You will get a lot of different answers.
I'm not saying that all brass is "equal", it certainly isn't but not every answer will/may apply to YOU.
I shoot a little target and hunt. Because I am not looking to put 10 rounds in the size of a dime on a target at 100 or 200 or whatever, the quality of the brass has almost "no significance" to ME.
If a Federal case only lasts for five reloads, so what? Especially if I got it for nothing. I can't justify paying 50 to 70 bucks for 50 Nosler cases, I just wouldn't get the benefit out of it even if I could reload it twice as much as the Hornady cases I picked up at the range for nothing.
So if you want an answer that will answer your real question you should start by describing what you are doing/how you are using the brass. Because for me, on some rifles, a 20 box reloaded 5 times each may outlast my lifetime of shooting with that particular rifle.