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?
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.
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:
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.
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:
And none of those jobs pay you for the hours you spend on them.
Even when a project is going well, a freelancer is already calculating:
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.
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.
You now manage:
Freelancers do join strong teams, but many describe the same pattern:
The social side of work is underestimated until it disappears.
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.
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:
Knowing that your employment lasts beyond a single assignment removes a lot of background stress freelancers describe every year.
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:
Learning becomes something you do inside your working hours, not something you pay for and squeeze into weekends.
Freelancers technically “can take a week off whenever they want,” but practically:
Full-time consultants, meanwhile:
The psychological difference is huge.
Corporate projects often last months—or years—and you’re part of:
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.
Freelancers are often hired:
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.
What’s common among consultants who return to corporate teams like LeverX?
Most mention one or more of these:
A predictable salary and social security start to matter more with age, family responsibilities, mortgages, and health considerations.
Freelancers rarely have structured development paths. Corporations do.
Being the outsider on every project becomes emotionally tiring. Belonging to a professional community matters more than it seems.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.