Despite the horror stories, particular those in the game industry, most are not working 60 hours/week. The most surefire way to make good money and become wealthy is by working at one of the FAANGs and investing. I know the startup founder is romanticized here and in the media, and in the rare cases when it works, it can be great. But, if you look at the risk adjusted value, startups are not very good.
With that said, I prefer small companies/startups because I like the freedom and control that comes along. I know I'm leaving money on the table, but I'm getting things I value over money.
The risk and opportunity cost seem way to high. Then again I don't know how to measure that risk...
Sure, freelancer/consultant is a valid path, but only if you're good at (and enjoy) marketing & sales. Otherwise - you can get lucky to work for a startup that IPOs (or a company whose shares increase dramatically) and end up earning a lot more as salaried.