A lot has to do, with the area that you live in.
And also your skill level, many of us grew up using knives and axes, years ago we took my son in law on his first primitive camping trip.
While he was trying to cut kindling, I was scared the hatchet was going to wind up in a body part. I took his 12 inch knife and showed him how to properly baton, much safer.

While I will use either depending on my mood, if forced to choose one it would be an axe