diff --git a/bumblebee/output.py b/bumblebee/output.py
index 99d59c5..f7c952f 100644
--- a/bumblebee/output.py
+++ b/bumblebee/output.py
@@ -10,6 +10,27 @@ import logging
 import bumblebee.store
 import bumblebee.util
 
+MAX_PERCENTS = 100.
+CHARS = 8
+HBARS = [
+    u"\u2581",
+    u"\u2582",
+    u"\u2583",
+    u"\u2584",
+    u"\u2585",
+    u"\u2586",
+    u"\u2587",
+    u"\u2588"]
+VBARS = [
+    u"\u258f",
+    u"\u258e",
+    u"\u258d",
+    u"\u258c",
+    u"\u258b",
+    u"\u258a",
+    u"\u2589",
+    u"\u2588"]
+
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 def scrollable(func):
@@ -54,6 +75,100 @@ def scrollable(func):
         return text
     return wrapper
 
+
+class Bar(object):
+    """superclass"""
+    bars = None
+
+    def __init__(self, value):
+        """
+            Args:
+
+                value (float): value between 0. and 100. meaning percents
+        """
+        self.value = value
+
+
+class HBar(Bar):
+    """horizontal bar (1 char)"""
+    bars = HBARS
+
+    def __init__(self, value):
+        """
+            Args:
+
+                value (float): value between 0. and 100. meaning percents
+        """
+        super(HBar, self).__init__(value)
+        self.step = MAX_PERCENTS / CHARS
+
+    def get_char(self):
+        """
+            Decide which char to draw
+
+            Return: str
+        """
+        for i in range(CHARS):
+            left = i * self.step
+            right = (i + 1) * self.step
+            if left <= self.value < right:
+                return self.bars[i]
+        return self.bars[-1]
+
+
+def hbar(value):
+    """wrapper function"""
+    return HBar(value).get_char()
+
+
+class VBar(Bar):
+    """vertical bar (can be more than 1 char)"""
+    bars = VBARS
+
+    def __init__(self, value, width=1):
+        """
+            Args:
+
+                value (float): value between 0. and 100. meaning percents
+
+                width (int): width
+        """
+        super(VBar, self).__init__(value)
+        self.step = MAX_PERCENTS / (CHARS * width)
+        self.width = width
+
+    def get_chars(self):
+        """
+            Decide which char to draw
+
+            Return: str
+        """
+        if self.value == 100:
+            return self.bars[-1] * self.width
+        if self.width == 1:
+            for i in range(CHARS):
+                left = i * self.step
+                right = (i + 1) * self.step
+                if left <= self.value < right:
+                    return self.bars[i]
+        else:
+            full_parts = int(self.value // (self.step * CHARS))
+            remainder = self.value - full_parts * self.step * CHARS
+            empty_parts = self.width - full_parts
+            if remainder >= 0:
+                empty_parts -= 1
+            part_vbar = VBar(remainder * self.width)  # scale to width
+            chars = self.bars[-1] * full_parts
+            chars += part_vbar.get_chars()
+            chars += " " * empty_parts
+            return chars
+
+
+def vbar(value, width):
+    """wrapper function"""
+    return VBar(value, width).get_chars()
+
+
 class Widget(bumblebee.store.Store):
     """Represents a single visible block in the status bar"""
     def __init__(self, full_text="", name=""):
diff --git a/tests/test_output.py b/tests/test_output.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d094c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_output.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import unittest
+
+import bumblebee.output
+
+
+class TestHBar(unittest.TestCase):
+    """tests for bumblebee.output.HBar"""
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.value = 1
+        self.values = [10, 20, 30, 40, 55, 65, 80, 90]
+        self.hbar = bumblebee.output.HBar(self.value)
+
+    def test___init__(self):
+        """bumblebee.output.HBar.__init__()"""
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.hbar.step, bumblebee.output.MAX_PERCENTS / bumblebee.output.CHARS)
+
+    def test_get_char(self):
+        """bumblebee.output.HBar.get_char()"""
+        for i in range(bumblebee.output.CHARS):
+            hbar = bumblebee.output.HBar(self.values[i])
+            self.assertEqual(hbar.get_char(), bumblebee.output.HBARS[i])
+        # edge case for 100%
+        hbar = bumblebee.output.HBar(100)
+        self.assertEqual(hbar.get_char(), bumblebee.output.HBARS[-1])
+
+
+class TestVBar(unittest.TestCase):
+    """tests for bumblebee.output.VBar"""
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.value = 1
+        self.values = [10, 20, 30, 40, 55, 65, 80, 90]
+        self.vbar = bumblebee.output.VBar(self.value)
+
+    def test___init__(self):
+        """bumblebee.output.VBar.__init__()"""
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.vbar.step, bumblebee.output.MAX_PERCENTS / bumblebee.output.CHARS)
+
+    def test_get_chars(self):
+        """bumblebee.output.VBar.get_char()"""
+        for i in range(bumblebee.output.CHARS):
+            vbar = bumblebee.output.VBar(self.values[i])
+            self.assertEqual(vbar.get_chars(), bumblebee.output.VBARS[i])
+        # edge case for 100%
+        vbar = bumblebee.output.VBar(100)
+        self.assertEqual(vbar.get_chars(), bumblebee.output.VBARS[-1])
+        # 0.x chars filled
+        value = 0.1
+        vbar = bumblebee.output.VBar(value, 3)
+        expected_chars = vbar.bars[0] + "  "
+        self.assertEqual(vbar.get_chars(), expected_chars)
+        # 1.x chars filled
+        value = 35
+        vbar = bumblebee.output.VBar(value, 3)
+        expected_chars = vbar.bars[-1] + vbar.bars[0] + " "
+        self.assertEqual(vbar.get_chars(), expected_chars)
+        # 2.x chars filled
+        value = 67
+        vbar = bumblebee.output.VBar(value, 3)
+        expected_chars = vbar.bars[-1] * 2 + vbar.bars[0]
+        self.assertEqual(vbar.get_chars(), expected_chars)