Freelance vs. Full-Time: The 6 Major Pros and Cons of Working Freelance

When people think of freelancing, they think of people working at home with tons of free time.

Sure, it comes with some perks but there are also some downsides to working freelance. Artist Caisa Niaseca created the comics below to compare the life of a freelancer and the life of a fill-time office worker.

1. Shower times.

Freelancers shower when they need to which depends entirely on how they smell at the end of the work day. On the other hand, those working full-time have their shower time integrated into their daily routine.

2. Talking to colleagues.

Freelancers rarely have people to talk to, unless they have online client meetings, on-site meetings, or social gatherings to attend. Full-time workers, on the other hand, always have their colleagues within easy reach. That can either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on one’s propensity for small talk and how interesting their colleagues are.

3. Work schedule.

Freelancers work whenever they feel like it given they are able to meet their deadlines. That means being up at 4am and sleeping at noon. Full-time employees have fixed daily working hours that they need to stick to, and if they don’t their salary suffers.

4. Who you work for.

Freelancers get to choose their bosses (clients), but that means having multiple bosses to work for. This can be a pain when multiple clients decide to set the same deadline. Full-time employees have a fixed chain of command where the have only one boss. If you have a great boss, you’re lucky. If you don’t, you’re screwed.

5. The daily routine.

Freelancers have a flexible schedule that they can create themselves. Full-time workers often have their schedules practically made for them, as they are planned around meetings and deadlines.

6. Overtime pay.

Freelancers don’t get paid overtime, unless they’re paid by the hour. That includes not being paid extra when their fixed-rate projects require revisions. Full-time workers get paid overtime for staying in the office when needed.

Working freelance and full-time have their own sets of ups and downs. In the long run, it’s all a matter of picking out which pros and cons you are most comfortable with.