Freeze-thaw is the test every patio in northeast Kansas has to pass. Water gets into the ground, freezes, expands, and thaws again, over and over from late fall to early spring. How a patio handles that movement decides how it looks in ten years.
Poured concrete is one solid slab. It usually costs less up front, but when the ground moves, concrete cracks, and a crack in a slab is permanent. Patches rarely match the surrounding surface.
Pavers are individual units on a compacted gravel base, locked together with sand in the joints. When the ground shifts slightly, the surface flexes instead of cracking. If a section settles or a paver gets damaged, it can be lifted and reset without tearing out the whole patio.
The base is what makes pavers last: excavation deep enough for the load, gravel compacted in layers, a level bedding course, and edge restraint so the border doesn't creep. A patio on a thin or poorly compacted base will rut and sink no matter how nice the pavers are.
Natural flagstone is another option for paths and informal patios. It has a softer, more natural look and works especially well for stepping-stone walkways across a lawn or through a garden.