No contest for me. I belong to both EAA and AOPA (good magazines and on-line services from both).
I fly an RV-4 which is fast, sporty and economical. Night and IFR is allowed if you’re suitably equipped and licensed – unlike in Europe.
If you build yourself, you can also get a repairman’s certificate allowing you to sign off your own maintenance, repairs and condition inspections. If someone else built it, it’s still generally easy to find an A&P who will supervise and sign-off an owner annual.
If you stick with the best of the EAA types then safety is at least as good as with factory builts.