For some context I have been running my own Linux servers for 20+ years, I have used Home Assistant since very early in in the development when everything was yaml configuration, and I have experience with ffmpeg command line configuration. This is not the typical experience for me with an early in development roll your own software solution.
It may have changed now but the horrible configuration system is first and foremost what I did not like. But before I go into detail on that, I did not think the recognition features worked well enough to justify the struggle with the ever changing yaml settings. And I certainly was not impressed enough by any of it to start a subscription.
My experience with the configuration is probably through the first year after it was released so keep that in mind. I had a lot of trouble with getting it to even recognize the feeds from my camera in order to analyze them. Through the period I used Frigate this became a regular battle. I would finally get the new yaml config sorted out, and then the config file format would change and I would have to try and figure out what settings I needed to adjust now or where to put them in order for it to just read my camera feeds. These were nothing special, just a normal rtsp feed that I could easily view from a phone or desktop app. Eventually on the 4th or 5th time the config changes broke my setup I just gave up.
The recognition from the default models was not anywhere near useful enough for me to justify the struggle. And with no guarantee that I could keep this working with my cameras there was absolutely no way I would pay for access to a better model.
I would say if you use it, do not use any camera other than what they recommend because if the configuration changes and you're not using those you have to figure it out yourself.
At the very least I would try it with one camera for a while maybe on the paid model as a trial. I wouldn't invest heavily and assume it's going to work or be stable.
I know many people have a good experience with Frigate so definitely listen to other people's takes. But it just took up far too much of my time to be seen as anything other than an annoyance.
Looking to be censored when the last of our democracy finally gives way.