diff --git a/docs/i3pystatus.rst b/docs/i3pystatus.rst
index 80637a5..dacbbb7 100644
--- a/docs/i3pystatus.rst
+++ b/docs/i3pystatus.rst
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ Module reference
 :System: `clock`_ - `disk`_ - `load`_ - `mem`_  - `cpu_usage`_
 :Audio: `alsa`_ - `pulseaudio`_
 :Hardware: `battery`_ - `backlight`_ - `temp`_
-:Network: `network`_ 
+:Network: `network`_
 :Music: `now_playing`_ - `mpd`_
 :Websites & stuff: `weather`_ - `bitcoin`_ - `reddit`_ - `parcel`_
-:Other: `mail`_ - `pyload`_ -  `text`_ 
+:Other: `mail`_ - `pyload`_ - `text`_ - `updates`_
 :Advanced: `file`_ - `regex`_ - `runwatch`_ - `shell`_
 
 .. autogen:: i3pystatus Module
@@ -25,3 +25,12 @@ Mail Backends
 .. autogen:: i3pystatus.mail SettingsBase
 
    .. nothin'
+
+.. _updatebackends:
+
+Update Backends
+---------------
+
+.. autogen:: i3pystatus.updates SettingsBase
+
+    .. nothin'
diff --git a/i3pystatus/updates/__init__.py b/i3pystatus/updates/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e135cae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/i3pystatus/updates/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+from i3pystatus import SettingsBase, IntervalModule, formatp
+from i3pystatus.core.util import internet, require
+
+
+class Backend(SettingsBase):
+    settings = ()
+    updates = 0
+
+
+class Updates(IntervalModule):
+    """
+    Generic update checker.
+    To use select appropriate backend(s) for your system.
+    For list of all available backends see :ref:`updatebackends`.
+
+    Left clicking on the module will refresh the count of upgradeable packages.
+    This may be used to dismiss the notification after updating your system.
+
+    .. rubric:: Available formatters
+
+    * `{count}` — Sum of all available updates from all backends.
+
+    .. rubric:: Usage example
+
+    ::
+
+        from i3pystatus import Status
+        from i3pystatus.updates import pacman, cower
+
+        status = Status(standalone=True)
+
+        status.register("updates",
+                        format = "Updates: {count}",
+                        format_no_updates = "No updates",
+                        backends = [pacman.Pacman(), cower.Cower()])
+
+        status.run()
+
+    """
+
+    interval = 3600
+
+    settings = (
+        ("backends", "Required list of backends used to check for updates."),
+        ("format", "String shown when updates are available. "
+         "May contain formatters."),
+        ("format_no_updates", "String that is shown if no updates are available."
+         " If not set the module will be hidden if no updates are available."),
+        "color",
+        "color_no_updates",
+        ("interval", "Default interval is set to one hour."),
+    )
+    required = ("backends",)
+
+    backends = None
+    format = "Updates: {count}"
+    format_no_updates = None
+    color = "#00DD00"
+    color_no_updates = "#FFFFFF"
+
+    on_leftclick = "run"
+
+    def init(self):
+        if not isinstance(self.backends, list):
+            self.backends = [self.backends]
+
+    @require(internet)
+    def run(self):
+        updates_count = 0
+        for backend in self.backends:
+            updates_count += backend.updates
+
+        if updates_count == 0:
+            self.output = {} if not self.format_no_updates else {
+                "full_text": self.format_no_updates,
+                "color": self.color_no_updates,
+            }
+            return
+
+        fdict = {
+            "count": updates_count,
+        }
+        self.output = {
+            "full_text": formatp(self.format, **fdict).strip(),
+            "color": self.color,
+        }
diff --git a/i3pystatus/updates/aptget.py b/i3pystatus/updates/aptget.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f73c733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/i3pystatus/updates/aptget.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import os
+
+from i3pystatus.core.command import run_through_shell
+from i3pystatus.updates import Backend
+
+
+class AptGet(Backend):
+    """
+    Gets update count for Debian based distributions.
+
+    This mimics the Arch Linux `checkupdates` script
+    but with apt-get and written in python.
+    """
+
+    @property
+    def updates(self):
+        cache_dir = "/tmp/update-cache-" + os.getenv("USER")
+        if not os.path.exists(cache_dir):
+            os.mkdir(cache_dir)
+
+        command = "apt-get update -o Dir::State::Lists=" + cache_dir
+        run_through_shell(command.split())
+        command = "apt-get upgrade -s -o Dir::State::Lists=" + cache_dir
+        apt = run_through_shell(command.split())
+
+        update_count = 0
+        for line in apt.out.split("\n"):
+            if line.startswith("Inst"):
+                update_count += 1
+        return update_count
+
+Backend = AptGet
diff --git a/i3pystatus/updates/cower.py b/i3pystatus/updates/cower.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..144f156
--- /dev/null
+++ b/i3pystatus/updates/cower.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+from i3pystatus.core.command import run_through_shell
+from i3pystatus.updates import Backend
+
+
+class Cower(Backend):
+    """
+    Checks for updates in Arch User Repositories using the `cower` AUR helper.
+
+    Depends on cower AUR agent - https://github.com/falconindy/cower
+    """
+
+    @property
+    def updates(self):
+        command = ["cower", "-u"]
+        cower = run_through_shell(command)
+        return cower.out.count('\n')
+
+Backend = Cower
diff --git a/i3pystatus/updates/pacman.py b/i3pystatus/updates/pacman.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f40945
--- /dev/null
+++ b/i3pystatus/updates/pacman.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+from i3pystatus.core.command import run_through_shell
+from i3pystatus.updates import Backend
+
+
+class Pacman(Backend):
+    """
+    Checks for updates in Arch Linux repositories using the
+    `checkupdates` script which is part of the `pacman` package.
+    """
+
+    @property
+    def updates(self):
+        command = ["checkupdates"]
+        checkupdates = run_through_shell(command)
+        return checkupdates.out.count('\n')
+
+Backend = Pacman
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b8ef64d..8cf3168 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ setup(name="i3pystatus",
           "i3pystatus.core",
           "i3pystatus.mail",
           "i3pystatus.pulseaudio",
+          "i3pystatus.updates",
       ],
       entry_points={
           "console_scripts": [