diff --git a/packages/pnpm/package.json b/packages/pnpm/package.json
index 3eae977505..813ce48fe2 100644
--- a/packages/pnpm/package.json
+++ b/packages/pnpm/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "@pnpm/package-is-installable": "workspace:2.2.1",
     "@pnpm/package-store": "workspace:4.0.16",
     "@pnpm/read-importer-manifest": "workspace:1.0.8",
+    "@pnpm/semver-diff": "1.0.0",
     "@pnpm/server": "workspace:3.0.6",
     "@pnpm/store-controller-types": "workspace:3.0.3",
     "@pnpm/store-path": "2.1.0",
diff --git a/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/outdated.ts b/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/outdated.ts
index 04964ed3a7..bc406840e5 100644
--- a/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/outdated.ts
+++ b/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/outdated.ts
@@ -7,14 +7,18 @@ import {
 import outdated, {
   forPackages as outdatedForPackages, OutdatedPackage,
 } from '@pnpm/outdated'
+import semverDiff, { SEMVER_CHANGE } from '@pnpm/semver-diff'
 import storePath from '@pnpm/store-path'
 import { PackageJson, Registries } from '@pnpm/types'
 import chalk from 'chalk'
+import R = require('ramda')
 import stripColor = require('strip-color')
 import table = require('text-table')
 import createLatestVersionGetter from '../createLatestVersionGetter'
 import { readImporterManifestOnly } from '../readImporterManifest'
 
+export type OutdatedWithVersionDiff = OutdatedPackage & { change: SEMVER_CHANGE | null, diff?: [string[], string[]] }
+
 export default async function (
   args: string[],
   opts: {
@@ -58,27 +62,93 @@ export default async function (
   const columnNames = [
     'Package',
     'Current',
-    'Wanted',
     'Latest',
-    ...(opts.global ? [] : ['Belongs To']),
   ].map((txt) => chalk.underline(txt))
-  let columnFns: Array<(outdatedPkg: OutdatedPackage) => string> = [
-    ({ packageName }) => chalk.yellow(packageName),
-    ({ current }) => current || 'missing',
-    ({ wanted }) => chalk.green(wanted),
-    ({ latest }) => latest && chalk.magenta(latest) || '',
+  let columnFns: Array<(outdatedPkg: OutdatedWithVersionDiff) => string> = [
+    renderPackageName,
+    renderCurrent,
+    renderLatest,
   ]
-  if (!opts.global) {
-    columnFns.push(({ belongsTo }) => belongsTo)
+  return table([
+    columnNames,
+    ...R.sortWith(
+      [
+        sortBySemverChange,
+        (o1, o2) => o1.packageName.localeCompare(o2.packageName),
+      ],
+      outdatedPackages.map(toOutdatedWithVersionDiff)
+    )
+      .map((outdatedPkg) => columnFns.map((fn) => fn(outdatedPkg))),
+  ], {
+    stringLength: (s: string) => stripColor(s).length,
+  })
+}
+
+export function toOutdatedWithVersionDiff<T> (outdated: T & OutdatedPackage): T & OutdatedWithVersionDiff {
+  if (outdated.latest) {
+    return {
+      ...outdated,
+      ...semverDiff(outdated.wanted, outdated.latest),
+    }
+  }
+  return {
+    ...outdated,
+    change: 'unknown',
+  }
+}
+
+export function renderPackageName ({ belongsTo, packageName }: OutdatedWithVersionDiff) {
+  switch (belongsTo) {
+    case 'devDependencies': return `${packageName} ${chalk.dim('(dev)')}`
+    case 'optionalDependencies': return `${packageName} ${chalk.dim('(optional)')}`
+    default: return packageName
+  }
+}
+
+export function renderCurrent ({ current, wanted }: OutdatedWithVersionDiff) {
+  let output = current || 'missing'
+  if (current === wanted) return output
+  return `${output} (wanted ${wanted})`
+}
+
+const DIFF_COLORS = {
+  feature: chalk.yellowBright.bold,
+  fix: chalk.greenBright.bold,
+}
+
+export function renderLatest ({ latest, change, diff }: OutdatedWithVersionDiff) {
+  if (!latest) return ''
+  if (change === null || !diff) return latest
+
+  const highlight = DIFF_COLORS[change] || chalk.redBright.bold
+  const same = joinVersionTuples(diff[0], 0)
+  const other = highlight(joinVersionTuples(diff[1], diff[0].length))
+  if (!same) return other
+  return diff[0].length === 3 ? `${same}-${other}` : `${same}.${other}`
+}
+
+function joinVersionTuples (versionTuples: string[], startIndex: number) {
+  const neededForSemver = 3 - startIndex
+  if (versionTuples.length <= neededForSemver) return versionTuples.join('.')
+  return `${
+    versionTuples.slice(0, neededForSemver).join('.')
+   }-${
+     versionTuples.slice(neededForSemver).join('.')
+   }`
+}
+
+export function sortBySemverChange (outdated1: OutdatedWithVersionDiff, outdated2: OutdatedWithVersionDiff) {
+  return pkgPriority(outdated1) - pkgPriority(outdated2)
+}
+
+function pkgPriority (pkg: OutdatedWithVersionDiff) {
+  switch (pkg.change) {
+    case null: return 0
+    case 'fix': return 1
+    case 'feature': return 2
+    case 'breaking': return 3
+    default: return 4
   }
-  console.log(
-    table([
-      columnNames,
-      ...outdatedPackages.map((outdatedPkg) => columnFns.map((fn) => fn(outdatedPkg))),
-    ], {
-      stringLength: (s: string) => stripColor(s).length,
-    }),
-  )
 }
 
 export async function outdatedDependenciesOfWorkspacePackages (
diff --git a/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/recursive/outdated.ts b/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/recursive/outdated.ts
index 82bc9c5f48..22069c22f5 100644
--- a/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/recursive/outdated.ts
+++ b/packages/pnpm/src/cmd/recursive/outdated.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
 import { getLockfileImporterId } from '@pnpm/lockfile-file'
+import { OutdatedPackage } from '@pnpm/outdated'
 import { DependenciesField, PackageJson, Registries } from '@pnpm/types'
 import chalk from 'chalk'
 import R = require('ramda')
 import stripColor = require('strip-color')
 import table = require('text-table')
-import { outdatedDependenciesOfWorkspacePackages } from '../outdated'
+import {
+  outdatedDependenciesOfWorkspacePackages,
+  renderCurrent,
+  renderLatest,
+  renderPackageName,
+  sortBySemverChange,
+  toOutdatedWithVersionDiff,
+} from '../outdated'
 
 const DEP_PRIORITY: Record<DependenciesField, number> = {
   dependencies: 1,
@@ -12,6 +20,15 @@ const DEP_PRIORITY: Record<DependenciesField, number> = {
   optionalDependencies: 0,
 }
 
+type OutdatedInWorkspace = OutdatedPackage & {
+  belongsTo: DependenciesField,
+  current?: string,
+  dependentPkgs: Array<{ location: string, manifest: PackageJson }>,
+  latest?: string,
+  packageName: string,
+  wanted: string,
+}
+
 export default async (
   pkgs: Array<{path: string, manifest: PackageJson}>,
   args: string[],
@@ -42,14 +59,7 @@ export default async (
     userAgent: string,
   },
 ) => {
-  const outdatedByNameAndType = {} as Record<string, {
-    belongsTo: DependenciesField,
-    current?: string,
-    dependentPkgs: Array<{ location: string, manifest: PackageJson }>,
-    latest?: string,
-    packageName: string,
-    wanted: string,
-  }>
+  const outdatedByNameAndType = {} as Record<string, OutdatedInWorkspace>
   if (opts.lockfileDirectory) {
     const outdatedPackagesByProject = await outdatedDependenciesOfWorkspacePackages(pkgs, args, opts)
     for (let { prefix, outdatedPackages, manifest } of outdatedPackagesByProject) {
@@ -76,23 +86,24 @@ export default async (
     }))
   }
 
-  const columnNames = ['Package', 'Current', 'Wanted', 'Latest', 'Belongs To', 'Dependents'].map((txt) => chalk.underline(txt))
+  const columnNames = ['Package', 'Current', 'Latest', 'Dependents'].map((txt) => chalk.underline(txt))
   console.log(
     table([
       columnNames,
       ...R.sortWith(
         [
+          sortBySemverChange,
           (o1, o2) => o1.packageName.localeCompare(o2.packageName),
           (o1, o2) => DEP_PRIORITY[o1.belongsTo] - DEP_PRIORITY[o2.belongsTo],
         ],
-        (Object.values(outdatedByNameAndType)),
+        (
+          Object.values(outdatedByNameAndType).map(toOutdatedWithVersionDiff)
+        ),
       )
         .map((outdatedPkg) => [
-          chalk.yellow(outdatedPkg.packageName),
-          outdatedPkg.current || 'missing',
-          chalk.green(outdatedPkg.wanted),
-          chalk.magenta(outdatedPkg.latest || ''),
-          outdatedPkg.belongsTo,
+          renderPackageName(outdatedPkg),
+          renderCurrent(outdatedPkg),
+          renderLatest(outdatedPkg),
           outdatedPkg.dependentPkgs
             .map(({ manifest, location }) => manifest.name || location)
             .sort()
diff --git a/packages/pnpm/src/main.ts b/packages/pnpm/src/main.ts
index 75b7e5351e..a405f34d17 100644
--- a/packages/pnpm/src/main.ts
+++ b/packages/pnpm/src/main.ts
@@ -280,9 +280,17 @@ export default async function run (argv: string[]) {
         const result = pnpmCmds[cmd](cliArgs, opts, cliConf.argv.remain[0])
         if (result instanceof Promise) {
           result
-            .then(resolve)
+            .then((output) => {
+              if (typeof output === 'string') {
+                console.log(output)
+              }
+              resolve()
+            })
             .catch(reject)
         } else {
+          if (typeof result === 'string') {
+            console.log(result)
+          }
           resolve()
         }
       } catch (err) {
diff --git a/packages/pnpm/test/outdated.ts b/packages/pnpm/test/outdated.ts
index 0d5a335bd8..4c6b1f12ce 100644
--- a/packages/pnpm/test/outdated.ts
+++ b/packages/pnpm/test/outdated.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { WANTED_LOCKFILE } from '@pnpm/constants'
 import prepare, { tempDir } from '@pnpm/prepare'
+import chalk from 'chalk'
 import { stripIndents } from 'common-tags'
 import makeDir = require('make-dir')
 import fs = require('mz/fs')
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import normalizeNewline = require('normalize-newline')
 import path = require('path')
 import tape = require('tape')
 import promisifyTape from 'tape-promise'
+import outdated from '../src/cmd/outdated'
 import { execPnpm, execPnpmSync } from './utils'
 
 const hasOutdatedDepsFixture = path.join(__dirname, 'packages', 'has-outdated-deps')
@@ -18,15 +20,30 @@ const testOnly = promisifyTape(tape.only)
 test('pnpm outdated', async (t: tape.Test) => {
   process.chdir(hasOutdatedDepsFixture)
 
-  const result = execPnpmSync('outdated')
-
-  t.equal(result.status, 0)
-
-  t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-    Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To
-    is-negative  1.0.0    1.1.0   2.1.0   dependencies
-    is-positive  1.0.0    3.1.0   3.1.0   dependencies
-  ` + '\n')
+  t.equal(
+    await outdated([], {
+      alwaysAuth: false,
+      fetchRetries: 2,
+      fetchRetryFactor: 1,
+      fetchRetryMaxtimeout: 60000,
+      fetchRetryMintimeout: 10000,
+      global: false,
+      independentLeaves: false,
+      networkConcurrency: 16,
+      offline: false,
+      prefix: process.cwd(),
+      rawNpmConfig: { registry: 'https://localhost:4873' },
+      registries: { default: 'https://localhost:4873' },
+      strictSsl: false,
+      tag: 'latest',
+      userAgent: '',
+    }, 'outdated'),
+    stripIndents`
+      ${chalk.underline('Package')}      ${chalk.underline('Current')}               ${chalk.underline('Latest')}
+      is-positive  1.0.0 (wanted 3.1.0)  3.1.0
+      is-negative  1.0.0 (wanted 1.1.0)  ${chalk.redBright.bold('2.1.0')}
+    `,
+  )
 })
 
 test('pnpm outdated: only current lockfile is available', async (t: tape.Test) => {
@@ -41,9 +58,9 @@ test('pnpm outdated: only current lockfile is available', async (t: tape.Test) =
   t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
   t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-    Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To
-    is-negative  1.0.0    1.0.0   2.1.0   dependencies
-    is-positive  1.0.0    1.0.0   3.1.0   dependencies
+    Package      Current  Latest
+    is-negative  1.0.0    2.1.0
+    is-positive  1.0.0    3.1.0
   ` + '\n')
 })
 
@@ -58,9 +75,9 @@ test('pnpm outdated: only wanted lockfile is available', async (t: tape.Test) =>
   t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
   t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-    Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To
-    is-negative  missing  1.1.0   2.1.0   dependencies
-    is-positive  missing  3.1.0   3.1.0   dependencies
+    Package      Current                 Latest
+    is-positive  missing (wanted 3.1.0)  3.1.0
+    is-negative  missing (wanted 1.1.0)  2.1.0
   ` + '\n')
 })
 
@@ -82,9 +99,9 @@ test('pnpm outdated with external lockfile', async (t: tape.Test) => {
   t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
   t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-    Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To
-    is-negative  1.0.0    1.1.0   2.1.0   dependencies
-    is-positive  1.0.0    3.1.0   3.1.0   dependencies
+    Package      Current               Latest
+    is-positive  1.0.0 (wanted 3.1.0)  3.1.0
+    is-negative  1.0.0 (wanted 1.1.0)  2.1.0
   ` + '\n')
 })
 
@@ -102,9 +119,9 @@ test('pnpm outdated on global packages', async (t: tape.Test) => {
   t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
   t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-    Package      Current  Wanted  Latest
-    is-negative  1.0.0    1.0.0   2.1.0
-    is-positive  1.0.0    1.0.0   3.1.0
+    Package      Current  Latest
+    is-negative  1.0.0    2.1.0
+    is-positive  1.0.0    3.1.0
   ` + '\n')
 })
 
diff --git a/packages/pnpm/test/recursive/outdated.ts b/packages/pnpm/test/recursive/outdated.ts
index d183fe1771..db49da567a 100644
--- a/packages/pnpm/test/recursive/outdated.ts
+++ b/packages/pnpm/test/recursive/outdated.ts
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ test('pnpm recursive outdated', async (t: tape.Test) => {
     t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
     t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-      Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To       Dependents
-      is-negative  1.0.0    1.0.0   2.1.0   dependencies     project-2
-      is-negative  1.0.0    1.0.0   2.1.0   devDependencies  project-3
-      is-positive  1.0.0    1.0.0   3.1.0   dependencies     project-1, project-3
+      Package            Current  Latest  Dependents
+      is-negative        1.0.0    2.1.0   project-2
+      is-negative (dev)  1.0.0    2.1.0   project-3
+      is-positive        1.0.0    3.1.0   project-1, project-3
     ` + '\n')
   }
 
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ test('pnpm recursive outdated', async (t: tape.Test) => {
     t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
     t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-      Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To    Dependents
-      is-positive  1.0.0    1.0.0   3.1.0   dependencies  project-1, project-3
+      Package      Current  Latest  Dependents
+      is-positive  1.0.0    3.1.0   project-1, project-3
     ` + '\n')
   }
 })
@@ -111,10 +111,10 @@ test('pnpm recursive outdated in workspace with shared lockfile', async (t: tape
     t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
     t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-      Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To       Dependents
-      is-negative  1.0.0    1.0.0   2.1.0   dependencies     project-2
-      is-negative  1.0.0    1.0.0   2.1.0   devDependencies  project-3
-      is-positive  1.0.0    1.0.0   3.1.0   dependencies     project-1, project-3
+      Package            Current  Latest  Dependents
+      is-negative        1.0.0    2.1.0   project-2
+      is-negative (dev)  1.0.0    2.1.0   project-3
+      is-positive        1.0.0    3.1.0   project-1, project-3
     ` + '\n')
   }
 
@@ -124,8 +124,8 @@ test('pnpm recursive outdated in workspace with shared lockfile', async (t: tape
     t.equal(result.status, 0)
 
     t.equal(normalizeNewline(result.stdout.toString()), stripIndents`
-      Package      Current  Wanted  Latest  Belongs To    Dependents
-      is-positive  1.0.0    1.0.0   3.1.0   dependencies  project-1, project-3
+      Package      Current  Latest  Dependents
+      is-positive  1.0.0    3.1.0   project-1, project-3
     ` + '\n')
   }
 })
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 2339b611ad..19935f8e5a 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -1036,6 +1036,7 @@ importers:
       '@pnpm/package-is-installable': 'link:../package-is-installable'
       '@pnpm/package-store': 'link:../package-store'
       '@pnpm/read-importer-manifest': 'link:../read-importer-manifest'
+      '@pnpm/semver-diff': 1.0.0
       '@pnpm/server': 'link:../server'
       '@pnpm/store-controller-types': 'link:../store-controller-types'
       '@pnpm/store-path': 2.1.0
@@ -1148,6 +1149,7 @@ importers:
       '@pnpm/read-importer-manifest': 'workspace:1.0.8'
       '@pnpm/read-package-json': 'link:../read-package-json'
       '@pnpm/registry-mock': 1.4.0
+      '@pnpm/semver-diff': 1.0.0
       '@pnpm/server': 'workspace:3.0.6'
       '@pnpm/store-controller-types': 'workspace:3.0.3'
       '@pnpm/store-path': 2.1.0
@@ -2225,6 +2227,12 @@ packages:
     hasBin: true
     resolution:
       integrity: sha512-2GzsC4937QJcdWr9uWcBIaHF7CIeIeCVJhwfab31B73O9+Pc7baikKjMMUWDPgnMJG7kTRlRSadVYN6KDjiLaw==
+  /@pnpm/semver-diff/1.0.0:
+    dev: false
+    engines:
+      node: '>=8.15'
+    resolution:
+      integrity: sha512-xxjp9zkTS8cfRNEhfoTNIG9tGfiXn42anXDc6pLLepJlBMsDH4RVIF/ygOO2EKz7/9E2PF1zCQUTwjFpjFwL2g==
   /@pnpm/store-path/2.1.0:
     dependencies:
       can-link: 1.0.2