diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/RequestOptions.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/RequestOptions.scala
index 32c3805e6c..8ed0cb1f99 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/RequestOptions.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/RequestOptions.scala
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 package sttp.client4
 
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding
+
 import scala.concurrent.duration.Duration
 
 case class RequestOptions(
     followRedirects: Boolean,
     readTimeout: Duration, // TODO: Use FiniteDuration while migrating to sttp-4
     maxRedirects: Int,
-    redirectToGet: Boolean
+    redirectToGet: Boolean,
+    encoding: List[ContentEncoding] = List.empty
 )
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/SttpClientException.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/SttpClientException.scala
index 2290950030..1410074436 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/SttpClientException.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/SttpClientException.scala
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ object SttpClientException extends SttpClientExceptionExtensions {
 
   class TimeoutException(request: GenericRequest[_, _], cause: Exception) extends ReadException(request, cause)
 
+  class EncodingException(request: GenericRequest[_, _], cause: Exception) extends SttpClientException(request, cause)
+
   def adjustExceptions[F[_], T](
       monadError: MonadError[F]
   )(t: => F[T])(usingFn: Exception => Option[Exception]): F[T] =
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/ContentEncoding.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/ContentEncoding.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8dcc9b64fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/ContentEncoding.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package sttp.client4.internal
+
+sealed trait ContentEncoding {
+  def name: String
+}
+
+object ContentEncoding {
+
+  val gzip = Gzip()
+  val deflate = Deflate()
+
+  case class Gzip() extends ContentEncoding {
+    override def name: String = "gzip"
+  }
+
+  case class Compress() extends ContentEncoding {
+    override def name: String = "compress"
+  }
+
+  case class Deflate() extends ContentEncoding {
+    override def name: String = "deflate"
+  }
+
+  case class Br() extends ContentEncoding {
+    override def name: String = "br"
+  }
+
+  case class Zstd() extends ContentEncoding {
+    override def name: String = "zstd"
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/ContentCodec.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/ContentCodec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2e84003f26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/ContentCodec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+package sttp.client4.internal.encoders
+
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding.{Deflate, Gzip}
+import sttp.client4.internal.encoders.EncoderError.UnsupportedEncoding
+import sttp.client4.{BasicBodyPart, ByteArrayBody, ByteBufferBody, FileBody, InputStreamBody, StringBody}
+import sttp.model.MediaType
+
+import scala.annotation.tailrec
+
+
+trait ContentCodec[C <: ContentEncoding] {
+
+  type BodyWithLength = (BasicBodyPart, Int)
+
+  def encode(body: BasicBodyPart): Either[EncoderError, BodyWithLength]
+
+  def decode(body: BasicBodyPart): Either[EncoderError, BodyWithLength]
+
+  def encoding: C
+
+}
+
+abstract class AbstractContentCodec[C <: ContentEncoding] extends ContentCodec[C] {
+
+  override def encode(body: BasicBodyPart): Either[EncoderError, BodyWithLength] = {
+    body match {
+      case StringBody(s, encoding, ct) => encode(s.getBytes(encoding), ct)
+      case ByteArrayBody(b, ct) => encode(b, ct)
+      case ByteBufferBody(b, ct) => encode(b.array(), ct)
+      case InputStreamBody(b, ct) => encode(b.readAllBytes(), ct)
+      case FileBody(f, ct) => encode(f.readAsByteArray, ct)
+    }
+  }
+
+  private def encode(bytes: Array[Byte], ct: MediaType): Either[EncoderError, BodyWithLength] = {
+    encode(bytes).map(r => ByteArrayBody(r, ct) -> r.length)
+  }
+
+  override def decode(body: BasicBodyPart): Either[EncoderError, BodyWithLength] = body match {
+    case StringBody(s, encoding, ct) => decode(s.getBytes(encoding), ct)
+    case ByteArrayBody(b, ct) => decode(b, ct)
+    case ByteBufferBody(b, ct) => decode(b.array(), ct)
+    case InputStreamBody(b, ct) => decode(b.readAllBytes(), ct)
+    case FileBody(f, ct) => decode(f.readAsByteArray, ct)
+  }
+
+  private def decode(bytes: Array[Byte], ct: MediaType): Either[EncoderError, BodyWithLength] = {
+    decode(bytes).map(r => ByteArrayBody(r, ct) -> r.length)
+  }
+
+  def encode(bytes: Array[Byte]): Either[EncoderError, Array[Byte]]
+  def decode(bytes: Array[Byte]): Either[EncoderError, Array[Byte]]
+}
+
+object ContentCodec {
+
+  private val gzipCodec = new GzipContentCodec
+
+  private val deflateCodec = new DeflateContentCodec
+
+  def encode(b: BasicBodyPart, codec: List[ContentEncoding]): Either[EncoderError, (BasicBodyPart, Int)] = {
+    foldLeftInEither(codec, b -> 0) { case ((l,_), r) =>
+      r match {
+        case _: Gzip    => gzipCodec.encode(l)
+        case _: Deflate => deflateCodec.encode(l)
+        case e          => Left(UnsupportedEncoding(e))
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  @tailrec
+  private def foldLeftInEither[T, R, E](elems: List[T], zero: R)(f: (R, T) => Either[E, R]): Either[E, R] = {
+    elems match {
+      case Nil => Right[E,R](zero)
+      case head :: tail => f(zero, head) match {
+        case l :Left[E, R] => l
+        case Right(v) => foldLeftInEither(tail, v)(f)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/DeflateContentCodec.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/DeflateContentCodec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9e23ee4b77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/DeflateContentCodec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package sttp.client4.internal.encoders
+
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding.Deflate
+
+import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream
+import java.util.zip.{Deflater, Inflater}
+import scala.util.{Try, Using}
+
+class DeflateContentCodec extends AbstractContentCodec[Deflate] {
+
+  override def encode(bytes: Array[Byte]): Either[EncoderError, Array[Byte]] =
+    Try {
+      val deflater: Deflater = new Deflater()
+      deflater.setInput(bytes)
+      deflater.finish()
+      val compressedData = new Array[Byte](bytes.length * 2)
+      val count: Int = deflater.deflate(compressedData)
+      compressedData.take(count)
+    }.toEither.left.map(ex => EncoderError.EncodingFailure(encoding, ex.getMessage))
+
+  override def decode(bytes: Array[Byte]): Either[EncoderError, Array[Byte]] =
+    Using(new ByteArrayOutputStream()){ bos =>
+      val buf = new Array[Byte](1024)
+      val decompresser = new Inflater()
+      decompresser.setInput(bytes, 0, bytes.length)
+      while (!decompresser.finished) {
+        val resultLength = decompresser.inflate(buf)
+        bos.write(buf, 0, resultLength)
+      }
+      decompresser.end()
+      bos.toByteArray
+    }.toEither.left.map(ex => EncoderError.EncodingFailure(encoding, ex.getMessage))
+
+  override def encoding: Deflate = ContentEncoding.deflate
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/EncoderError.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/EncoderError.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36e75d1c40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/EncoderError.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package sttp.client4.internal.encoders
+
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding
+
+import scala.util.control.NoStackTrace
+
+sealed trait EncoderError extends Exception with NoStackTrace {
+  def reason: String
+}
+
+object EncoderError {
+  case class UnsupportedEncoding(encoding: ContentEncoding) extends EncoderError {
+    override def reason: String = s"${encoding.name} is unsupported with this body"
+  }
+
+  case class EncodingFailure(encoding: ContentEncoding, msg: String) extends EncoderError {
+
+    override def reason: String = s"Can`t encode $encoding for body $msg"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/GzipContentCodec.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/GzipContentCodec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d6015d8986
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/internal/encoders/GzipContentCodec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package sttp.client4.internal.encoders
+
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding
+import sttp.client4.internal.ContentEncoding.Gzip
+import sttp.client4.internal.encoders.EncoderError.EncodingFailure
+
+import java.io.{ByteArrayInputStream, ByteArrayOutputStream}
+import java.util.zip.{GZIPInputStream, GZIPOutputStream}
+import scala.util.Using
+
+class GzipContentCodec extends AbstractContentCodec[Gzip] {
+
+  override def encode(bytes: Array[Byte]): Either[EncodingFailure, Array[Byte]] = {
+    Using(new ByteArrayOutputStream){ baos =>
+      Using(new GZIPOutputStream(baos)){ gzos =>
+        gzos.write(bytes)
+        gzos.finish()
+        baos.toByteArray
+      }
+    }.flatMap(identity).toEither.left.map(ex => EncodingFailure(encoding, ex.getMessage))
+  }
+
+  override def decode(bytes: Array[Byte]): Either[EncodingFailure, Array[Byte]] = {
+    Using(new GZIPInputStream(new ByteArrayInputStream(bytes))) { b =>
+      b.readAllBytes()
+    }.toEither.left.map(ex => EncodingFailure(encoding, ex.getMessage))
+  }
+
+  override def encoding: Gzip = ContentEncoding.gzip
+
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/request.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/request.scala
index acd298695b..c95ae77a80 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/request.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/request.scala
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package sttp.client4
 
 import sttp.model.{Header, Method, Part, RequestMetadata, Uri}
 import sttp.capabilities.{Effect, Streams, WebSockets}
+import sttp.client4.SttpClientException.EncodingException
+import sttp.client4.internal.encoders.ContentCodec
 import sttp.client4.internal.{ToCurlConverter, ToRfc2616Converter}
 
 import scala.collection.immutable.Seq
@@ -143,7 +145,20 @@ case class Request[T](
     * Known exceptions are converted by backends to one of [[SttpClientException]]. Other exceptions are thrown
     * unchanged.
     */
-  def send[F[_]](backend: Backend[F]): F[Response[T]] = backend.send(this)
+  def send[F[_]](backend: Backend[F]): F[Response[T]] = {
+    (this.options.encoding, this.body) match {
+      case (Nil, _) => backend.send(this)
+      case (codecs, b: BasicBodyPart) if codecs.nonEmpty =>
+        val (newBody, newLength) = ContentCodec.encode(b, codecs) match {
+          case Left(err) => throw new EncodingException(this, err)
+          case Right(v) => v
+        }
+        val newReq = this.contentLength(newLength.toLong).copyWithBody(newBody)
+        backend.send(newReq)
+
+      case _ => backend.send(this)
+    }
+  }
 
   /** Sends the request synchronously, using the given backend.
     *
@@ -155,7 +170,19 @@ case class Request[T](
     * Known exceptions are converted by backends to one of [[SttpClientException]]. Other exceptions are thrown
     * unchanged.
     */
-  def send(backend: SyncBackend): Response[T] = backend.send(this)
+  def send(backend: SyncBackend): Response[T] = {
+    (this.options.encoding, this.body) match {
+      case (codecs, b: BasicBodyPart) if codecs.nonEmpty =>
+        val (newBody, newLength) = ContentCodec.encode(b, codecs) match {
+          case Left(err) => throw new EncodingException(this, err)
+          case Right(v) => v
+        }
+        val newReq = this.contentLength(newLength.toLong).copyWithBody(newBody)
+        backend.send(newReq)
+
+      case _ => backend.send(this)
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 object Request {
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/requestBuilder.scala b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/requestBuilder.scala
index f845cd0205..1418c60876 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/requestBuilder.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/sttp/client4/requestBuilder.scala
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package sttp.client4
 
-import sttp.client4.internal.SttpFile
-import sttp.client4.internal.Utf8
-import sttp.client4.internal.contentTypeWithCharset
+import sttp.client4.internal.{ContentEncoding, SttpFile, Utf8, contentTypeWithCharset}
 import sttp.client4.logging.LoggingOptions
 import sttp.client4.wrappers.DigestAuthenticationBackend
 import sttp.model.HasHeaders
@@ -77,6 +75,10 @@ trait PartialRequestBuilder[+PR <: PartialRequestBuilder[PR, R], +R]
   def contentLength(l: Long): PR =
     header(HeaderNames.ContentLength, l.toString, replaceExisting = true)
 
+  def contentEncoding(encoding: ContentEncoding): PR =
+    header(HeaderNames.ContentEncoding, encoding.name, replaceExisting = false)
+      .withOptions(options.copy(encoding = options.encoding :+ encoding))
+
   /** Adds the given header to the end of the headers sequence.
     * @param replaceExisting
     *   If there's already a header with the same name, should it be replaced?
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/sttp/client4/testing/HttpTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/sttp/client4/testing/HttpTest.scala
index 4e7665911a..4288d301cd 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/sttp/client4/testing/HttpTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/sttp/client4/testing/HttpTest.scala
@@ -3,15 +3,18 @@ package sttp.client4.testing
 import org.scalatest._
 import org.scalatest.freespec.AsyncFreeSpec
 import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
-import sttp.client4.internal.{Iso88591, Utf8}
+import sttp.client4.internal.{ContentEncoding, Iso88591, Utf8}
 import sttp.client4.testing.HttpTest.endpoint
 import sttp.client4._
+import sttp.client4.internal.encoders.EncoderError.EncodingFailure
+import sttp.client4.internal.encoders.{DeflateContentCodec, GzipContentCodec}
 import sttp.model.StatusCode
 import sttp.monad.MonadError
 import sttp.monad.syntax._
 
 import java.io.{ByteArrayInputStream, UnsupportedEncodingException}
 import java.nio.ByteBuffer
+import scala.Right
 import scala.concurrent.Future
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 
@@ -21,6 +24,7 @@ trait HttpTest[F[_]]
     with Matchers
     with ToFutureWrapper
     with OptionValues
+    with EitherValues
     with HttpTestExtensions[F]
     with AsyncRetries {
 
@@ -421,6 +425,52 @@ trait HttpTest[F[_]]
       req.send(backend).toFuture().map(resp => resp.code shouldBe StatusCode.Ok)
     }
 
+    "should compress request body gzip" in {
+      val codec = new GzipContentCodec
+      val req = basicRequest.contentEncoding(ContentEncoding.gzip)
+        .response(asByteArrayAlways)
+        .post(uri"$endpoint/echo/exact")
+        .body("I`m not compressed")
+      req.send(backend).toFuture().map{resp =>
+        resp.code shouldBe StatusCode.Ok
+        val res = codec.decode(resp.body)
+        res.isRight shouldBe true
+        res.right.value shouldBe "I`m not compressed".getBytes()
+      }
+    }
+
+    "should compress request body deflate" in {
+      val codec = new DeflateContentCodec
+      val req = basicRequest.contentEncoding(ContentEncoding.deflate)
+        .response(asByteArrayAlways)
+        .post(uri"$endpoint/echo/exact")
+        .body("I`m not compressed")
+      req.send(backend).toFuture().map{resp =>
+        resp.code shouldBe StatusCode.Ok
+        val res = codec.decode(resp.body)
+        res.isRight shouldBe true
+        res.right.value shouldBe "I`m not compressed".getBytes()
+      }
+    }
+
+    "should compress request body multiple codecs" in {
+      val codecDeflate = new DeflateContentCodec
+      val codecGzip = new GzipContentCodec
+      val req = basicRequest
+        .contentEncoding(ContentEncoding.gzip)
+        .contentEncoding(ContentEncoding.deflate)
+        .response(asByteArrayAlways)
+        .post(uri"$endpoint/echo/exact")
+        .body("I`m not compressed")
+      req.send(backend).toFuture().map{resp =>
+        resp.code shouldBe StatusCode.Ok
+        val res = codecDeflate.decode(resp.body)
+          .flatMap(b => codecGzip.decode(b))
+        res.isRight shouldBe true
+        res.right.value shouldBe "I`m not compressed".getBytes()
+      }
+    }
+
     if (supportsCustomContentEncoding) {
       "decompress using custom content encoding" in {
         val req =