragrance – it has a darker undercurrent to it.
The third element is powerful bergamot, a citrusy scent similar to lime but with floral, herbal undertones.
The other elements are a little more interchangeable. For instance, Aventus uses cedar as part of its woodsy base, but exchanging it for another, similar wood would still potentially produce a cologne recognizable as Aventus inspired.
What’s Changed?
We updated this guide in January 2024 to reflect the most recent pricing information.
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