To Blend or not to Blend?

I am another complete n00b here with a question that Google cannot seem to answer objectively. Since I am just starting out, I need to learn a new program for developing meshes no matter what. Looking online and at people's posts, most preferences seem based on user-familiarity. "I use [insert software], so that's the one I use." Thank you public education for teaching me about cyclical-logic. Can anyone explain the benefits and tradeoffs between different options? I can't invest financially in my hobby, so I find myself limited to Blender or the educational version of 3ds Max. I know that 3ds Max is the go-to option for many professionals, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything to me. Professionals do much more than I will likely ever need to. At the same time, I hate being handicapped by software that doesn't do what I need it to, or does it in an unwieldy fashion. There's nothing like trying to carving flowers out of radishes with a claymore. Since I am looking at an educational version, I suspect the likelihood of hitting that wall is equal or perhaps even greater with 3ds.

Any help would be...um...well...helpful. Thanks!