Torn between building a 3-inch or going straight to 5-inch for freestyle. I can fly acro pretty well now but haven't attempted any real tricks yet.

3-inch pros: Cheaper crashes, more nimble, easier indoors
5-inch pros: Industry standard, more power, better for outdoor spots

What did you guys start with? Budget isn't a huge issue but don't want to make the wrong choice and have to rebuild in 6 months.

5-inch is the gold standard for racing and freestyle - perfect balance of speed, control, and flight time. It's what most pros use. You'll outgrow a 3-inch quickly if you're serious about progressing.

Started with 3-inch and honestly wish I'd gone 5-inch sooner. The flight times are just too short and you can't achieve the extreme speeds needed for some tricks. 5-inch crashes aren't that much worse if you're flying open areas.

3-inch offers easier control for beginners, but if you want versatility for aggressive flying, go 5-inch. I'd say 5-inch since you already know acro - the learning curve isn't that steep.