diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e7a7467..57a450e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Options:
   -o, --outfile TEXT  Output file name, use a dash '-' for stdout, default:
                       'collected_data.csv'
   -q, --quiet         Ignore Sanity Check
+  -r, --recurse       Recurse into folders one level down
   --help              Show this message and exit.
 ```
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e4e8ab0..b7dd605 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ dev = [
 ]
 
 [tool.flit.scripts]
-parse_sensospot_data = "sensospot_data:run"
+sensospot_parse = "sensospot_data:main"
 
 [tool.black]
 line-length = 79
diff --git a/sensospot_data/__init__.py b/sensospot_data/__init__.py
index 8990ed8..1591c36 100644
--- a/sensospot_data/__init__.py
+++ b/sensospot_data/__init__.py
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@ import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import click
+import pandas
 
 from .parser import parse_file, parse_folder  # noqa: F401
 from .parameters import ExposureInfo  # noqa: F401
 
+DEFAULT_OUTPUT_FILENAME = "collected_data.csv"
+
 
 @click.command()
 @click.argument(
@@ -29,10 +32,10 @@ from .parameters import ExposureInfo  # noqa: F401
 @click.option(
     "-o",
     "--outfile",
-    default="collected_data.csv",
+    default=DEFAULT_OUTPUT_FILENAME,
     help=(
         "Output file name, use a dash '-' for stdout, "
-        "default: 'collected_data.csv'"
+        f"default: '{DEFAULT_OUTPUT_FILENAME}'"
     ),
 )
 @click.option(
@@ -42,12 +45,48 @@ from .parameters import ExposureInfo  # noqa: F401
     default=False,
     help="Ignore Sanity Check",
 )
-def run(source, outfile, quiet=False):
+@click.option(
+    "-r",
+    "--recurse",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="Recurse into folders one level down",
+)
+def main(source, outfile, quiet=False, recurse=False):
+    if recurse:
+        _parse_recursive(source, outfile, quiet)
+    else:
+        _parse_one_folder(source, outfile, quiet)
+
+
+def _output(data, folder, outfile):
+    """output a datafarme to stdout or csv file
+
+    data:    the pandas dataframe
+    folder:  the folder to save the file to
+    outfile: the name of the outfile, '-' will output to stdout
+    """
+    if outfile.strip() == "-":
+        data.to_csv(sys.stdout, sep="\t")
+    else:
+        csv_file = Path(folder) / outfile
+        data.to_csv(csv_file, sep="\t")
+
+
+def _parse_one_folder(source, outfile, quiet):
+    """parses the data of one folder"""
     source_path = Path(source)
     # read the raw data of a folder
     raw_data = parse_folder(source_path, quiet=quiet)
-    if outfile.strip() == "-":
-        raw_data.to_csv(sys.stdout, sep="\t")
-    else:
-        csv_file = source_path / outfile
-        raw_data.to_csv(csv_file, sep="\t")
+    _output(raw_data, source_path, outfile)
+    return raw_data
+
+
+def _parse_recursive(source, outfile, quiet):
+    """parses all folder one level down and collects the data"""
+    child_outfile = DEFAULT_OUTPUT_FILENAME
+    source_path = Path(source)
+    folders = (i for i in source_path.iterdir() if i.is_dir())
+    collection = (_parse_one_folder(f, child_outfile, quiet) for f in folders)
+    collected_data = pandas.concat(collection, ignore_index=True).reset_index()
+    _output(collected_data, source_path, outfile)
diff --git a/tests/test_sensovation_data.py b/tests/test_sensovation_data.py
index 6fd50af..dcf3891 100644
--- a/tests/test_sensovation_data.py
+++ b/tests/test_sensovation_data.py
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 
 def test_import_api():
     from sensospot_data import ExposureInfo  # noqa: F401
-    from sensospot_data import run  # noqa: F401
+    from sensospot_data import main  # noqa: F401
     from sensospot_data import parse_file  # noqa: F401
     from sensospot_data import parse_folder  # noqa: F401