Welcome!
Personally I like sponge filters, though some people don't like the way they look in the tank. The thing I like most about them is that I can do water changes without having to worry about the water level dropping too low for the hang-on-back filter. Also, my cories love to forage over the sponge for yummy stuff to eat and my loaches like to hide out behind it. And it provides a lot of surface area for your beneficial bacteria to establish.