Work

At a startup, you tend to be able to work on whatever you want, and have the opportunity to wear more hats. Note that this is note true at all startups.

On the flip-side, there's a tendency at larger companies for employees to develop a specialization. Typically you're working on a very specific team, but may feel pigeon-holed at certain points. There might also be points where you feel like a cog in a machine.

At startups, the tendency is more greenfield new feature work. At a big company, the work centers more around maintenance and building upon that which already exists. Either could be preferable depending on how rigid or fluid you like your solutions.

Expect to work longer hours at a startup. Expect to work shorter ones at a larger company.