I've done much of both. Working at a big company is much easier, but it's harder to get things done. You'll have at least 10 hours a week in meetings. The CEO

I've done much of both. Working at a big company is much easier, but it's harder to get things done. You'll have at least 10 hours a week in meetings. The CEO or a guest speaker will deliver a Ted Talk speech once every 3 months. Try getting a server deployed for an internal side project. Even if everyone wants it, your wading though miles of redtape. Startups are more fun, but less stable. The stress is intense. I'm in my 30s and unless I personally know the founders, I'm never working in a startup again. The Company might just randomly shut down !