One advantage of working alone is that you will inevitably be closer to the business, its product, and its users. To me that has been worth more than working with a high performing development team. I am not in a US tech center, my road to decent compensation is not being a brilliant technician in high paying companies.

I do notice in technical arguments on the internet I often seem to come out of leftfield. It took me a while to realise it was because people in larger teams have an entirely different perspective when it comes to tools and technology. I need a Toyota and they need an Airbus.