Both are same, but for buckling analysis I prefer ANSYS over ABAQUS to bring stress analysis result in to account, where as for crack related problems Abaqus will be easier because it has a seperate module to solve such problems.
Both software are based on FE modelling. Peoples are generally used Abaqus for structural modelling and Ansys for fluid related problem. And the results are purely depend upon the
Correct modelling as well as correct sequence of tools used.
Using APDL in ANSYS is almost identical to programming, so it will be simple to master it quickly. ANSYS has great documentation related to APDL as well as to FEM theory.
If you prefer graphical interface, both ANSYS Workbench and Abaqus are not so easy to deal with, but anyway ANSYS is less complicated, cause all of its workspaces (Materials, Geometry, Meshing/Solution) are separated from each other, while in Abaqus you work in a single window.
both are good. but it depend on which approach you are gonna to analyze ,if soil mechanics and its application so i recommended you use abaqus , or if you work on structural so i recommend you use ansys