Remote work isn’t a perk; it’s how many companies operate. This includes traditional remote employment as well as freelancing and independent contracting.
The shift has created many opportunities for small businesses and large corporations to access global talent pools. For professionals, on the other hand, it leads a path toward flexibility, better work-life balance, and access to a global job market.
Top companies across various industries actively seek remote workers to join their remote teams, recognizing that company culture can grow in distributed environments. They use technology and digital tools to create seamless remote work experiences that drive productivity and innovation.
Benefits of working remotely
Remote work offers far more than just avoiding the daily commute. Let’s see the 3 key advantages.
Improved work-life balance
You heard it right, no more missing important family moments or burning out from long office hours. Remote work, including freelance arrangements, can create a healthier life balance for professionals worldwide, especially if you have a dedicated space for work.
Broader job opportunities
You can apply to companies worldwide without relocating. This is a core appeal for both remote workers and independent contractors seeking international clients across the globe.
Lower expenses
Most times, you can enjoy savings on commuting costs, fewer meals out, and the flexibility to live in areas with a lower cost of living. It’s a win-win situation that provides significant value for professionals.
Remote work challenges
Despite its advantages, working remotely has its own hurdles that both employees and freelancers must navigate, including:
Communication and collaboration
Remote teams need robust tools and platforms to maintain effective collaboration and day-to-day colleague relationships without in-person interactions. Organizations must invest in technology solutions that enable seamless communication across different time zones and support diverse working styles.
Maintaining company culture
Companies that hire remotely face the challenge of preserving their core values and company culture in a distributed environment. This requires intentional practices and initiatives that help remote workers feel connected to the organization’s mission and vision.
Professional development
Remote workers sometimes worry about career advancement opportunities. However, many businesses address this by offering comprehensive support programs, mentorship opportunities, and clear paths for growth within their organizations.
Remote job search strategies
Finding remote work requires more than just checking a “remote” filter on a general job board. Here are smarter, more effective ways to uncover excellent opportunities for both those exploring remote employment and freelancers.
Use remote-focused job boards
Start your search with platforms specifically built for remote positions. These specialized tools curate opportunities that align with your remote work goals and connect you with companies hiring remote workers:
- FlexJobs – known for its rigorous screening process, ensuring legitimate remote and flexible jobs, including many freelance and contract roles that span various industries and services.
- We Work Remotely – one of the largest and most well-known sites for remote jobs across various categories, connecting millions of professionals with top companies.
- Remote OK – features a vast array of remote jobs, from technology to marketing and beyond, helping developers, designers, and other specialists find their ideal roles.
- Remotive – a community and job board focused on remote tech and non-tech roles, fostering knowledge sharing among remote workers.
Tap into the hidden job market
Many remote roles are filled without ever being advertised publicly. Instead of just sending cold applications, connect with professionals on LinkedIn in your target industry and companies or join niche online communities, like Slack groups.
Pitch companies directly
Find businesses that align with your skills, core values, and remote-friendly culture. Then, reach out directly. Even if there’s no current listing, a compelling direct pitch can sometimes lead to consideration for future or unadvertised roles, or even a freelance project. This innovative approach demonstrates initiative and can make a significant difference in your job search success.
Leverage freelance marketplaces
For those who want contract-based or project work, freelance platforms can be a fast route into remote work. These opportunities often evolve into long-term relationships or even full-time offers with companies looking for specialized skills:
- Useme – an all-in-one platform that simplifies invoicing, contracts, and payments for freelancers and their clients, making it easier to manage remote projects with legal compliance.
- Toptal – focuses on connecting clients with the top freelance talent in tech, design, and finance, ensuring quality matches for complex projects.
- Fiverr – ideal for project-based gigs, especially popular for creative services offered by freelancers who want to scale their business.
- Upwork – a massive marketplace for various freelance services, from writing to web development, connecting freelancers with customers across the globe.
- Contra – a commission-free platform popular among Gen Z creators, offering remote roles for digital independent professionals in the modern world.
Build your online presence
Before applying anywhere, ensure your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn profile are meticulously updated and optimized for remote roles.
Creating a strong online presence involves more than just a resume – develop a comprehensive portfolio that showcases your expertise and demonstrates the value you can bring to organizations.
Want to go bigger? Start sharing your knowledge through LinkedIn posts, a personal blog, or even a specialized newsletter. This helps you stand out as a knowledgeable and proactive professional or independent expert in your field, showing potential customers and employers your commitment to continuous learning and innovation.
Top remote companies in 2025
Now that you know all about the state of remote work, let’s talk business. These top remote companies represent organizations that have mastered the art of working remotely while maintaining strong company culture and operational excellence.
Many of them are global leaders in their respective fields, from technology and software development to services and engineering. They invested in the right tools, platforms, and practices to create thriving remote teams that deliver exceptional results for millions of customers worldwide.
Let’s take a look!
- GitLab – a pioneer in all-remote operations, known for its transparency, extensive documentation, and asynchronous workflows—a global blueprint for distributed success.
- Automattic – the company behind WordPress.com, Tumblr, and WooCommerce, with nearly 2,000 employees across 90+ countries. A remote veteran focused on democratizing publishing and commerce.
- Zapier – remote-first since its inception, building automation tools used globally. Supports employees with generous remote benefits, including home office stipends and wellness programs.
- Airbnb – while not fully remote, Airbnb offers flexible, remote-friendly roles, emphasizing outcomes over physical presence.
- HubSpot – renowned for its flexible work options and exceptional culture, allowing employees to choose fully remote, hybrid, or in-office roles.
- Hotjar – a remote-native company building user experience analytics tools, operating in 30+ countries with a strong emphasis on deep focus and asynchronous collaboration.
- Toptal – a premier marketplace connecting clients with the top 3% of freelance talent in tech, design, and finance. Fully remote with elite, flexible roles.
- Contra – a commission-free freelance platform popular among Gen Z creators, offering 100% remote roles built for digital independence.
- Aha! – a self-funded SaaS company offering remote product development roles, emphasizing autonomy, purpose, and social good.
- Close – a remote sales CRM company with a culture of transparency and personal growth, offering benefits like generous PTO, sabbaticals, and international retreats.
- X-Team – a global developer network providing learning stipends and personal growth funds to foster a creative, energized remote culture.
- ReCharge Payments – supports subscription billing for e-commerce, operating fully remotely with a strong emphasis on flexibility and professional development.
- TestGorilla – it helps companies hire based on skills, not resumes. Their remote-first team spans multiple continents, with a mission to make hiring fairer.
- Toggl – offers time-tracking and hiring tools with a distributed team and a strong work-life balance culture centered on asynchronous workflows.
- Help Scout – creates customer support software with a strong emphasis on empathy, inclusion, and collaboration—all within a remote-first environment.
- Shogun – builds high-performance eCommerce experiences with a remote, inclusive team focused on empowering digital brands.
- Lumenalta – a remote-first IT consultancy focused on scalable software and data infrastructure that powers meaningful impact.
- TaxJar – specializes in sales tax automation with a fully distributed team and a culture built on transparency and flexibility.
- Uscreen – enables creators to monetize video content. This profitable, fully remote company emphasizes autonomy and creator empowerment.
- OnTheGoSystems – the team behind WPML and Toolset plugins, supporting over a million multilingual websites with a fully remote workforce.
- AgencyAnalytics – a Canadian SaaS company serving digital marketers. Fully employee-owned and remote, with a strong culture of recognition and growth.
- Modern Tribe – a digital agency focused on scalable WordPress platforms. Their remote team is deeply invested in modular design and open-source innovation.
- Fleetio – a fleet management software provider with a modern, distributed team passionate about transforming transportation technology.
- Doximity – a healthcare communication tech company supporting medical professionals with remote-first engineering and product teams.
- Follow Up Boss – a remote-first real estate CRM known for autonomy, sustainable growth, and deep customer focus.
- Oddball – works with U.S. federal agencies on impactful tech projects, offering fully remote roles in the public sector.
- Lemon.io – a freelancer marketplace connecting vetted developers with startups, known for remote flexibility and career development.
- Sticker Mule – a custom printing company with a calm, global remote culture emphasizing focus over chaos.
- Hubstaff – remote-first since 2012, this workforce analytics company offers tools and roles optimized for distributed teams.
- MailerLite – praised for its simplicity and connection-driven tools, this remote-first email platform supports team retreats and strong team bonds.
- Kinsta – a high-performance web hosting provider with remote roles focused on engineering, innovation, and ownership.
- Knack – a no-code platform for building online databases, with a tight-knit, remote-first team that prioritizes people and performance.
- Animalz – a premium content marketing agency for SaaS companies, run by a globally distributed team of writers and strategists.
- Float – a remote-first company offering resource management software with async work, equal pay, and B Corp values.
- Nathan James – a furniture brand with a remote, people-first culture, combining beautiful design with empathy in their work processes.
- LeadSimple – software for property managers that values clarity, impact, and remote-first collaboration.
- Filestage – review and approval software that’s remote-first and driven by joyful, creative workflows.
- Bitovi – a development consultancy focused on mentorship and open-source, fully remote with a strong engineering culture.
- G2i – a hiring platform for developers that leads with wellness, offering 4-day work weeks and burnout prevention initiatives.
- Harvest – time tracking software company built on a human-centered, remote-first foundation with deep inclusivity.
- Yoko Co – a digital agency working exclusively with mission-driven organizations, offering meaningful and fully remote careers.
- GoDaddy – while known for office hubs, GoDaddy now supports flexible, remote roles across engineering, product, and marketing.
- GitHub – the home of open source, GitHub offers remote roles globally and supports flexible working conditions.
- Proxify – connects developers with full-time remote jobs at vetted startups, trusted by thousands of professionals worldwide.
- TutorMe – an online tutoring platform using AI to connect students with top tutors, offering remote roles in 300+ subjects.
- Creative Force – provides remote tools for managing content operations, with a distributed team in 25+ countries.
- Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF) – a global UX education platform with a mission to make high-quality design learning accessible, fully remote.
- Chainlink Labs – develops decentralized oracle networks, offering remote roles globally, often in engineering and blockchain development.
- Whitespectre – a product consultancy building elegant, scalable software with diverse, fully remote teams.
- RemoteMore – matches remote developers with global opportunities, partnering with 2,000+ companies.
- Awesome Motive – makers of OptinMonster and WPBeginner, this remote company supports over 30 million websites.
- ChartMogul – an analytics platform for subscription businesses. Distributed “Moguls” operate in 21+ countries.
- Remote Year – combines remote work with travel through curated global programs for professionals.
- SimpleTexting – helps businesses connect via SMS. Fully remote team focused on easy-to-use communication tools.
- Groove – help desk software built for small teams, remote-first with a streamlined product and empathetic culture.
- Intellum – a corporate learning platform used by top brands, remote-friendly across education and tech roles.
- SafetyWing – global insurance for remote workers and nomads, with a fully distributed team across 10+ time zones.
- Gear Stream – a remote-first consultancy helping enterprises modernize via agile, customer-first approaches.
- Bonfire – custom apparel for nonprofits and creators. Remote-friendly with a mission to empower changemakers.
- Chameleon – a no-code platform for product onboarding experiences, fully remote and async-focused.
These companies hiring remote workers represent diverse sectors including technology, software development, app development, engineering, sales, and professional services. Whether you’re a developer building cutting-edge platforms, a designer creating compelling brands, or a specialist offering support services, these organizations provide the resources and tools needed for remote work success.
The future of remote work – building your remote career in the digital world
As we look toward the future, remote work will continue to evolve, with new technology solutions emerging to address current challenges and create even more opportunities for global collaboration.
And companies that embrace this evolution and invest in the right tools, practices, and support systems from providing access to cutting-edge technology and resources to fostering communities of practice where professionals can share knowledge and ideas, will be best positioned to attract and retain top talent from around the world.
Work on your terms with Useme
If you prefer short freelance jobs, Useme helps you get paid legally – even for gigs from abroad. You can bring your client to the platform, skip paper contracts, and settle the deal online.
Useme lets you build a profile, show your portfolio, and connect with clients for different types of jobs. You can invoice without having a registered business and get paid fast – often within 24 hours. The service fee is low compared to big marketplaces.
💡Ready to find your next remote opportunity? Browse freelance offers on Useme today!
