In recent years, a number of models for creep properties have been derived based on physical principles and avoiding adjustable parameters (APs). They are referred to as basic models and have, for example, been formulated for primary, secondary, and tertiary creep. The purpose of the basic models is that they should have general applicability and that they can allow extrapolation of results to a much greater extent than empirical models with APs. This has also been verified for a number of the models such as for the primary and secondary creep. Basic models are excellent to safely identify operating mechanisms. The purpose of this review is to give a summary of methods for deriving basic models for creep including the role of substructures and different applications of grain boundary sliding. It is hoped that this will assist more researches to use and to develop them further. Many aspects of creep have still not been handled with basic models.