People often talk about “being an SAP freelancer” in the same dreamy tone used for digital nomads on Bali: total freedom, big contracts, no boss, and no limits. But is it real?

Freelance vs. Corporate SAP Consultant: Realistic Look at Two Careers

People often talk about “being an SAP freelancer” in the same dreamy tone used for digital nomads on Bali: total freedom, big contracts, no boss, and no limits. On the other side, you have corporate SAP consulting, sometimes stereotyped as structured, predictable, maybe even a little too routine.

Reality, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

In this article, we’ll look honestly at both career paths: what you gain, what you give up, and what really happens day-to-day. At LeverX, we have worked around SAP consultants for years, listened to their stories, and watched people switch paths in both directions.

Toward the end of this article, we’ll also look at why many consultants eventually move from freelance to a long-term corporate role, including at large teams like LeverX, an SAP Gold Partner with 2,200+ people worldwide.

Why SAP Freelancing Feels So Tempting

For many SAP specialists, freelancing is a natural temptation, especially after a few years inside consulting companies. You already know the tools, you know the clients, and you’ve seen some very appealing day rates.

The logic seems simple:

• “If the vendor charges the client X euros per day, and I’m the one doing the work, why shouldn’t I keep most of it?”
• “I know how to manage myself, so why not choose the projects I really want?”
• “If something goes wrong with a project, I can just switch to another.”

And all of that can be true.

A lot of SAP freelancers will tell you about their first contract where they earned more in three months than in half a corporate year. Some will describe a project where they were brought in as the “magic fix” for a stuck implementation, which feels good for anyone’s professional ego.

But then comes the part people rarely post on LinkedIn.

The Hidden Work Behind Freelance SAP Consulting

Freelancers often talk about the advantage of choosing their own hours. What many don’t talk about is how much of your time isn’t billable at all.

You’re not just the consultant. You’re also:

• your own sales department
• your own accountant
• your own project manager
• your own risk manager
• your own IT support
• your own legal department

And none of those jobs pay you for the hours you spend on them.

The hunt for the next project never stops

Even when a project is going well, a freelancer is already calculating:

• “Will this contract be extended?”
• “If not, how long until I find another?”
• “Do I need to lower my rate to stay competitive?”

During slow months in Europe—especially August and December—the market can go silent. Some freelancers keep months of savings just to survive dry periods.

Freelancers face more paperwork than anyone imagines

VAT filings, self-employment rules, contract negotiations, NDA reviews, procurement compliance… One freelance consultant once joked:

“I became an SAP expert to avoid bureaucracy. Instead, I create it for myself every day.”

It’s funny because it’s painfully true.

Taxes and insurance are your own problem

You now manage:

• health insurance
• pension contributions
• sick leave (or lack thereof)
• equipment expenses
• certifications
• unexpected medical bills

You may feel like the outsider on every project

Freelancers do join strong teams, but many describe the same pattern:

• You’re onboarded quickly.
• You’re expected to deliver even faster.
• When decisions are made, you’re not always included.
• When the project ends, your relationships end, too.

The social side of work is underestimated until it disappears.

Life on a Corporate SAP Team: Not Perfect, But Much More Predictable

Let’s be honest: corporate life also has its downsides.

You’ll have meetings.
You’ll have processes.
You’ll have internal systems that don’t always feel efficient.

But on the other hand, you gain something freelancers don’t usually have: predictability, support, and growth that doesn’t depend on selling yourself every few months.

A stable salary (even between projects)

One thing many SAP Consultants mention when they switch back to corporate roles:

“It’s hard to put a price on emotional stability.”

At LeverX and similar companies, consultants are hired for the company, not for a specific project, which means:

• if one project ends, you don’t lose income
• bench time isn’t your financial risk
• you’re not forced to accept every offer out of fear

Knowing that your employment lasts beyond a single assignment removes a lot of background stress freelancers describe every year.

Learning, mentorship, and certifications

Freelancers often struggle to invest in themselves because certifications can cost a lot and require unpaid time off. Inside a corporate structure, training is part of the job.

Teams like LeverX offer:

• structured education programs
• internal SAP courses
• mentorship from senior consultants
• new-product trainings directly from SAP
• opportunities to switch modules or try new areas
• pre-sales, architecture, or management paths

Learning becomes something you do inside your working hours, not something you pay for and squeeze into weekends.

Real time off

Freelancers technically “can take a week off whenever they want,” but practically:

• they risk losing the project,
• they often postpone vacations until “after this release.”

Full-time consultants, meanwhile:

• take sick leave or parental leave,
• don’t lose clients or income in the process.

The psychological difference is huge.

Long-term relationships and actual teamwork

Corporate projects often last months—or years—and you’re part of:

• a stable team
• architecture discussions
• long-term solutions instead of short-term firefighting
• company-wide best practices

People underestimate how motivating it is to have colleagues who know how you think, who will support you during releases, and who celebrate wins with you.

Freelancers sometimes say the loneliest moment is when a project closes, and everyone goes back to their internal teams — except you.

Real Stories That Don’t Make It Into Job Ads

Freelancers are often hired:

• mid-crisis,
• during system failures,
• as emergency replacements,
• for unrealistic deadlines,
• or to clean up after someone else.

This pays well, but it’s emotionally draining work. Therefore, many consultants switch back to full-time roles for project diversity and a better work-life balance.

When Corporate Consulting Wins Back Talent

What’s common among consultants who return to corporate teams like LeverX?

Most mention one or more of these:

They want long-term stability

A predictable salary and social security start to matter more with age, family responsibilities, mortgages, and health considerations.

They want to grow into new roles

Freelancers rarely have structured development paths. Corporations do.

They want to feel like part of something

Being the outsider on every project becomes emotionally tiring. Belonging to a professional community matters more than it seems.

They want to work with modern SAP solutions

Freelancers often get “maintenance” roles or rescue missions. Corporate teams often work directly with SAP S/4HANA, BTP, cloud transitions, and innovation projects.

At LeverX, for example, many consultants stay because they get access to:

• cross-industry projects
• new SAP product lines
• long-term clients
• global teams
• internal communities of practice

So… Which SAP Career Path Is Better?

There’s no universal answer. Both paths can be meaningful, rewarding, and profitable; it depends entirely on what you value at this moment in your life.

Freelancing might be for you if:

• you enjoy negotiating
• you handle uncertainty well
• you want full control over your schedule
• you’re comfortable managing taxes, contracts, and legal risks
• you actively market yourself
• you don’t need social support or mentorship
• you have savings for slow months

Corporate consulting might be for you if:

• you want stability
• you want long-term teams and relationships
• you want a predictable income and strong social security
• you prefer structured learning and mentorship
• you want opportunities beyond just one module
• you want to focus on the work, not on contract hunting
• you don’t want to worry about admin tasks

And for many consultants, the choice changes over time.

It’s common to start corporate → go freelance → return corporate. Or start freelance → gain experience → join a large implementation partner to grow deeper.

Why Many SAP Consultants Eventually Join Large Teams Like LeverX

One trend stands out. 

Freelancing offers freedom and money. Corporate consulting offers stability, growth, and community.

And the older or more experienced a consultant becomes, the more the second set of values tends to win.

Teams like LeverX attract consultants who want:

• reliable long-term employment
• projects that go beyond patchwork
• structured training and certifications
• mentorship and internal knowledge sharing
• international clients
• a safety net during slow market periods

If you’re thinking about where your SAP career should go next, it might be worth considering environments that give you both challenge and support.

Final Thoughts

The SAP world is big enough for both freelancers and corporate consultants. There’s no “wrong” path — there are only priorities. The goal of this article wasn’t to glorify one side but to lay out the reality behind both, especially the parts people often hide behind glamour or imagination.

If you’re currently freelancing and feeling the quiet pressure of instability, or if you’re inside a company and curious about what else is out there, it’s completely normal. Plenty of SAP professionals explore both worlds at some point.

But weighing all the pros and cons, many eventually choose the predictability and development opportunities of joining a large SAP team — one like LeverX that supports consultants long-term, not only during a project.