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I kind of agree with that, but I think it really depends on your coordination and what sports you already do. Like, I started snowboarding after I already had skateboarding experience, and it was pretty smooth for me because the sideways stance is similar. Now, if you've never done anything like that, skiing really does get you moving forward in a more natural way at first - you're facing where you're going, which is pretty intuitive. With snowboarding you're sideways, which is weird at first because you can't see where you're going properly, and speed control is more complicated in your first attempts.
But here's the thing nobody usually mentions: after that initial phase of "oh man, I'm gonna fall a lot," snowboarding gets way easier to progress with. After a few days you're already picking up speed, doing some sick carving, and the feeling is amazing. Skiing takes longer for you to get past that "uh, how do I control this thing again?" because you have two separate pieces of equipment you need to coordinate. And like, once you learn snowboarding, picking up a skateboard or surfing becomes easier too because the physics are similar.
My take: if you want to fall less on the first day, go with skiing. But if you've got the patience to fall a lot during a week and then progress faster and have more fun in the long run, snowboarding is definitely better. And then when you go back to your morning runs, that kind of sport that works on balance and core strength is really cool to complement your training.
Skiing is easier in the first few days, snowboarding is easier after a week or two. With skiing you can get on your feet and move around right away, but learning to turn and stop properly takes time. With snowboarding the beginning is frustrating because you spend half the time on the ground, but then your whole body gets the movement and you progress fast.
I think what really makes the difference is whether your body is already used to sports that require lateral balance. Cycling, surfing, even playing padel helps because the logic is similar. If you came from more linear sports like running, the first few days are worse with either one.
And there's one detail nobody mentions: with skiing you're always facing where you're going, which is more intuitive. With snowboarding you're sideways and you need to turn your head to one side the whole time, which strains your neck more at the start. It really depends on whether you'd rather deal with that initial discomfort or fall fewer times in your first lesson.
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