Some websites don’t announce themselves. They don’t try to win you over in five seconds or explain their value in neat bullet points. They sit quietly, doing one thing, waiting to be noticed.
At first glance, they can feel like experiments or side projects — the kind you’d expect to break or disappear. Then you actually use them. And they stick.
Table of Contents
(Click to Toggle)
- 1. 12ft Ladder : A minimalist way to read blocked articles
- 2. Readwise Reader Exporter : A quiet inbox for long reads
- 3. WindowSwap : Borrow someone else’s view
- 4. This Person Does Not Exist : Faces that were never real
- 5. Radio Garden : Spin the globe and listen
- 6. FutureMe : Send mail to yourself later
- 7. Bored Humans : A collection of small experiments
- 8. Neal.fun : Interactive web curiosities
- 9. Typelit : Type classic books to read them
- 10. The True Size Of : Maps without distortion
- 11. Pixel Thoughts : A 60-second mental reset
- 12. Silk – Interactive Generative Art : Draw with symmetry
- 13. Every Noise at Once : A map of music genres
- 14. JustWatch Randomizer : Let chance choose a movie
- 15. OneLook Thesaurus Reverse Dictionary : Find words from ideas
Why “Websites That Feel Like Side Projects — Until You Use Them” is worth your time
They offer fresh experiences: when tools aren’t optimized for growth, they often preserve a sense of play. You’re allowed to wander instead of convert.
They break routine: unfamiliar interfaces slow you down. That pause is where curiosity sneaks back in.
They remind the web what it used to feel like: personal, imperfect, and built because someone wanted it to exist.
The Quiet Pattern Behind These Sites
These are browser-based tools with narrow focus. Many do one job. Some don’t even explain themselves very well. They feel unfinished in a human way — which is often why they’re memorable.
1. 12ft Ladder : A minimalist way to read blocked articles
What it is:
A simple web tool that attempts to remove paywall overlays from articles so you can read the text underneath.
Category:
Reading / Utility
Why it stands out:
- Single-purpose and immediate
- No accounts or setup
- Feels like a personal workaround rather than a product
Best for:
Casual readers who just want to get to the article.
2. Readwise Reader Exporter : A quiet inbox for long reads
What it is:
A web-based reading space that collects articles, PDFs, and threads in one place for later reading.
Category:
Reading / Organization
Why it stands out:
- Feels like an archive, not a feed
- Designed for return visits
- Low visual noise
Best for:
People who save more than they read.
3. WindowSwap : Borrow someone else’s view
What it is:
A collection of short looping videos filmed from windows around the world.
Category:
Ambient / Exploration
Why it stands out:
- No goals or progression
- Entirely passive, yet grounding
- Feels human and unpolished
Best for:
Moments when you want to be elsewhere without leaving.
4. This Person Does Not Exist : Faces that were never real
What it is:
A site that generates a new AI-created human face every time you refresh.
Category:
Experiment / AI
Why it stands out:
- Instant and unsettling
- No explanation required
- Feels like a demo left online
Best for:
Quick curiosity spirals.
5. Radio Garden : Spin the globe and listen
What it is:
An interactive map that lets you tune into live radio stations anywhere on Earth.
Category:
Audio / Exploration
Why it stands out:
- Discovery through geography
- No algorithmic suggestions
- Endlessly explorable
Best for:
Background listening with a sense of place.
6. FutureMe : Send mail to yourself later
What it is:
A service that lets you write an email now and deliver it to yourself years in the future.
Category:
Reflection / Writing
Why it stands out:
- Emotion over efficiency
- Rarely updated, still relevant
- Encourages long-term thinking
Best for:
Quiet self-check-ins.
7. Bored Humans : A collection of small experiments
What it is:
A loose bundle of AI toys, generators, and odd utilities.
Category:
Playground / Tools
Why it stands out:
- No clear hierarchy
- Feels like a lab notebook
- Invites aimless clicking
Best for:
Productive procrastination.
8. Neal.fun : Interactive web curiosities
What it is:
A set of small interactive projects that explain ideas through play.
Category:
Education / Interactive
Why it stands out:
- Self-contained experiences
- No accounts or history
- Clear author voice
Best for:
Learning without realizing it.
9. Typelit : Type classic books to read them
What it is:
A site that reveals public-domain books only as you type their text.
Category:
Reading / Focus
Why it stands out:
- Turns reading into effort
- Unusual constraint
- Encourages slowness
Best for:
People who struggle to sit with books.
10. The True Size Of : Maps without distortion
What it is:
An interactive map that shows how countries actually compare in size.
Category:
Reference / Visualization
Why it stands out:
- Corrects a quiet misconception
- Simple drag-and-drop interface
- Educational without lectures
Best for:
Visual thinkers.
11. Pixel Thoughts : A 60-second mental reset
What it is:
A guided visual that helps you put anxious thoughts into perspective.
Category:
Wellbeing / Minimal
Why it stands out:
- Takes exactly one minute
- No personalization
- Calm without jargon
Best for:
Quick emotional resets.
12. Silk – Interactive Generative Art : Draw with symmetry
What it is:
A browser canvas that turns simple lines into flowing symmetrical art.
Category:
Creative / Visual
Why it stands out:
- Immediate visual feedback
- No skill barrier
- Hypnotic results
Best for:
Short creative breaks.
13. Every Noise at Once : A map of music genres
What it is:
An interactive index of thousands of music genres, arranged by similarity.
Category:
Music / Exploration
Why it stands out:
- Overwhelming in a good way
- No recommendations, just structure
- Feels archival
Best for:
Deep music rabbit holes.
14. JustWatch Randomizer : Let chance choose a movie
What it is:
A random movie and TV show picker based on availability.
Category:
Entertainment / Utility
Why it stands out:
- Removes decision fatigue
- Minimal interaction
- Feels almost throwaway
Best for:
Indecisive evenings.
15. OneLook Thesaurus Reverse Dictionary : Find words from ideas
What it is:
A dictionary that lets you search by description instead of exact words.
Category:
Writing / Reference
Why it stands out:
- Solves a specific frustration
- Plain interface
- Deeply practical
Best for:
Writers stuck on the tip of the tongue.
Bonus Mentions
Library of Babel
https://libraryofbabel.info
A conceptual archive of every possible book, equal parts fascinating and unsettling.
Patatap
https://patatap.com
A keyboard-driven audiovisual instrument that rewards random input.
Zoom Earth
https://zoom.earth
A clean, near-real-time view of weather and satellite imagery.
WikiArt Visualizer
https://www.wikiart.org
An unexpectedly deep way to drift through art history.
Final Verdict: Is it worth it?
The most useful tools often stay hidden because they don’t compete for attention. They don’t shout, optimize, or scale particularly well.
They sit there, quietly working, waiting for someone to stumble across them at the right moment. Discovery, in those cases, feels less like finding a product and more like finding a place.
In a web full of noise, these small, focused sites remind you that simplicity can still feel generous.