Small apps
for everyday work.

We make desktop software that does one job well and stays out of the way. Without the clutter, the upsells, or the faff.

See the apps Read the manifesto
  • Desktop
  • Local
  • Simple
  • Useful

Software used to be simple.

Somewhere along the way, every app decided it needed to be a platform, a workspace, an entire “ecosystem”, and apparently a lifestyle.

14

Average menu items in a "simple" note-taking app

3

Accounts needed before you can type a single word

∞

Features nobody asked for, shipped every quarter

Software keeps adding menus, accounts, syncing, and setup steps. Too much of it pretends to be a platform when all you wanted was a tool.

Every app wants your data, your attention, and your subscription. What happened to software that opened, did the job, and got out of the way?

How we build differently.

Opens instantly

No splash screens or loading spinners. Click and you’re in.

Obvious interface

If you need a tutorial, we’ve made it too complicated.

Data on your machine

Your files stay local. No cloud required. No sync drama.

One job, done well

Each app does one thing, and does it well.

Built to be used

You open it, use it, and close it. No hour-long setup.

Calm by default

No notifications fighting for your attention. No badges. No fake urgency.

Days, events, and notes. No integrations you didn’t ask for, no project management bolted on, and no AI trying to schedule your life.

  • Day, week, and month views
  • Data stored on your machine
  • Quick notes per day
  • Simple sign-up: email and password
  • Opens in under a second
Explore the offline Windows calendar

Small tools with a clear purpose.

Every app in the Made Basic system does one thing. Nothing else.

MadeBasic Calendar

Days, events, notes. Nothing else pretending to be a project manager.

Simple offline calendar

MadeBasic Scan

Desktop QR reader. Webcam, files, screen capture, decoded locally. No phone required.

Windows QR code scanner

MadeBasic Terminal

A focused Windows terminal for local work and SSH. Keep sessions alive in tabs and work side by side in split view.

SSH terminal with tabs
“We don’t need more features.
We need fewer apps that work.”
Read the full manifesto

Tired of bloated software?

We’re building something different. Small, clear, useful apps with no strings attached.

See the apps