diff --git a/examples/applications.ron b/examples/applications.ron
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8eae7046
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/applications.ron
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+Config(
+  // Limit amount of entries shown by the applications plugin (default: 5)
+  max_entries: 5,
+  // Whether to evaluate desktop actions as well as desktop applications (default: false)
+  desktop_actions: false,
+  // Whether to use a specific terminal or just the first terminal available (default: None)
+  terminal: None,
+  // Whether or not to put more often used applications higher in the search rankings (default: true)
+  use_usage_statistics: true,
+  // How much score to add for every usage of an application (default: 50)
+  // Each matching letter is 25 points
+  usage_score_multiplier: 50,
+  // Maximum amount of usages to count (default: 10)
+  // This is to limit the added score, so often used apps don't get too big of a boost
+  max_counted_usages: 10,
+)
diff --git a/plugins/applications/src/execution_stats.rs b/plugins/applications/src/execution_stats.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f412d504
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/applications/src/execution_stats.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::fs;
+use std::fs::OpenOptions;
+use std::io::Write;
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+
+use crate::Config;
+use crate::scrubber::DesktopEntry;
+
+pub(crate) struct ExecutionStats {
+    weight_map: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<String, i64>>>,
+    max_weight: i64,
+    execution_statistics_path: String,
+}
+
+impl ExecutionStats {
+    pub(crate) fn from_file_or_default(execution_statistics_path: &str, config: &Config) -> Self {
+        let execution_statistics: HashMap<String, i64> = fs::read_to_string(execution_statistics_path)
+            .map_err(|error| format!("Error parsing applications plugin config: {}", error))
+            .and_then(|content: String| ron::from_str(&content)
+                .map_err(|error| format!("Error reading applications plugin config: {}", error)))
+            .unwrap_or_else(|error_message| {
+                format!("{}", error_message);
+                HashMap::new()
+            });
+
+        ExecutionStats {
+            weight_map: Arc::new(Mutex::new(execution_statistics)),
+            max_weight: config.max_counted_usages,
+            execution_statistics_path: execution_statistics_path.to_owned(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn save(&self) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let path = Path::new(&self.execution_statistics_path);
+        if let Some(containing_folder) = path.parent() {
+            if !containing_folder.exists() {
+                fs::create_dir_all(containing_folder)
+                    .map_err(|error| format!("Error creating containing folder for usage statistics: {:?}", error))?;
+            }
+            let mut file = OpenOptions::new().create(true).write(true).truncate(true).open(path)
+                .map_err(|error| format!("Error creating data file for usage statistics: {:?}", error))?;
+            let weight_map = self.weight_map.lock()
+                .map_err(|error| format!("Error locking file for usage statistics: {:?}", error))?;
+            let serialized_data = ron::to_string(&*weight_map)
+                .map_err(|error| format!("Error serializing usage statistics: {:?}", error))?;
+            file.write_all(serialized_data.as_bytes())
+                .map_err(|error| format!("Error writing data file for usage statistics: {:?}", error))
+        } else {
+            Err(format!("Error getting parent folder of: {:?}", path))
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn register_usage(&self, application: &DesktopEntry) {
+        {
+            let mut guard = self.weight_map.lock().unwrap();
+            if let Some(count) = guard.get_mut(&application.exec) {
+                *count += 1;
+            } else {
+                guard.insert(application.exec.clone(), 1);
+            }
+        }
+        if let Err(error_message) = self.save() {
+            eprintln!("{}", error_message);
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn get_weight(&self, application: &DesktopEntry) -> i64 {
+        let weight = *self.weight_map.lock().unwrap().get(&application.exec).unwrap_or(&0);
+
+        if weight < self.max_weight {
+            weight
+        } else {
+            self.max_weight
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/applications/src/lib.rs b/plugins/applications/src/lib.rs
index 3dca60fe..b9c3c68a 100644
--- a/plugins/applications/src/lib.rs
+++ b/plugins/applications/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,15 +1,30 @@
+use std::{env, fs, process::Command};
+
 use abi_stable::std_types::{ROption, RString, RVec};
-use anyrun_plugin::{anyrun_interface::HandleResult, *};
 use fuzzy_matcher::FuzzyMatcher;
-use scrubber::DesktopEntry;
 use serde::Deserialize;
-use std::{env, fs, process::Command};
+
+use anyrun_plugin::{*, anyrun_interface::HandleResult};
+use scrubber::DesktopEntry;
+
+use crate::execution_stats::ExecutionStats;
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 pub struct Config {
-    desktop_actions: bool,
+    /// Limit amount of entries shown by the applications plugin (default: 5)
     max_entries: usize,
+    /// Whether to evaluate desktop actions as well as desktop applications (default: false)
+    desktop_actions: bool,
+    /// Whether to use a specific terminal or just the first terminal available (default: None)
     terminal: Option<String>,
+    /// Whether to put more often used applications higher in the search rankings (default: true)
+    use_usage_statistics: bool,
+    /// How much score to add for every usage of an application (default: 50)
+    /// Each matching letter is 25 points
+    usage_score_multiplier: i64,
+    /// Maximum amount of usages to count (default: 10)
+    /// This is to limit the added score, so often used apps don't get too big of a boost
+    max_counted_usages: i64,
 }
 
 impl Default for Config {
@@ -18,6 +33,9 @@ impl Default for Config {
             desktop_actions: false,
             max_entries: 5,
             terminal: None,
+            use_usage_statistics: true,
+            usage_score_multiplier: 50,
+            max_counted_usages: 10,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -25,9 +43,11 @@ impl Default for Config {
 pub struct State {
     config: Config,
     entries: Vec<(DesktopEntry, u64)>,
+    execution_stats: Option<ExecutionStats>,
 }
 
 mod scrubber;
+mod execution_stats;
 
 const SENSIBLE_TERMINALS: &[&str] = &["alacritty", "foot", "kitty", "wezterm", "wterm"];
 
@@ -45,6 +65,11 @@ pub fn handler(selection: Match, state: &State) -> HandleResult {
         })
         .unwrap();
 
+    // count the usage for the statistics
+    if let Some(stats) = &state.execution_stats {
+        stats.register_usage(&entry);
+    }
+
     if entry.term {
         match &state.config.terminal {
             Some(term) => {
@@ -98,12 +123,20 @@ pub fn init(config_dir: RString) -> State {
         }
     };
 
+    // only load execution stats, if needed
+    let execution_stats = if config.use_usage_statistics {
+        let execution_stats_path = format!("{}/execution_statistics.ron", config_dir);
+        Some(ExecutionStats::from_file_or_default(&execution_stats_path, &config))
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
     let entries = scrubber::scrubber(&config).unwrap_or_else(|why| {
         eprintln!("Failed to load desktop entries: {}", why);
         Vec::new()
     });
 
-    State { config, entries }
+    State { config, entries, execution_stats }
 }
 
 #[get_matches]
@@ -128,6 +161,11 @@ pub fn get_matches(input: RString, state: &State) -> RVec<Match> {
 
             let mut score = (app_score * 25 + keyword_score) - entry.offset;
 
+            // add score for often used apps
+            if let Some(stats) = &state.execution_stats {
+                score += stats.get_weight(entry) * state.config.usage_score_multiplier;
+            }
+
             // prioritize actions
             if entry.desc.is_some() {
                 score = score * 2;