This could be interpreted as saying that trans men have it easier (as you explored).

However, the statement could also be interpreted — especially if "passing" is understood to mean roughly "looking good" — as an indirect compliment for trans men and as an insult against trans women. It might mean that trans men naturally look good while trans women have to work really hard to look good. (Which is rude. And unnecessary. Plus, it's opinion, not objectivity.)

As applies to people who do take hormones, I've read some people argue against the assumption that testosterone is a "stronger" hormone and estrogen is a "weaker" one, as that may just be a gendered stereotype about sex hormones. Each person's mileage may vary. I know a trans guy who's taken testosterone for a couple decades and still gets called "she" over the telephone. He is "trying" to look male, but his physical voice change and/or his conscious voice modulation just hasn't happened in a way that results in him reliably "passing" as male. Whereas many trans women feel dramatic changes on estrogen. The "power" of a hormone may depend on how it interacts in a specific person's body/mind.

Of course, one could do a survey to find out what the majority experience is. But there are so many assumptions (and rudenesses!) for us to climb out of before we're prepared to collect and understand information.