MAC fluidline vs. Maybelline eyestudio gel liner

I did a review earlier for Maybelline's eyestudio liner here, challenging whether or not it stays on for the claimed 24 hours.
While not a bad liner, I wondered how it would stand up to the cult favorite MAC fluidline in blacktrack. The results are pretty interesting.

On the left: Maybelline eyestudio gel liner blackest black, on the right: MAC fluidline blacktrack

The packaging is very similar. Both liners come with 3g of product in a glass container.

price comparison:

Maybelline $9.99 CAD

MAC $18.00 CAD

So you pay almost twice as much for MAC, for the same amount of product. MAC fluidline does not come with a brush. Maybelline includes a free brush.

texture comparison:

Believe it or not both liners have a very similar smooth easy to work with texture. I found both easy to apply and they dried in about the same amount of time.

On the left: Maybelline eyestudio gel liner blackest black, on the right: MAC fluidline blacktrack

I applied both eyeliners in a thick layer to put them to the test.

Color comparison:

Get this, Maybelline blackest black is a richer, deeper black than MAC blacktrack!

Both liners 2 hours after applying:

After 2 hours Maybelline started to smudge, smearing even below the MAC swatch. MAC didn't move at all.

After 5 hours and a shower test:

I put both liners through a hot shower test to see which one would stand up to heat and water best. They both faded but MAC stayed on significantly better.

After 24 hours:

24 hours later both liners were faded, but wore away equally. Maybelline wore away evenly, MAC started to look patchy.

Comparison of wear:

Both liners are similar in formula. They are long wearing and have great pigment. Maybelline smudged and smeared after a few hours. MAC didn't budge as far as smuding, but it did fade considerably when exposed to water and heat.
Neither of these liners stay on my waterline, (kohl stays put better) but they both work equally well for lining the upper lash line.

Overall:

For the blackest color Maybelline is by far the best choice. It looks great and stays on well, but it might smudge if you have oily eyelids. A primer under it would probobly keep it wearing well all day.
MAC stays true all day without any smearing even without an eyeshadow base. It's the best choice for someone with oily eyelids that wants their makeup to stay put until they take it off at night.

Which one is better? Both are pretty good, but I'd have to say I personally like Maybelline better. I like the blacker pigment, and when I use it over an eyeshadow base I don't have much smearing at all. It's also easily available and a nice price.

What's your favorite gel eyeliner?