I completed the quest which offered me a 1 handed axe or a 1 handed sword, but the axe does 2+ more damage, and im curious as in if the sword is faster/less stamina or if its just visual different?
You can swing swords faster than axes. According to the loading screen hint:
Speed of swinging: Sword > Axe > Mace
Swords and axes also have their own perks in the 1H kill tree. Swords do more critical damage, and axes do bleeding or something. Maces ignore enemy armor.