Quite a lot I think - setting your own hours, picking what you work on, picking who you work with, picking how you work (tools, meetings, 100% remote etc.), bei

Quite a lot I think - setting your own hours, picking what you work on, picking who you work with, picking how you work (tools, meetings, 100% remote etc.), being able to work on side projects you can profit from without them being owned by your employer, potential to earn a lot more since you're working directly with clients, not having a boss to answer to (you have to answer to clients but not in the same way especially since you have multiple clients) and lots of freedom around vacations (which I'm guessing is closer to "unlimited vacations" than you'd get from an employer). Unstable income, having to market yourself and more means it isn't for everyone though.