10 Remote-First Companies to Watch in 2025
If there’s one thing the past few years have taught us, it’s that work doesn’t need to be tied to a desk in a city office. Remote-first companies are proving that productivity, innovation, and collaboration can thrive without geographical boundaries. In fact, many of today’s most successful businesses have embraced remote work not just as a temporary fix but as a long-term model for growth
As we step into 2025, certain companies are setting the bar higher by redefining how distributed teams operate, scaling global talent, and creating cultures that genuinely put people first. Whether you’re a business leader considering offshoring, an entrepreneur building a distributed team, or simply curious about the future of work, here are 10 remote-first companies to watch closely in 2025.
Black Piano
Let’s begin with one that is coming under the spotlight of some businesses in the UK. Black Piano is making it easier for companies to access global talent. Instead of stressing about complex compliance, or spending months recruiting, businesses can trust Black Piano to help easily set up a remote team. What sets them apart is that they really are able to hook up your UK business with highly-skilled staff in India, from SEO specialists through app developers and social media manager to content writers.
A small marketing agency in London, for example, could potentially expand fast by offshoring its SEO function to a remote team out in India though Black Piano. This not only saves cost, but it also provides access to specialized expertise that may be difficult to acquire in local resources. How it’s looking: Black Piano is one to watch in 2025, as more and more companies focus on efficiency and scalability.
Deel
Deel is known around the world for global hiring. Ever wondered how companies hire employees in over 150 countries without having to establish a physical presence everywhere? That’s where Deel comes in. The platform handles contracts, payroll and compliance — basically all those tricky components that typically slow a business down.
Think of a way in which Deel has provided the technical solution to do this // Start-up founded in Manchester, hiring a developer in Argentina, designer is from Poland and content writer out of India -- all paid and managed seamlessly by Deel. That’s the power of remote-first innovation and Deel is driving it.
Remote
Remote, as its name implies, is all about making remote work easy. They offer EOR services, payroll solutions and benefits of administration in many countries. Their mission is simple: to enable every business in the world to hire any talent, anywhere, with zero bureaucracy.
As companies look more and more outside their borders for growth, Remote is in just the right place to help. Their commitment to fair wages and benefits across regions, as part of an employee-first focus, also underlines them as a people-first company.
Toptal
It’s not always easy finding the best freelance talent; however, Toptal has cracked the code. With businesses across the world relying on Toptal to help them access top 3% freelance talent, it’s a guarantee that companies don’t just hire quickly with Toptal, they hire right. Software developers, designers, financial experts and project managers — you name it, they are developers on the service for companies in a pinch.
Imagine a fintech start-up that needs to hire an engineer for a high-stakes project. "Rather than having to filter through hundreds of resumes, they come to Toptal and within a matter of days or hours find a signed up someone (who has been vetted already) who is ready to work. That is the convenience and trust that remote-first models provide.
Buffer
Buffer started as a scheduler for social media, now it is the poster child of remote-first culture. That radical transparency and emphasis on well-being is what distinguishes Buffer. Salaries, company values and even mistakes are openly shared: a rare characteristic in the business world.
They’ve managed to staff and operate across multiple countries with a distributed workforce while somehow keeping it as singular-minded, purpose-focused and collaborative as ever. Buffer is a perfect example for companies wondering how to build trust in a remote team.
GitLab
GitLab is one of the world’s largest all-remote companies, and its impact extends beyond just its DevOps platform. The company has put its playbook for remote work in writing, essentially handing over a “playbook” to anyone who wants to try and duplicate their model.
From asynchronous communication to specific onboarding guides, GitLab is evidence that massive collaboration can flourish without one brick-and-mortar office. Their success has prompted no shortage of companies to reconsider the question of whether they need headquarters, period.
Zapier
Zapier is clear evidence of the power of having been a remote team from day 1. Best known for automating tasks and integrating systems, Zapier has a team that is spread across more than 20 countries. Their achievements prove that autonomy, trust and outcome-focused work can be more efficient than traditional office models.
In a world where efficiency is key and I believe that businesses should do what they claim one thing Zapier does phenomenally well is automate automation! (It’s ironic, but it makes perfect sense in the context of the ever-changing work landscape) It’s evidence that remote-first isn’t about location per se but about choices to do things better.
Automattic
Parent company WordPress.com is owned by Automattic. com, WooCommerce and Tumblr, has demonstrated the efficacy of remote-first since the early 2000s. With workers in more than two dozen countries, Automattic has fostered a culture of flexibility and asynchronous communication.
Their worldwide success proves that creativity and innovation are not the result of office walls but rather from giving individuals the liberty to work in a manner they find most appealing. Automattic is one of the best examples I know of remote-first done right.
Canva
Canva may have begun as an office-first company, but over the years has expanded to remote and hybrid working. A now-global design powerhouse, Canva lets its people pick where they work best.
For a business whose platform is built on fostering creativity and inclusivity, its flexible work environment reflects its brand values. As with a growing number of global companies, Canva is demonstrating how hybrid and remote-first can work well together.
InVision
The company, InVision is also 100% remotely distributed, always has been. InVision, which is known for its design collaboration tools, has established a thriving culture completely online. Its remote work force is proof that strong company culture does not necessitate physical proximity; it requires intentional communication and common goals.
With the growing importance of digital collaboration, InVision is encouraging companies to confidently embrace remote-first tactics.
Conclusion
What these companies all have in common: their conviction that remote work is not a risk but rather offers a competitive edge. And by fostering flexible, scalable and people-centric cultures, they’ve proven that businesses can innovate, go global and attract top talent without ever being constrained by geography.
And as 2025 unfolds, these remote-first pioneers will keep changing how we work and encourage others to get along with a future that is truly borderless.
