I flew on Europe's 3 biggest budget airlines: easyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz. The best wasn't the cheapest, but its friendly staff made all the difference.

The button to agree to sign up was the same design and in the same place as the skip button for every other page. I didn't realize this until I noticed the membership fee at checkout.

Wizz is also the only one of the three that doesn't take American Express, which can be disappointing if you want to maximize your rewards points.

Since my bag's laid flat, it measured an inch or two wider than after I'd packed.

Ryanair's free carry-on size is also smaller than US budget carriers like Frontier, Spirit, Allegiant, and Southwest.

However, when boarding, the staff didn't seem to care how big anyone's bag was — and some looked much larger than mine. I didn't risk it because Business Insider paid for the flights, so being stuck with a fine would be hard to explain to my boss.

EasyJet doesn't say what its prices could go up to. For Wizz, a 20kg bag could be as much as $93, and on Ryanair it could be as much as $75.

If you have a large suitcase and you're visiting several cities on vacation, you might find it cheaper to travel around Europe via train. Of course, this varies route by route, but it's worth looking into.

I rode on one of Europe's fastest high-speed trains in first class from Amsterdam to Paris for $160. It easily beat flying.

Wizz was named the worst short-haul airline in a survey published in February by Which?, a British consumer advocacy group. It said 44% of passengers reported some kind of problem.

I've heard bad stories from friends about Wizz cancellations. Last summer, my roommate had his flight home canceled twice, and it took him several attempts to get his money back.

I tracked the Boeing 737-800 on Flightradar24 and saw that boarding opened at my gate almost as soon as it touched down at London Stansted Airport, leaving the crew with little time between trips.

Of course, this would usually be a benefit, but it hampered my ability to compare like-for-like. Also, it suggests people could spend extra to choose row 18 but end up with a normal amount of legroom.

A Ryanair spokesperson said this happened because after I booked, the aircraft was changed from a 737 Max to a 737-800, "due to operational reasons."

Video shows police hauling a Ryanair passenger off a flight after he was caught smoking in the plane's toilet

I didn't plan on buying food or drink — let alone scratch cards or tax-free cigarettes — but I was surprised I wasn't even given the option.

Looking through Ryanair's list of fees is almost exasperating.

Remember to check in on the app at least 2 hours before departure, or pay $69 at the airport. It's also $144 to change the name on your booking. Plus, there's a $69 fee if you need to reserve therapeutic oxygen for medical reasons.

Coupled with the tiny carry-on size, it feels belittling.

Wizz and easyJet don't list fees for therapeutic oxygen. The former charges up to $43 to check in at the airport while it's free with the latter.

I'd even say they were friendlier than most flight attendants I've spoken to in economy class on legacy carriers.

EasyJet also says it will let you fix spelling mistakes on bookings for free, which is a nice touch in the world of budget airlines where fees can pile up.

In short, it felt like the only airline that properly cared about the customer, with a friendly crew, fewer fees, and the largest carry-on size.

Even though the base price of my ticket was the most expensive, I thought it was worth more than the Ryanair and Wizz experiences. On some routes, it might even turn out cheaper with easyJet.