diff --git a/demos/meters.cpp b/demos/meters.cpp
index 7311b85..e23b6b9 100644
--- a/demos/meters.cpp
+++ b/demos/meters.cpp
@@ -15,13 +15,23 @@ struct TestMeters {
 
   void init() {
     $gui.position(0, 0, 1280, 720);
-    $gui.layout("[meter1][=meter2][meter3][meter4]");
+    $gui.layout(
+        "[*%(300,100)meter1|_|_|*%(100,400)vert1|*%(100,400)vert2|*%(100,400)vert3]"
+        "[*%(300,100)meter2|_|_|_|_|_]"
+        "[*%(300,100)meter3|_|_|_|_|_]"
+        "[*%(300,100)meter4|_|_|_|_|_]");
 
     for(auto& [name, cell] : $gui.cells()) {
       auto gui_id = $gui.entity(name);
 
       $gui.set<guecs::Rectangle>(gui_id, {guecs::THEME.PADDING, {120, 25, 25, 255}});
-      $gui.set<guecs::Meter>(gui_id, {1.0f, guecs::THEME.DARK_LIGHT, guecs::THEME.PADDING});
+
+      if(name.starts_with("meter")) {
+        $gui.set<guecs::Meter>(gui_id, {1.0f, guecs::THEME.DARK_LIGHT, guecs::THEME.PADDING});
+      } else {
+        $gui.set<guecs::Meter>(gui_id, {1.0f, guecs::THEME.DARK_LIGHT, guecs::THEME.PADDING, true});
+      }
+
       $gui.set<guecs::Effect>(gui_id, {});
       $gui.set<guecs::Text>(gui_id, {guecs::to_wstring(name)});
       $gui.set<guecs::Clickable>(gui_id, {
diff --git a/include/guecs/sfml/components.hpp b/include/guecs/sfml/components.hpp
index 86f59f8..ad30a45 100644
--- a/include/guecs/sfml/components.hpp
+++ b/include/guecs/sfml/components.hpp
@@ -70,9 +70,12 @@ namespace guecs {
     float percent = 1.0f;
     sf::Color color = THEME.BG_COLOR_DARK;
     int padding = THEME.PADDING;
+    bool vertical = false;
     Rectangle bar{padding, color};
     // this is set automatically if a Rectangle is configured for the cell
     Rectangle backing_rect{padding, color};
+    size_t $cell_x = 0;
+    size_t $cell_y = 0;
     size_t $cell_w = 0;
     size_t $cell_h = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/guecs/sfml/components.cpp b/src/guecs/sfml/components.cpp
index c437b36..07f188e 100644
--- a/src/guecs/sfml/components.cpp
+++ b/src/guecs/sfml/components.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ namespace guecs {
   }
 
   void Meter::init(lel::Cell& cell) {
+    $cell_x = cell.x;
+    $cell_y = cell.y;
     $cell_w = cell.w;
     $cell_h = cell.h;
     bar.init(cell);
@@ -125,8 +127,15 @@ namespace guecs {
 
   void Meter::update_percent(float pct) {
     percent = pct;
-    float level = std::clamp(percent, 0.0f, 1.0f) * float($cell_w);
-    bar.shape->setSize({std::max(level, 0.0f) - padding * 2, float($cell_h) - padding * 2});
+    if(vertical) {
+      float level = std::clamp(percent, 0.0f, 1.0f) * float($cell_h);
+      sf::Vector2f size{float($cell_w) - padding * 2, std::max(level, 0.0f) - padding};
+      bar.shape->setSize(size);
+      bar.shape->setPosition({float($cell_x + padding), float($cell_y) + (float($cell_h) - size.y)});
+    } else {
+      float level = std::clamp(percent, 0.0f, 1.0f) * float($cell_w);
+      bar.shape->setSize({std::max(level, 0.0f) - padding * 2, float($cell_h) - padding * 2});
+    }
   }
 
   void Sound::play(bool hover) {