diff --git a/docs/message.adoc b/docs/message.adoc
index 3a5d818b..265aa5a0 100644
--- a/docs/message.adoc
+++ b/docs/message.adoc
@@ -192,6 +192,22 @@ auto data = msg.data();
 
 This always returns a (const-observing) `stdx::span` over the underlying data.
 
+=== Message equivalence
+
+Equality (`operator==`) is not defined on messages. A general definition of
+equality is problematic, but that doesn't mean we can't have a useful notion of
+equivalence that is spelled differently:
+
+[source,cpp]
+----
+auto m1 = my_message{"my_field"_field = 42};
+auto m2 = my_message{"my_field"_field = 0x2a};
+assert(equivalent(m1.as_const_view(), m2.as_mutable_view()));
+----
+
+Equivalence means that all fields hold the same values. It is defined for all
+combinations of owning messages, const views and mutable views.
+
 === Handling messages with callbacks
 
 _cib_ contains an implementation of a basic message handler which can be used in
diff --git a/include/msg/message.hpp b/include/msg/message.hpp
index 5d6db181..fe670ad0 100644
--- a/include/msg/message.hpp
+++ b/include/msg/message.hpp
@@ -397,11 +397,40 @@ template <stdx::ct_string Name, typename... Fields> struct message {
         [[nodiscard]] constexpr auto data() const { return storage; }
 
         [[nodiscard]] constexpr auto as_owning() { return owner_t{*this}; }
+        [[nodiscard]] constexpr auto as_const_view() const {
+            using cv_t =
+                view_t<stdx::span<std::add_const_t<typename Span::value_type>,
+                                  stdx::ct_capacity_v<Span>>>;
+            return cv_t{*this};
+        }
 
       private:
         static_assert(definition_t::fits_inside<span_t>,
                       "Fields overflow message storage!");
         span_t storage{};
+
+        friend constexpr auto operator==(view_t, view_t) -> bool {
+            static_assert(stdx::always_false_v<Span>,
+                          "Equality is not defined for messages: "
+                          "consider using equivalent() instead.");
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        using const_span_t =
+            stdx::span<std::add_const_t<typename Span::value_type>,
+                       stdx::ct_capacity_v<Span>>;
+        using mutable_span_t =
+            stdx::span<typename Span::value_type, stdx::ct_capacity_v<Span>>;
+
+        friend constexpr auto equiv(view_t lhs,
+                                    view_t<const_span_t> rhs) -> bool {
+            return (... and (lhs.get(Fields{}) == rhs.get(Fields{})));
+        }
+
+        friend constexpr auto equiv(view_t lhs,
+                                    view_t<mutable_span_t> rhs) -> bool {
+            return equiv(lhs, rhs.as_const_view());
+        }
     };
     using const_view_t = view_t<default_const_span_t>;
     using mutable_view_t = view_t<default_span_t>;
@@ -478,9 +507,27 @@ template <stdx::ct_string Name, typename... Fields> struct message {
                       "Fields overflow message storage!");
         storage_t storage{};
 
-        friend constexpr auto operator==(owner_t const &lhs,
-                                         owner_t const &rhs) -> bool {
-            return lhs.storage == rhs.storage;
+        friend constexpr auto operator==(owner_t const &,
+                                         owner_t const &) -> bool {
+            static_assert(stdx::always_false_v<Storage>,
+                          "Equality is not defined for messages: "
+                          "consider using equivalent() instead.");
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        using const_span_t = stdx::span<typename Storage::value_type const,
+                                        stdx::ct_capacity_v<Storage>>;
+        using mutable_span_t = stdx::span<typename Storage::value_type,
+                                          stdx::ct_capacity_v<Storage>>;
+
+        friend constexpr auto equiv(owner_t const &lhs,
+                                    view_t<const_span_t> rhs) -> bool {
+            return (... and (lhs.get(Fields{}) == rhs.get(Fields{})));
+        }
+
+        friend constexpr auto equiv(owner_t const &lhs,
+                                    view_t<mutable_span_t> rhs) -> bool {
+            return equiv(lhs, rhs.as_const_view());
         }
     };
 
@@ -518,8 +565,8 @@ template <stdx::ct_string Name, typename... Fields> struct message {
 
     using matcher_t = decltype(match::all(typename Fields::matcher_t{}...));
 
-    // NewFields go first because they override existing fields of the same name
-    // (see unique_by_name)
+    // NewFields go first because they override existing fields of the same
+    // name (see unique_by_name)
     template <stdx::ct_string NewName, typename... NewFields>
     using extension =
         message_without_unique_field_names<NewName, NewFields..., Fields...>;
@@ -534,6 +581,16 @@ template <typename T> using owning = typename T::template owner_t<>;
 template <typename T> using mutable_view = typename T::mutable_view_t;
 template <typename T> using const_view = typename T::const_view_t;
 
+template <typename M>
+concept messagelike =
+    requires { typename std::remove_cvref_t<M>::definition_t; };
+template <typename M>
+concept viewlike =
+    messagelike<M> and requires { typename std::remove_cvref_t<M>::span_t; };
+template <typename M>
+concept owninglike =
+    messagelike<M> and requires { typename std::remove_cvref_t<M>::storage_t; };
+
 template <typename V, typename Def>
 concept view_of = std::same_as<typename V::definition_t, Def> and
                   Def::template fits_inside<typename V::span_t>;
@@ -543,4 +600,26 @@ concept const_view_of =
 
 template <typename Def, stdx::ct_string Name, typename... Fields>
 using extend = typename Def::template extension<Name, Fields...>;
+
+template <owninglike O,
+          view_of<typename std::remove_cvref_t<O>::definition_t> V>
+constexpr auto equivalent(O &&o, V v) -> bool {
+    return equiv(std::forward<O>(o), v);
+}
+
+template <owninglike O,
+          view_of<typename std::remove_cvref_t<O>::definition_t> V>
+constexpr auto equivalent(V v, O &&o) -> bool {
+    return equiv(std::forward<O>(o), v);
+}
+
+template <viewlike V1, view_of<typename V1::definition_t> V2>
+constexpr auto equivalent(V1 v1, V2 v2) -> bool {
+    return equiv(v1, v2);
+}
+
+template <owninglike O1, owninglike O2>
+constexpr auto equivalent(O1 const &lhs, O2 const &rhs) {
+    return equiv(lhs, rhs.as_const_view());
+}
 } // namespace msg
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 522ccf17..8263d957 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ add_compile_fail_test(msg/fail/owning_msg_incompatible_storage.cpp LIBRARIES
                       warnings cib)
 add_compile_fail_test(msg/fail/owning_msg_incompatible_view.cpp LIBRARIES
                       warnings cib)
+add_compile_fail_test(msg/fail/message_cmp_owner.cpp LIBRARIES warnings cib)
+add_compile_fail_test(msg/fail/message_cmp_view.cpp LIBRARIES warnings cib)
 add_compile_fail_test(msg/fail/message_const_field_write.cpp LIBRARIES warnings
                       cib)
 add_compile_fail_test(msg/fail/message_dangling_view.cpp LIBRARIES warnings cib)
diff --git a/test/msg/fail/message_cmp_owner.cpp b/test/msg/fail/message_cmp_owner.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..076e4f91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/msg/fail/message_cmp_owner.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#include <msg/field.hpp>
+#include <msg/message.hpp>
+
+// EXPECT: consider using equivalent
+namespace {
+using namespace msg;
+
+using test_field1 =
+    field<"f1", std::uint32_t>::located<at{0_dw, 31_msb, 24_lsb}>;
+using test_field2 = field<"f2", std::uint32_t>::located<at{1_dw, 7_msb, 0_lsb}>;
+
+using msg_defn = message<"test_msg", test_field1, test_field2>;
+} // namespace
+
+auto main() -> int {
+    owning<msg_defn> m1{};
+    auto m2 = m1;
+    [[maybe_unused]] auto b = m1 == m2;
+}
diff --git a/test/msg/fail/message_cmp_view.cpp b/test/msg/fail/message_cmp_view.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..971e902c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/msg/fail/message_cmp_view.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#include <msg/field.hpp>
+#include <msg/message.hpp>
+
+// EXPECT: consider using equivalent
+namespace {
+using namespace msg;
+
+using test_field1 =
+    field<"f1", std::uint32_t>::located<at{0_dw, 31_msb, 24_lsb}>;
+using test_field2 = field<"f2", std::uint32_t>::located<at{1_dw, 7_msb, 0_lsb}>;
+
+using msg_defn = message<"test_msg", test_field1, test_field2>;
+} // namespace
+
+auto main() -> int {
+    owning<msg_defn> m{};
+    auto mv1 = m.as_mutable_view();
+    auto mv2 = m.as_mutable_view();
+    [[maybe_unused]] auto b = mv1 == mv2;
+}
diff --git a/test/msg/message.cpp b/test/msg/message.cpp
index 624ae0c1..ca7f4496 100644
--- a/test/msg/message.cpp
+++ b/test/msg/message.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 
 #include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
 
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <array>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <functional>
+#include <iterator>
+#include <string>
+#include <type_traits>
+
 namespace {
 using namespace msg;
 
@@ -212,7 +220,18 @@ TEST_CASE("owning from view", "[message]") {
     auto v = msg.as_mutable_view();
     auto o = v.as_owning();
     static_assert(std::is_same_v<decltype(o), test_msg>);
-    CHECK(msg == o);
+    CHECK(std::equal(msg.data().begin(), msg.data().end(), o.data().begin()));
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("const view from mutable view", "[message]") {
+    test_msg msg{};
+    auto mv = msg.as_mutable_view();
+    auto v = mv.as_const_view();
+    static_assert(
+        std::is_same_v<decltype(v.data()),
+                       typename test_msg::definition_t::default_const_span_t>);
+    msg.set("f1"_field = 0xba11);
+    CHECK(0xba11 == v.get("f1"_field));
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("equal_to matcher", "[message]") {
@@ -431,3 +450,53 @@ TEST_CASE("extend message with new field constraint", "[message]") {
     using expected_defn = message<"msg", id_field, field1::with_required<1>>;
     static_assert(std::is_same_v<defn, expected_defn>);
 }
+
+TEST_CASE("message equivalence (owning)", "[message]") {
+    test_msg m1{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42, "f3"_field = 0xd00d};
+    test_msg m2{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42, "f3"_field = 0xd00d};
+    CHECK(equivalent(m1, m2));
+    test_msg other{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42, "f3"_field = 0xd00f};
+    CHECK(not equivalent(m1, other));
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("message equivalence (owning/const_view)", "[message]") {
+    owning<msg_defn> m{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42,
+                       "f3"_field = 0xd00d};
+    auto cv = m.as_const_view();
+    CHECK(equivalent(m, cv));
+    CHECK(equivalent(cv, m));
+
+    owning<msg_defn> other{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42,
+                           "f3"_field = 0xd00f};
+    CHECK(not equivalent(other, cv));
+    CHECK(not equivalent(cv, other));
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("message equivalence (owning/mutable_view)", "[message]") {
+    owning<msg_defn> m{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42,
+                       "f3"_field = 0xd00d};
+    auto mv = m.as_mutable_view();
+    CHECK(equivalent(m, mv));
+    CHECK(equivalent(mv, m));
+
+    owning<msg_defn> other{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42,
+                           "f3"_field = 0xd00f};
+    CHECK(not equivalent(other, mv));
+    CHECK(not equivalent(mv, other));
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("message equivalence (views)", "[message]") {
+    owning<msg_defn> m{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42,
+                       "f3"_field = 0xd00d};
+    auto cv1 = m.as_const_view();
+    auto mv1 = m.as_mutable_view();
+    CHECK(equivalent(cv1, cv1));
+    CHECK(equivalent(mv1, mv1));
+    CHECK(equivalent(cv1, mv1));
+    CHECK(equivalent(mv1, cv1));
+
+    owning<msg_defn> other{"f1"_field = 0xba11, "f2"_field = 0x42,
+                           "f3"_field = 0xd00f};
+    auto cv2 = other.as_const_view();
+    CHECK(not equivalent(cv1, cv2));
+}