Let me start by saying this: don’t believe all the hype you see online about quitting your full-time job and working from a beach in Bali. It’s not as simple as social media makes it seem.
A lot of online content makes remote work look instant and effortless: open a shop, post a few things, land a client — done. In reality, especially outside the US, it usually takes more thought than that, including planning, effort, and discipline.
Different countries, different rules, different expectations.
I’ve learned this through trial and error.
So, let’s break down the main categories and types of remote work.
Remote employment
You’re an employee with a fixed salary and defined working hours. The main difference is where you’re allowed to work from.
There are three clear types of remote employment:
Location-dependent remote job
- Fully remote, but country-restricted
- You must live in a specific country or region
Example: A company hires you as a remote employee, but your contract says “Germany only” or “EU residents only”.
Best for: those who want a steady salary but need some flexibility on location within a country or region.
Remote-first employment
- The company is built around remote work
- Employees are hired across multiple countries
- Office presence is optional or non-existent
Example: A company with staff in Spain, Poland, South Africa, and Portugal, all working remotely.
Best for: those who want to work fully remotely with a company that embraces distributed teams.
Work-from-anywhere employment
- You can work from any country
- No location requirement in the contract
- Least common, most competitive
Example: An employee living part of the year in Europe and part in South Africa, with no fixed base.
Best for: those who want complete location freedom and can handle competitive remote roles.
Self-employment
You work for yourself and sell your skills or services directly to clients. You decide who you work with and how you structure your time. There are three main forms of self-employment, each different in practice:
Freelancing
- You work with one or more clients
- You’re paid per project, hourly, or on a retainer
- You control your workload and schedule and usually manage multiple clients
For instance, I freelance as an Online Business Manager for solo and small business owners, mostly on monthly retainers based on an agreed number of hours per month. My focus is on systems, processes, automation, and digital operations.
Examples - Marketing, creative and design work, writing, coaching, consulting, mentoring, technical services, online business management — any skill you can sell.
- Best for:those who want control over clients, projects, and schedule while selling their skills directly.
Gig / platform work
- Short-term, task-based projects via online platforms
- Paid per task
- Work can be completed remotely
- Typically single or very small tasks
- Flexible, but often low pay per task
- No long-term client commitment
Examples: Fiverr or Upwork projects, microtasks like data entry, graphic edits, writing small articles, transcription, or marketplace-based digital jobs
Best for: those who want flexible, short-term tasks without long-term commitments.
Contracting
- Fixed-term agreement with a client (e.g., 3, 6, 12 months)
- Rate and some conditions are negotiated upfront
- Cannot usually redesign the role
- Typically you invoice the company; not paid as an employee (no salary, no payslip)
- Often full-time for one client at a time
- Contract has a clear start and end date
Examples: 6–12 month IT contracts, project-specific roles inside companies
Best for: those who want fixed-term projects with negotiated terms but still independence from a company payroll.
Business Ownership
- Own an online business that runs independently of location
- Can operate without you working every hour
- Flexible schedule and location
- Built around products, services, or systems
- You manage the business, not every single task (hire or outsource if needed)
Examples: Online services, digital courses, memberships, e-commerce, digital products, software-as-a-service (SaaS)
(e.g., courses — create once, host online, automate)
Best for: those who want to build an online business that can operate without being tied to their time.
Conclusion
These are the main ways you can work remotely — either as an employee or for yourself. Each has its own pros, cons, and realities, and what works for one person might not work for another.
If you’re looking to get started, check out how we can help you or for personal insights or advice based on our real experiences, feel free to reach out and drop us a message.
Wishing you all the success possible on your journey.