diff --git a/primertrim/align.py b/primertrim/align.py
index 0164ecd..030f0f7 100644
--- a/primertrim/align.py
+++ b/primertrim/align.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import os.path
+import logging
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@ def _call(self, query_fp, output_fp, min_id=0.85, threads=None):
         if threads is not None:
             threads_arg = "{:d}".format(threads)
             args.extend(["--threads", threads_arg])
+        logging.info(f"Starting vsearch with arguments: {args}")
         subprocess.check_call(args, stderr=self.stderr)
+        logging.info("Finished vsearch")
 
     def parse(self, f):
         for line in f:
diff --git a/primertrim/command.py b/primertrim/command.py
index d6ff5fd..4b47ef1 100644
--- a/primertrim/command.py
+++ b/primertrim/command.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import argparse
+import logging
 import os
 import sys
 import tempfile
@@ -97,18 +98,35 @@ def main(argv=None):
             "(default: %(default)s)"
         ),
     )
+
+    p.add_argument(
+        "--log_level",
+        type=int,
+        help="Sets the log level, default is 20 for info, use 10 for debug (Default: 20)",
+        default=20,
+    )
+
     args = p.parse_args(argv)
+    logging.basicConfig()
+    logging.getLogger().setLevel(args.log_level)
+    logging.info(f"Starting primertrim")
 
     if args.input_fastq is None:
+        logging.info("Looking for input from stdin")
         args.input_fastq = sys.stdin
 
     if args.output_fastq is None:
+        logging.info("Writing output to stdout")
         args.output_fastq = sys.stdout
 
     queryset = []
     for ambiguous_primer in args.primer:
         for unambiguous_primer in deambiguate(ambiguous_primer):
             queryset.append(unambiguous_primer)
+    if len(queryset) > 50:
+        logging.info(f"Number of queries: {len(queryset)}")
+    else:
+        logging.info(f"Query set: {queryset}")
 
     matchers = [
         CompleteMatcher(queryset, args.mismatches, not args.no_revcomp),
@@ -123,12 +141,14 @@ def main(argv=None):
         else:
             temp_alignment_dir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
             alignment_dir = temp_alignment_dir.name
+        logging.info(f"Using alignment directory: {alignment_dir}")
         am = AlignmentMatcher(queryset, alignment_dir, args.align_id, args.threads)
         matchers.append(am)
 
     trimmable_reads = TrimmableReads.from_fastq(args.input_fastq)
 
     for m in matchers:
+        logging.info(f"Working with {type(m).__name__}")
         unmatched_seqs = trimmable_reads.get_unmatched_seqs()
         matches_found = m.find_in_seqs(unmatched_seqs)
         for read_id, matchobj in matches_found:
@@ -143,11 +163,13 @@ def main(argv=None):
 
 
 def write_fastq(f, reads):
+    logging.info("Writing fastq")
     for desc, seq, qual in reads:
         f.write("@{0}\n{1}\n+\n{2}\n".format(desc, seq, qual))
 
 
 def write_log(f, loginfo, colnames=None):
+    logging.info("Writing log")
     if colnames:
         f.write("\t".join(colnames))
         f.write("\n")
diff --git a/primertrim/matcher.py b/primertrim/matcher.py
index c7db111..58b4dc3 100644
--- a/primertrim/matcher.py
+++ b/primertrim/matcher.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import abc
 import collections
 import itertools
+import logging
 import os.path
+import tqdm
 
 from .dna import (
     AMBIGUOUS_BASES_COMPLEMENT,
@@ -59,24 +61,27 @@ def _mismatched_queries(self, n_mismatch):
 
     def _iter_mismatched_queries(self, n_mismatch):
         # This algorithm is terrible unless the number of mismatches is very small
-        assert n_mismatch in [0, 1, 2, 3]
-        for query in self.queryset:
-            idx_sets = itertools.combinations(range(len(query)), n_mismatch)
-            for idx_set in idx_sets:
-                # Replace base at each position with a literal "N", to match
-                # ambiguous bases in other sequences
-                yield replace_with_n(query, idx_set)
-                # Change to list because strings are immutable
-                qchars = list(query)
-                # Replace the base at each mismatch position with an
-                # ambiguous base specifying all possibilities BUT the one
-                # we see.
-                for idx in idx_set:
-                    qchars[idx] = AMBIGUOUS_BASES_COMPLEMENT[qchars[idx]]
-                # Expand to all possibilities for mismatching at this
-                # particular set of positions
-                for query_with_mismatches in deambiguate(qchars):
-                    yield query_with_mismatches
+        assert n_mismatch in [0, 1, 2, 3], f"Mismatch number {n_mismatch} is too high"
+        logging.info(f"Iterating over {n_mismatch} mismatch query set")
+        with tqdm.tqdm(total=len(self.queryset)) as pbar:
+            for query in self.queryset:
+                pbar.update(1)
+                idx_sets = itertools.combinations(range(len(query)), n_mismatch)
+                for idx_set in idx_sets:
+                    # Replace base at each position with a literal "N", to match
+                    # ambiguous bases in other sequences
+                    yield replace_with_n(query, idx_set)
+                    # Change to list because strings are immutable
+                    qchars = list(query)
+                    # Replace the base at each mismatch position with an
+                    # ambiguous base specifying all possibilities BUT the one
+                    # we see.
+                    for idx in idx_set:
+                        qchars[idx] = AMBIGUOUS_BASES_COMPLEMENT[qchars[idx]]
+                    # Expand to all possibilities for mismatching at this
+                    # particular set of positions
+                    for query_with_mismatches in deambiguate(qchars):
+                        yield query_with_mismatches
 
     def find_match(self, seq):
         for n_mismatches, queryset in enumerate(self.mismatched_queryset):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 214a831..cb69331 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -13,4 +13,5 @@
             "ptrim=primertrim.command:main",
         ],
     },
+    install_requires=["tqdm"],
 )