It’s not really a question of “better” but of personal preference. Most people learn with a recurve bow because of its comparative simplicity. These bows remain popular with many who feel they’re a more direct reflection of an archer’s skill. A lot of hunters prefer them because they’re more portable (particularly the takedown style) and easier to use in rough cover. Compound bows take less effort to fire because of the mechanical assistance: you’ll typically be able to shoot a 20% to 30% more powerful compound bow than recurve. However, they’re more expensive and more complicated to maintain.