diff --git a/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/all.scala b/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/all.scala
index 8c435a6443..bac11a54e5 100644
--- a/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/all.scala
+++ b/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/all.scala
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cats.std
 
 trait AllInstances
   extends FunctionInstances
+  with    EitherInstances
   with    ListInstances
   with    OptionInstances
   with    SetInstances
diff --git a/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/either.scala b/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/either.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3280390c78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/either.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package cats
+package std
+
+trait EitherInstances extends EitherInstances1 {
+  implicit def eitherInstances[A]: Monad[Either[A, ?]] with Traverse[Either[A, ?]] =
+    new Monad[Either[A, ?]] with Traverse[Either[A, ?]] {
+      def pure[B](b: B): Either[A, B] = Right(b)
+
+      def flatMap[B, C](fa: Either[A, B])(f: B => Either[A, C]): Either[A, C] =
+        fa.right.flatMap(f)
+
+      override def map[B, C](fa: Either[A, B])(f: B => C): Either[A, C] =
+        fa.right.map(f)
+
+      def traverse[F[_], B, C](fa: Either[A, B])(f: B => F[C])(implicit F: Applicative[F]): F[Either[A, C]] =
+        fa.fold(
+          a => F.pure(Left(a)),
+          b => F.map(f(b))(Right(_))
+        )
+
+      def foldLeft[B, C](fa: Either[A, B], c: C)(f: (C, B) => C): C =
+        fa.fold(_ => c, f(c, _))
+
+      def foldRight[B, C](fa: Either[A, B], c: C)(f: (B, C) => C): C =
+        fa.fold(_ => c, f(_, c))
+
+      def foldRight[B, C](fa: Either[A, B], c: Lazy[C])(f: (B, Lazy[C]) => C): Lazy[C] =
+        fa.fold(_ => c, b => Lazy(f(b, c)))
+    }
+
+  implicit def eitherOrder[A, B](implicit A: Order[A], B: Order[B]): Order[Either[A, B]] = new Order[Either[A, B]] {
+    def compare(x: Either[A, B], y: Either[A, B]): Int = x.fold(
+      a => y.fold(A.compare(a, _), _ => -1),
+      b => y.fold(_ => 1, B.compare(b, _))
+    )
+  }
+
+  implicit def eitherShow[A, B](implicit A: Show[A], B: Show[B]): Show[Either[A, B]] =
+    new Show[Either[A, B]] {
+      def show(f: Either[A, B]): String = f.fold(
+        a => s"Left(${A.show(a)})",
+        b => s"Right(${B.show(b)})"
+      )
+    }
+}
+
+sealed trait EitherInstances1 extends EitherInstances2 {
+  implicit def eitherPartialOrder[A, B](implicit A: PartialOrder[A], B: PartialOrder[B]): PartialOrder[Either[A, B]] =
+    new PartialOrder[Either[A, B]] {
+      def partialCompare(x: Either[A, B], y: Either[A, B]): Double = x.fold(
+        a => y.fold(A.partialCompare(a, _), _ => -1),
+        b => y.fold(_ => 1, B.partialCompare(b, _))
+      )
+    }
+}
+
+sealed trait EitherInstances2 {
+  implicit def eitherEq[A, B](implicit A: Eq[A], B: Eq[B]): Eq[Either[A, B]] = new Eq[Either[A, B]] {
+    def eqv(x: Either[A, B], y: Either[A, B]): Boolean = x.fold(
+      a => y.fold(A.eqv(a, _), _ => false),
+      b => y.fold(_ => false, B.eqv(b, _))
+    )
+  }
+}
diff --git a/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/package.scala b/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/package.scala
index 88fe488184..9e85fa6841 100644
--- a/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/package.scala
+++ b/std/src/main/scala/cats/std/package.scala
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cats
 package object std {
   object all      extends AllInstances
 
+  object either extends EitherInstances
   object function extends FunctionInstances
   object list       extends ListInstances
   object option     extends OptionInstances