diff --git a/tools/progress.hpp b/tools/progress.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f884d62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/progress.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+namespace host_tool
+{
+
+class ProgressInterface
+{
+  public:
+    virtual ~ProgressInterface() = default;
+
+    /** Update the progress by X bytes.  This will inform any listening
+     * interfaces (just write to stdout mostly), and tick off as time passed.
+     */
+    virtual void updateProgress(std::int64_t bytes) = 0;
+    virtual void start(std::int64_t bytes) = 0;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @brief A progress indicator that writes to stdout.  It deliberately
+ * overwrites the same line when it's used, so it's advised to not interject
+ * other non-error messages.
+ */
+class ProgressStdoutIndicator : public ProgressInterface
+{
+  public:
+    ProgressStdoutIndicator() = default;
+
+    void updateProgress(std::int64_t bytes) override;
+    void start(std::int64_t bytes) override;
+
+  private:
+    std::int64_t totalBytes = 0;
+    std::int64_t currentBytes = 0;
+};
+
+} // namespace host_tool