Speed skates are designed to fast. The skates are designed with alot of aerdynamics , but must be comfortable to. The answer is speed skates because they have longer blades making turning sharp...
Neither, really. It mostly depends on what you decide to start with. People who skate in hockey skates generally fall over on the toe picks when they try figure skates, and even accomplished figure...
figure skates are short, and have a "pick" at the front to help the skate to spins in the air. Speed Skates are more sleek, longer, and focoused on forward momentum insted of areal tricks.