Is Book Self-Publishing Really the Better Path?

I’ve been exploring the whole book self publish route, but I’m still unsure if it’s the smartest way to go. Is handling everything on your own editing, designing, marketing actually worth the control it gives? Or do traditional publishers still offer advantages that self-publishing can’t match? For those who’ve tried both, what made you choose one path over the other? I’m curious whether self-publishing truly gives authors more freedom or just more responsibility. Thoughts?