Hey @burnoutawesome,
If you're thinking about getting into Splinterlands, THERE'S NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW. The hype is real, the community is amazing, and the game is very rewarding (as long as you invest in a bit of time and money). I personally haven't tried Axie but from what I've heard, it doesn't even come close.
If you've already decided to start, I've got a little starter guide just quickly going through important stuff - https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@jazz05/splinterlands-5-things-you-need-to-know-as-a-beginner
The ONLY purchase necessary to start is a $10 Summonner's Spellbook.
I'll be giving away free legendary cards to people who're just starting out to try out for an entire season next week (details in my next blog)!
Other than that, if you have any concerns/questions regarding the game, shoot me a DM and I'd be happy to help!