What a stencil does
The agreed design is printed or traced onto transfer paper and pressed onto clean skin. You see exactly where it sits, can check it in the mirror and ask for it to be moved before anything is tattooed. For symmetry, lettering and realistic detail, that precision matters.
What freehand means
The artist draws the design — or parts of it — directly onto the skin, usually with a skin-safe marker, before tattooing. It lets a design wrap around a shoulder, follow a muscle or fill an awkward space naturally. Many pieces combine both: a stencil for the main design, freehand for flow and background.
Which is better?
Neither. A stencil isn't a shortcut and freehand isn't automatically more skilled. What matters is that the method suits the design — and that you see and approve the placement before tattooing starts.
General information, not medical advice. Your artist's instructions come first; for anything worrying, see a doctor.