The Freebird FlexSeries and Skull Shaver are two of the most sought-after head shavers on the market, and it's no surprise why. They're both affordable, highly-rated rotary shavers designed specifically for bald heads.
While Skull Shaver offers Silver, Gold, and Platinum models of their Pitbull Shaver, our comparison focuses on the Skull Shaver Gold since it's Skull Shaver’s most popular model, and most similar to Freebird's FlexSeries. We will discuss other models where appropriate.
Join us as we pit these two heavyweights head to head.
* Pricing and details accurate as of June 25, 2024
A Quick Verdict
Here are the key things you need to know about when comparing the Freebird FlexSeries and Skull Shaver:
Both are electric rotary head shavers, and both are highly rated and popular. They have powerful electric motors for a close shave and include IPX5 waterproofing for wet or dry shaving in the shower.
Skull Shavers are famous for their unique two-finger insert design, which allows users to shave without straining their wrists. They have only four heads to a blade, which some users have claimed provides for a more nimble and versatile shaving experience than five-head blades.
However, they're around double the price of the FlexSeries, have only a one-year warranty compared to the FlexSeries' lifetime, and don't come with any attachments, which you must buy separately.
The FlexSeries costs around half the price of the Skull Shaver, has a lifetime warranty, and has several free attachments, including a nose and ear trimmer, hair clipper with three guards, scalp scrubber, and exfoliation brush.
While the Skull Shaver's unique design allows for a nimbler shaving experience, it's significantly more expensive than the FlexSeries, including the blade refills. The Skull Shaver Gold’s Forte blades cost $31.49 each, while the FlexSeries blades can be purchased for as low as $16.49 each if you buy a few at a time.
Unless you strongly prefer the Skull Shaver's unique two-finger insert design or having four heads rather than five, the FlexSeries wins in almost every other category.
Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Design and Build Quality
Design
The FlexSeries and Skull Shaver have designs implemented with baldies in mind. The FlexSeries' ergonomic design makes it easy to use and grip.
Meanwhile, the Skull Shaver has an ace up its sleeve that tips the scales in its favor in the design category.
Their two-finger insert design provides a unique shaving experience, which is one of the reasons why head shavers continue to patronize the brand despite its higher price tag.
Winner: Skull Shaver
Build Quality
The FlexSeries is lightweight and feels durable. You can easily hold the FlexSeries without worrying about dropping it.
Matt from Bald and Happy said in his FlexSeries review that he was impressed with the FlexSeries' durability for a lightweight shaver. He adds that the FlexSeries felt strong, stable, and long-lasting.
Skull Shavers are also known for their build quality.
Both are two of the best sellers on Amazon.
Both shavers have solid build quality and are durable enough for a few minor drops here and there.
Winner: Tie
Performance and Features
Attachments
If you love freebies with your shaving kit, Freebird wins this category hands down with five different attachments, namely:
Three clipper guards (3, 5, and 7mm)
Exfoliation brush
Scalp scrubber
Hair clipper
That's a $60 value of accessories from Freebird.
The Skull Shavers, on the other hand, are "shaver only" deals. If you want any accessories, you can buy an exfoliating brush and nose and ear trimmer from the Skull Shaver website for $9.99 each.
The FlexSeries provides an excellent deal. It offers a high-performance shaver with a handful of useful accessories, so you don't have to buy them separately.
We all know who won this showdown.
Winner: FlexSeries
Waterproofing
If you love to shave in the shower or use shaving gel and cream while you shave, we have good news! Both the FlexSeries and Skull Shaver are IPX5 waterproof, so you can enjoy both wet and dry shaving.
Waterproof shavers also make cleaning the blades easier since you can run them under your faucet to remove hair clippings.
Winner: Tie
Blades
Skull Shaver blades all have four heads and come in three levels: the Carver, Forte, and Baron. These blades are interchangeable, so you can use any blade for all Skull Shaver models.
The Skull Shaver Gold and Platinum comes with the Forte 4 blade as default. It's their most popular blade among the three and works well for most head shavers. If you have coarse and thick hair, you can buy a Carver blade since it’s more aggressive and designed for thicker hair.
Freebird armed the FlexSeries with five-head ScalpSafe technology blades, making it safe for baldies with sensitive scalps. The ScalpSafe blades last for 50 shaves before needing to be replaced. Skull Shaver recommends replacing their blades after three to six months of usage.
Now, let's compare the design of the Skull Shaver blades with the FlexSeries blades. Both have concave profiles and flex, giving a closer shave as they closely follow the natural contours of your head.
This Men's Health article writes, "After a year of testing, our editors found that the Freebird Head Shaver provides the closest trim, thanks to its five shaving heads that really cuts close to the skin without causing nicks."
Now, let's talk about the number of shaving heads. The FlexSeries has five heads, while the Skull Shavers have four, although you can buy five-head blades for the Skull Shaver separately.
Are five heads better than four? While you cover more area with five heads, the difference may not be that great to be a deal breaker.
You may have seen electric shavers with up to nine heads, but these are more of a gimmick, which, unfortunately, some still fall for.
There's a reason why industry leaders like Freebird and Skull Shaver choose four or five shaving heads.
This one is a draw; some users prefer the nimbler four-head design, while others prefer the increased coverage of the five-head blades.
Winner: Tie
Battery Life & Indicators
The FlexSeries has a 600 mAh battery with a claimed 60-minute life between charges. It's enough to keep you groomed on a road trip without charging.
The Skull Shaver Gold has more juice; a 1400 mAh battery, and a 90-minute battery life.
Simple features like battery indicators help shavers monitor how much battery life you have left to prevent your razor from running out of power when needed.
The FlexSeries has an LED light battery indicator that turns red when charging and green when fully charged.
The Skull Shaver Gold, on the other hand, features an LCD showing battery life as a percentage remaining. The Skull Shaver Silver, one level below the Gold, also has a simple LED battery indicator instead of an LCD display.
Winner: Skull Shaver Gold
Price and Value
The Skull Shaver Gold costs $110.99 by itself and is the mid-priced Pitbull shaver from the brand.
That's nearly twice as expensive as the FlexSeries, which costs only $59.95 and includes several free attachments that would otherwise cost you around $60.
The Skull Shaver has a nose and ear hair trimmer and exfoliation brush available on its website for $9.99 each.
The Skull Shaver Silver and Platinum cost $99.99 and $219.99, respectively.
Price with Subscription
Both brands offer a subscription model, lowering the shaver's initial price and offering a discount on recurring blade replacements.
With a subscription, the Freebird FlexSeries costs $39.95 while the Skull Shaver Gold costs $99.89. Replacement blade prices start at $16.95 for the FlexSeries and $31.49 for the Skull Shaver.
Freebird and Skull Shaver both offer free shipping for their shavers.
Subscription Model
The FlexSeries offers replacement blades at any frequency you’d like, while the Skull Shaver blades are automatically sent every 90 days by default.
Freebird's subscription model gives a 20% discount for every blade replacement and a free Lifetime Service Warranty, which is a great deal.
You can cancel or change the subscription anytime, no questions asked.
The Skull Shaver subscription includes a 10% member discount for every blade replacement. You can also cancel or change the subscription at any time.
Brand | Freebird | Skull Shaver |
Product | FlexSeries | Pitbull Gold |
Price without Subscription | $59.95 | $110.99 |
Price with Subscription | $39.95 | $99.89 |
Replacement Blades | From $16.95 | $31.49 |
Prices correct as of June 25, 2024
With a more affordable subscription and a more significant discount, the FlexSeries trumps the Skull Shaver Gold in this match-up.
Winner: FlexSeries
Money Back Guarantee
The FlexSeries gives a 60-day money-back guarantee while the Skull Shaver only offers 30 days. Both provide the buyer with peace of mind because we know that a shaver may work for you but not for someone else.
Imagine buying a luxury shaver without a money-back offer only to discover that your hair and skin type get irritated when shaving. You're stuck with an expensive toy and need to buy another shaver.
Winner: FlexSeries
Customer Reviews
Both the Freebird FlexSeries and the Skull Shaver Gold have very high ratings on their respective websites and over a 4-star rating on Amazon.
Between the official website and Amazon, the FlexSeries has over 45,000+ customer reviews, compared to Pitbull Gold’s 17,000+ reviews.
Winner: FlexSeries
Warranty
The FlexSeries offers subscription members a lifetime warranty, while the Skull Shaver only gives you a one-year warranty.
Buying the FlexSeries without a subscription gives you a one-year warranty similar to the Skull Shaver.
A company that backs up its product with a lifetime warranty is confident about the overall quality of its electric razor. It implies that product reliability is longer than the standard.
We're not saying that Skull Shavers are inferior or that the company doesn't believe in its razors. It's just that a lifetime warranty always trumps a one-year warranty.
Winner: FlexSeries
The Final Verdict
The Freebird FlexSeries and Skull Shaver Gold are two of the most popular and highly-rated electric head shavers on the market. Both offer baldies a close, comfortable head shave without breaking the bank.
While Skull Shaver has a more established brand and a unique two-finger grip with a four-head blade design, the FlexSeries outshines the Pitbull shaver in almost every other category.
Its lifelong warranty and bundle of free attachments already make it a great value compared to the Skull Shaver, but the FlexSeries' nearly half the price, several attachments, and much more affordable blade replacement subscription program make it the best value.
Overall Winner: Freebird FlexSeries
Freebird FlexSeries
FAQs
Are Four or Five-Head Shavers Better?
One isn’t necessarily better than the other. While five-head shavers cover a larger area, four-head shavers are easier to clean. Skull Shaver went from five to four heads, and its shavers are still among Amazon's most popular and top-selling.
Which Head Shaver Gives the Closest Shave?
Some reviews, like the Men's Health article we mentioned, say that the FlexSeries gives the closest shave out of any shaver they tested.
Does the Skull Shaver Leave Stubble?
Rotary shavers, like the Skull Shaver, provide a close shave that doesn't leave any stubble. A hair trimmer or clipper is the best tool if you prefer a buzz cut with some stubble left.
Does the Freebird FlexSeries Leave Stubble?
No. Based on reviews and user comments, the FlexSeries gives one of the closest shaves for a rotary shaver. If you want a close shave with some stubble left on your head, you can use the hair clipper attachment (without the guards) included in the FlexSeries kit.
How Long do Skull Shaver Blades Last?
Skull Shavers say their blades last anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending on hair type and how often you shave.
How Long do Freebird FlexSeries Blades Last?
The FlexSeries ScalpSafe technology blades generally last 50 shaves depending on usage frequency and hair thickness.
What is the Difference Between the Silver and Gold Skull Shaver?
The Skull Shaver Silver costs a little less than the Gold. It also has Carver 4 Pro blades, a 60-minute battery life, and an LCD light-only battery life display, while the Gold has Forte 4 Pro blades, a 90-minute battery life, and a numerical percentage battery life display.
For a comparison of Skull Shaver models you can read our article on Skull Shaver Differences (Silver, Gold and Platinum).
