 In general, there are four methods to make

soap - cold process, melt and pour, hot process,

and rebatch. There are pros and cons for each,
and every maker has a personal preference.
 Pros: 
 This method allows you to customize every single ingredient to
suit your personal preferences.
 You can add fresh ingredients like milk and fruit/ vegetable
purees because you control the saponification process.
 The trace of cold process soap can be manipulated for a variety
of techniques and designs. Thin trace can be used to make swirls,
while thick trace creates soap frosting.
 With so many technique options, it’s a great way to get creative.
The sky's the limit!
 The thick texture makes it great for suspending heavier
additives.
 It's generally considered a more "natural” bar of soap.
 Cons:
 It's made with sodium hydroxide lye, which can be dangerous if it's
handled incorrectly. 
 Cold process soap takes about 4-6 weeks to cure. The bars can be
used before then, but they will be softer and won't last as long in the
shower.
 Some colorants can morph in the high pH environment of cold
process soap.
 Fragrance oils can react with the high pH of cold process soap in
negative ways, causing acceleration, ricing, or seizing. Always make
sure your fragrance behaves well in cold process!
 Vanilla Color Stabilizer is not reliable. Fragrance oils with a high
vanilla content will turn the soap brown.
 Because cold process soap is opaque, glitter doesn't show up very
well. It still looks great sprinkled on top though.
 Cleanup can be a long process depending on how intricate your
design is.
 Pros:
 This method is great for beginners. You can make melt and pour with
children as young as 4 (with parental supervision).
 The base has already gone through saponification, so working with
lye is not required.
 You don't need to wear safety gear because you’re not working with
lye.
 Melt and pour soap is quick to make, hardens in several hours, and
doesn't need to cure.
 Fragrance oils don't cause acceleration, ricing, or seizing.
 Vanilla Color Stabilizer is an effective way to prevent browning in
melt and pour.
 Glitter and shimmery micas really pop, especially in translucent
bases (Clear, Aloe Vera, Honey, etc.)
 You can create extremely clean and straight layers. Just make sure to
have 99% isopropyl alcohol nearby so the layers stick together.
 Cleanup is easy because your dishes are coated in fully ready-to-use
soap.
 Cons: 
 Because melt and pour soap contains extra glycerin, it's
prone to sweating.
 The base is not fully customizable. Because saponification
has already happened, you can't choose the oils/butters that
go into the soap.
 Fresh ingredients like milk and purees will eventually go bad
in the bars.
 Melted soap is thin and fluid, so heavier additives can sink
to the bottom.
 It cools and hardens quickly. That means some swirls that
can be made with cold process aren't possible with melt and
pour.
 Melt and pour soap can burn, which makes the base thick,
gloopy, and difficult to work with.
 Pros:
 You can customize every single ingredient, including oils.
 The additional heat speeds up the saponification process. Three
cheers for instant gratification - hot process soap can be cut within
one day and used right away.
 The bars have a rustic appearance and a less smooth texture than
cold process. Whether you like this look is personal preference.
 Hot process can be made in a Crock-Pot or double boiler.
 The thick texture makes it great for suspending heavier additives.
 It's generally considered to be a more “natural” bar of soap.
 Cleanup is easier because the leftovers in the slow cooker/Crock-Pot
are already soap.
 Cons:
 The thick texture of hot process soap makes
some techniques difficult, like layering and swirls.
 If your fragrance or essential oil has a low flashpoint,
some makers find the higher temperatures can burn
off the fragrance, causing it to fade.
 As the soap cooks, it expands. Because of the
possibility of overflow, it’s important to not leave it
unattended.
 It's difficult (but not impossible) to add fresh
ingredients like milk and purees; they tend to scorch
during the cooking process.
 Pros:
 The base has already gone through saponification, so
you don't have to work with lye. That means you don't
need to wear safety gear.
 It's great for beginners because the base is already
made.
 Rebatch soap is a great way to save batches of soap that
didn’t turn out quite right.
 It doesn't require a 4-6 week cure time. We usually
recommend about 1-2 weeks, but it can be used as soon
as it's cut.
 The bars have a rustic appearance and a less smooth
texture than cold process. Whether you like this look is
personal preference.
 The cleanup is super simple.
 Cons:
 The soap has already saponified, so the
recipe can't be customized.
 Fresh ingredients like milk and purees will
eventually go bad in the soap.
 If your fragrance or essential oil has a low
flashpoint, some makers find the higher
temperatures can burn off the fragrance,
causing it to fade.
 Due to the thick texture, swirls and layers can
be tricky.
 https://www.brambleberry.com/tips-and-
tricks/soap/art0007-pro-con-soapmaking-
methods.html#:~:text=In%20general%2C
%20there%20are%20four,maker%20has%20a
%20personal%20preference.