Top US-Based Remote Companies Hiring Globally in 2026 (An Honest List)

I’ve gotten a ton of emails this week asking the exact same question: “Which US companies hire people who live outside the US?” So I figured, why not have a little chat about it here

I can understand why the question gets asked. The “best remote companies” lists are largely disappointing things. Either full of outdated info, or the author never even got past the first round of applying, or just a lazy list of 50 logos.

So allow me to take a slightly different approach.

Let’s get real for a second

Job searching, in general, sucks. Having to do it for a remote US-based position while not being able to visit the country, doubly so.

You waste an hour on LinkedIn scrolling through “remote” jobs, find a listing that says they’re based in Texas, still apply because you’re desperate, and never hear back from them. Rinse and repeat until you’re blue in the face. As someone who’s been there, and knows people who have as well I know the feeling. I know how hopeless it can be. And I know that a lot of “lists” of any sort don’t cut it because they list names and that’s it.

That’s why this time, I’m going to try and present a few companies that actually do hire people from outside the US, and why they might be a good fit, and a tidbit or two of advice for each. No fluff, just the kind of talk you’d get from a friend, if you knew one.

A quick reality check before we begin

The landscape of work for US-based companies isn’t changing anytime soon. In fact, the more companies realize that they can operate effectively outside of the office, the more they do so not less, not to the detriment of local hiring, but more as a complement to it.

This being the case, I feel like it bears mentioning that the phenomenon of “remote work” being a good fit for people outside the US isn’t a passing fancy – it’s pretty much the standard in many such companies nowadays.

So, without further ado, let’s begin.

1. GitLab

GitLab is one of those companies that’s pretty much remote-first – most of their employees are spread throughout 60+ countries, and they don’t have a central office.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: They keep their handbook publicly available (and it’s huge) and that includes information on how they make hiring decisions and how they handle compensation and remuneration. This is valuable information if you want to get into the company.

Heads-up: Since they have everything publicly available, make sure that when you mention anything specific from their handbook in your application or interview, they know that you actually read it. People applying to GitLab tend to do that, and it’s always a good way to stand out from the crowd.

2. (The company behind WordPress.com, Tumblr and WooCommerce) Automatic

Automatic employs people from almost a hundred countries. They’re a pretty sizable company – and one interesting thing about them is that they pay the same salary for the same position anywhere in the world. A dev in Nigeria makes the same as a dev in the US.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: They do a trial paid project before any job offer, to make sure that the candidate can perform work in the async manner they expect from remote workers.

Heads-up: Treat the trial like a real job. In many ways, that’s exactly what it is. Pay attention to the instructions they’ll likely tell you exactly what they’re looking for in a candidate.

3. Zapier

Zapier, interestingly enough, hasn’t had an office since their founding. Hundreds of employees, spread around more than 40 countries.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: They’re very open about the fact that they don’t care where you are, as long as you can communicate clearly and be able to manage yourself without someone watching your back.

Heads-up: In your application, prove to them that you can do just that. If you’ve done it before, mention it. If you haven’t, mention any experience you have that could be relevant: working for yourself, doing open source projects or similar things.

4. Atlassian

Atlassian, unlike the companies above, has a slightly different structure – they have “Team Anywhere”, which is a part of the company that operates from more than a dozen countries, via separate legal entities.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: Atlassians are (understandably) more used to dealing with candidates in a traditional setup, so they may lean more into that in their hiring process. Prepare to have a more multi-stage interview, and highlight your achievements and quantifiable outcomes – they’ll resonate more with you.

countries hired from Automatic, GitLab, Zapier, Atlassian (2026)"

5. CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity-focused company that operates in a remote-first manner as well.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: CrowdStrike is also a good pick for people in cybersecurity-related occupations. Many of their roles are similar to what you’d find in other “remote companies”, but the cybersecurity focus makes them a good fit for people in that space.

Heads-up: Since cybersecurity roles often require higher levels of vetting (background checks, security clearances and so on), the process of hiring may take longer than usual, even for remote positions. Be prepared to wait.

6. Doist (Todoist, Twist)

Doist is small, but worth mentioning because they operate in a strictly async-first manner as well, especially when it comes to communication – if you want a job that will have little to no meetings in your day-to-day, they may be a good fit.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: As mentioned above, Doist prefers async communication to any kind of meetings.

Heads-up: This extends to the hiring stage. Your writing samples (if you have to provide any) and cover letter, if applicable, become much more important. Don’t make any silly mistakes when writing them – it will leave a much worse impression on a potential employer.

7. Buffer

Buffer has been a remote company since 2013, and is well-known for being pretty transparent about how they operate, and how they compensate their employees. They also experimented with a 4-day work week for a while.

Why it’s good for people outside the US: Buffer’s values are pretty well-documented and expressed in their blog. Mentioning specific points from their articles and blog posts may be more impressive than generic statements about loving their products and services.

A few thoughts that apply to all of the above

I don’t want to just list the names of the companies and drop it there, so here are some thoughts that apply to most of them, in the spirit of a friendly chat.

Go directly to the career page of the companies you’re interested in. Most of these companies may have jobs that never get listed on LinkedIn or Indeed, or other job sites. Bookmark 15-20 company pages and refresh them every week – you may be surprised what openings are listed there.

Your applications should reflect the writing proficiency expected from a company that works primarily async. Asynchronous communication is best achieved through good writing, which is why, in turn, it’s a good skill to have if you want to get a remote job at a company that values async.

Don’t be afraid to mention why you specifically want to work at the company this will have a much better effect that sending the same application to all 30 companies you’re applying to. Mention why their values resonate with you, and how their setup suits you.

If the company has a trial period or a demo project, treat it like a real job. That phase often determines whether you’ll get the offer or not, so put your best effort into it.

When applying for jobs, be specific about your needs in terms of time zones – if you’re willing to make adjustments to work in their time zone, say so. If you can’t, also say so.

Your turn

This list probably won’t change the dynamic of your job search, but I hope I’ve given you several actionable points and highlighted companies that might be a good fit for you, instead of just a “Top 50 companies list”.

How has your experience been so far with finding a remote job? What was the hardest part of it? Are you struggling with the applications and the radio silence that comes with them? The time zone calculations? Or is it just the fact that most companies have a “remote” option only for people in the US?

Let me know in the comments below – if I can help, it would be my pleasure.