diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e0ec416..6d8849e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,14 +34,15 @@ Put a `updates.config.js` or `updates.config.mjs` in the root of your project, u
 export default {
   exclude: [
     "semver",
+    /^react/,
   ],
 };
 ```
 
 ### Config File Options
 
-- `include` *Array[String]*: Array of dependencies to include
-- `exclude` *Array[String]*: Array of dependencies to exclude
+- `include` *Array[String|Regexp]*: Array of dependencies to include
+- `exclude` *Array[String|Regexp]*: Array of dependencies to exclude
 - `types` *Array[String]*: Array of dependency types
 - `registry` *String*: URL to npm registry
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index d32f28d..05c9fa3 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1477,18 +1477,6 @@
         "@esbuild/win32-x64": "0.18.19"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/escape-string-regexp": {
-      "version": "4.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/escape-string-regexp/-/escape-string-regexp-4.0.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-TtpcNJ3XAzx3Gq8sWRzJaVajRs0uVxA2YAkdb1jm2YkPz4G6egUFAyA3n5vtEIZefPk5Wa4UXbKuS5fKkJWdgA==",
-      "dev": true,
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=10"
-      },
-      "funding": {
-        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/eslint": {
       "version": "8.46.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/eslint/-/eslint-8.46.0.tgz",
@@ -1814,6 +1802,18 @@
         "url": "https://opencollective.com/eslint"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/eslint/node_modules/escape-string-regexp": {
+      "version": "4.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/escape-string-regexp/-/escape-string-regexp-4.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-TtpcNJ3XAzx3Gq8sWRzJaVajRs0uVxA2YAkdb1jm2YkPz4G6egUFAyA3n5vtEIZefPk5Wa4UXbKuS5fKkJWdgA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=10"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/espree": {
       "version": "9.6.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/espree/-/espree-9.6.1.tgz",
diff --git a/snapshots/updates.test.js.snap b/snapshots/updates.test.js.snap
index a240287..9f7e9e0 100644
--- a/snapshots/updates.test.js.snap
+++ b/snapshots/updates.test.js.snap
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // Vitest Snapshot v1, https://vitest.dev/guide/snapshot.html
 
-exports[`exclude version deps 1`] = `
+exports[`exclude 1`] = `
 {
   "dependencies": {
     "updates": {
@@ -12,6 +12,18 @@ exports[`exclude version deps 1`] = `
 }
 `;
 
+exports[`exclude 2`] = `
+{
+  "dependencies": {
+    "react": {
+      "info": "https://github.com/facebook/react/tree/HEAD/packages/react",
+      "new": "18.2.0",
+      "old": "18.0",
+    },
+  },
+}
+`;
+
 exports[`greatest 1`] = `
 {
   "dependencies": {
@@ -78,7 +90,7 @@ exports[`greatest 1`] = `
 }
 `;
 
-exports[`include version deps #2 1`] = `
+exports[`include 1`] = `
 {
   "dependencies": {
     "noty": {
@@ -90,7 +102,19 @@ exports[`include version deps #2 1`] = `
 }
 `;
 
-exports[`include version deps 1`] = `
+exports[`include 2 1`] = `
+{
+  "dependencies": {
+    "noty": {
+      "info": "https://github.com/needim/noty",
+      "new": "3.2.0-beta",
+      "old": "3.1.0",
+    },
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`include 3 1`] = `
 {
   "dependencies": {
     "noty": {
diff --git a/updates.js b/updates.js
index 18f6ab3..4e6fc7d 100755
--- a/updates.js
+++ b/updates.js
@@ -611,6 +611,18 @@ async function getCerts(extra = []) {
   return [...(await import("node:tls")).rootCertificates, ...extra];
 }
 
+// parse include/exclude into a Set of regexes
+function matchersToRegexSet(cliArgs, configArgs) {
+  const ret = new Set();
+  for (const arg of cliArgs || []) {
+    ret.add(new RegExp(/\/.+\//.test(arg) ? arg.slice(1, -1) : `^${esc(arg)}$`));
+  }
+  for (const arg of configArgs || []) {
+    ret.add(arg instanceof RegExp ? arg : new RegExp(`^${esc(arg)}$`));
+  }
+  return ret;
+}
+
 async function main() {
   for (const stream of [process.stdout, process.stderr]) {
     stream?._handle?.setBlocking?.(true);
@@ -622,13 +634,13 @@ async function main() {
     stdout.write(`usage: updates [options]
 
   Options:
-    -l, --language <lang>              Language to check, either 'js' or 'py'
     -u, --update                       Update versions and write package file
+    -f, --file <path>                  Use given package file or module directory
+    -i, --include <pkg,...>            Include only given packages, supports '/regex/' syntax
+    -e, --exclude <pkg,...>            Exclude given packages, supports '/regex/' syntax
     -p, --prerelease [<pkg,...>]       Consider prerelease versions
     -R, --release [<pkg,...>]          Only use release versions, may downgrade
     -g, --greatest [<pkg,...>]         Prefer greatest over latest version
-    -i, --include <pkg,...>            Include only given packages
-    -e, --exclude <pkg,...>            Exclude given packages
     -t, --types <type,...>             Check only given dependency types
     -P, --patch [<pkg,...>]            Consider only up to semver-patch
     -m, --minor [<pkg,...>]            Consider only up to semver-minor
@@ -636,7 +648,7 @@ async function main() {
     -E, --error-on-outdated            Exit with code 2 when updates are available and 0 when not
     -U, --error-on-unchanged           Exit with code 0 when updates are available and 2 when not
     -r, --registry <url>               Override npm registry URL
-    -f, --file <path>                  Use given package file or module directory
+    -l, --language <lang>              Language to check, either 'js' or 'py'
     -S, --sockets <num>                Maximum number of parallel HTTP sockets opened. Default: ${MAX_SOCKETS}
     -j, --json                         Output a JSON object
     -n, --no-color                     Disable color output
@@ -646,7 +658,10 @@ async function main() {
 
   Examples:
     $ updates
-    $ updates -u && npm i
+    $ updates -u
+    $ updates -e '/^react-(dom)?/'
+    $ updates -f package.json
+    $ updates -f pyproject.toml
 `);
     exit(0);
   }
@@ -763,22 +778,25 @@ async function main() {
     finish(new Error(`Error parsing ${packageFile}: ${err.message}`));
   }
 
-  let include, exclude;
-  if (args.include && args.include !== true) {
-    include = new Set(((Array.isArray(args.include) ? args.include : [args.include]).flatMap(item => item.split(","))));
-  } else if ("include" in config && Array.isArray(config.include)) {
-    include = new Set(config.include);
+  let includeCli, excludeCli;
+  if (args.include && args.include !== true) { // cli
+    includeCli = (Array.isArray(args.include) ? args.include : [args.include]).flatMap(item => item.split(","));
   }
   if (args.exclude && args.exclude !== true) {
-    exclude = new Set(((Array.isArray(args.exclude) ? args.exclude : [args.exclude]).flatMap(item => item.split(","))));
-  } else if ("exclude" in config && Array.isArray(config.exclude)) {
-    exclude = new Set(config.exclude);
+    excludeCli = (Array.isArray(args.exclude) ? args.exclude : [args.exclude]).flatMap(item => item.split(","));
   }
 
+  const include = matchersToRegexSet(includeCli, config?.include);
+  const exclude = matchersToRegexSet(excludeCli, config?.exclude);
+
   function canInclude(name, language) {
     if (language === "py" && name === "python") return false;
-    if (exclude?.has?.(name) === true) return false;
-    if (include?.has?.(name) === false) return false;
+    for (const re of exclude) {
+      if (re.test(name)) return false;
+    }
+    for (const re of include) {
+      if (!re.test(name)) return false;
+    }
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -806,7 +824,7 @@ async function main() {
   }
 
   if (!Object.keys(deps).length && !Object.keys(maybeUrlDeps).length) {
-    if (include || exclude) {
+    if (include.size || exclude.size) {
       finish(new Error(`No dependencies match the given include/exclude filters`));
     } else {
       finish("No dependencies present, nothing to do");
diff --git a/updates.test.js b/updates.test.js
index 8e0e4d1..04a06f4 100644
--- a/updates.test.js
+++ b/updates.test.js
@@ -167,9 +167,11 @@ test("greatest", makeTest("-j -g"));
 test("prerelease", makeTest("-j -g -p"));
 test("release", makeTest("-j -R"));
 test("patch", makeTest("-j -P"));
-test("include version deps", makeTest("-j -i noty"));
-test("include version deps #2", makeTest("-j -i noty -i noty,noty"));
-test("exclude version deps", makeTest("-j -e gulp-sourcemaps,prismjs,svgstore,html-webpack-plugin,noty,jpeg-buffer-orientation,styled-components,@babel/preset-env,versions/updates,react"));
+test("include", makeTest("-j -i noty"));
+test("include 2", makeTest("-j -i noty -i noty,noty"));
+test("include 3", makeTest("-j -i /^noty/"));
+test("exclude", makeTest("-j -e gulp-sourcemaps,prismjs,svgstore,html-webpack-plugin,noty,jpeg-buffer-orientation,styled-components,@babel/preset-env,versions/updates,react"));
+test("exclude", makeTest("-j -e gulp-sourcemaps -i /react/"));
 
 test("pypi", makeTest(
   `-j -f ${fileURLToPath(new URL("fixtures/pyproject.toml", import.meta.url))}`,