Fresh water is one of the essential requirements for the human being. To ensure the availability of potable water for the society is a big challenge due to limited availability of potable water on the Earth. Solar desalination systems can be used for mitigating the scarcity of desalted water in remote areas where sunlight is available in abundance. It works on the simple principle of evaporation and condensation. These systems are almost maintenance free and zero running cost which can be fabricated by materials readily available in the local market. The various designs of passive solar stills are used to increase the efficiency and productivity of distillate. In the present work, different types of specially designed single basin solar stills have been reviewed to find out the performance based on its efficiency, productivity and economy. Various novel models have also been observed for better view of relative performance among all solar stills to establish its clear utility indications as well. The observations have been concluded with broad perspective and some recommendations have also been suggested for the future scope for developing new designs to meet the possible challenges. © 2019 International Solar Energy Society