I used HOB filter for over 15 years. Then I started a planted tank.....
I would say NO on HOB and NO on sump for planted tank if you also use CO2 for these main reasons:

1. The evaporation from HOB to move 5-10X water is significant. I have to top off my 55 gallon every two days. Ever since I swapped to the Fluval 406 Cannister filter, I top off once every two weeks.

2. Both sump and HOB will waste CO2 as they reach the surface quickly. The splashing will cause too much oxygen exchange and you will lose much of your CO2. If you want to waste your money on refilling CO2, go for a sump.

3. Noise. Once you get the canister setup right, the noise is at least 50% less than the HOB filter. I'm sensitive to noise, and I don't appreciate it when watching a peaceful fish documentary (what else would I be watching).

4. Space. I used 2x HOB and 2X internal heater and 1 C2 diffusor in my planted tank. I lose a lot of "gravel space" to plant or decorate because these things gets in the way. With the canister filter, I put an external heater that connects to the output of the canister filter pipe, and also an inline diffusor ...also outside the tank. Only thing In my tank as equipment is the intake and the outflow of the canister tube. Both are sitting on the same side so I have so much more room to play with.

5. Appearance. So much cleaner to focus on the plants and fish in the aquarium than have equipment staring back at your face.

All I can say is... I have only used canister filter for 3 months... and I wished I switched over sooner.

Felix C.

I use entirely Sunsun 302s on my 3x55 gallons and a (I think) older Aquatop 200 on a 35. The aquatop was the older type NOT the branded Sunsun and the quality is significantly higher though it moves less water.
the Sunsuns are about 5 years old and functionally fine though I will agree with an earlier poster those baskets do get wedged and due to the cheap quality the handles do come off leaving the baskets stuck within. Highly frustrating. Also one of my shut off valves on the eldest Sunsun is slowly bending and breaking.
Look, for the price they are excellent and I have used the valves and cleaned the Sunsuns ALOT through these 5 plus years as I keep well (live) stocked tanks that generate plenty of crud also I probably overfeed and we all know where that ends up.
In the filter. They have done more than I could have asked for given the initial cost outlay and the fact I remove them and clean them at least once a month sometimes twice.
Yes, the drawbacks are clear. But I cannot begin to say what an improvement over the HOB filters these canisters are.