diff --git a/src/decode_impl.rs b/src/decode_impl.rs
index 0963a0c..abb22b9 100644
--- a/src/decode_impl.rs
+++ b/src/decode_impl.rs
@@ -259,11 +259,40 @@ pub fn decode(input: &str, output: &mut Vec<u8>, bits: u64) -> Result<(), ZBase3
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Decode a slice of characters to a [`Vec`] of octets (bytes).
+///
+/// It decodes to the longest full octet string, and fails if any
+/// left-over bits from the encoded form are non-zero.
+///
+/// This method is not available in `no_std` mode.
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
+pub fn decode_full_bytes(input: &str) -> Result<Vec<u8>, ZBase32Error> {
+    let bits:u64 = ((input.len() as u64 *5)/8)*8;
+    let mut output:Vec<u8> = Vec::new();
+    match decode(input, &mut output, bits) {
+        Ok(_) => Ok(output),
+        Err(e) => Err(e),
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     use super::decode;
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    use super::decode_full_bytes;
     use crate::test_data::{TestCase, RANDOM_TEST_DATA, STANDARD_TEST_DATA};
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    fn run_full_bytes_tests(test_cases: &[TestCase]) {
+        for test in test_cases {
+            if (test.bits % 8) == 0 {
+                assert_eq!(test.unencoded, decode_full_bytes(test.encoded).unwrap());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     fn run_tests(test_cases: &[TestCase]) {
         let mut buffer = Vec::new();
         for test in test_cases {
@@ -274,12 +303,26 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     fn test_decode_standard() {
         run_tests(STANDARD_TEST_DATA);
     }
 
     #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     fn test_decode_random() {
         run_tests(RANDOM_TEST_DATA);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    fn test_decode_full_bytes_standard() {
+        run_full_bytes_tests(STANDARD_TEST_DATA);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    fn test_decode_full_bytes_random() {
+        run_full_bytes_tests(RANDOM_TEST_DATA);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/encode_impl.rs b/src/encode_impl.rs
index 49aab2d..1139ade 100644
--- a/src/encode_impl.rs
+++ b/src/encode_impl.rs
@@ -248,11 +248,38 @@ pub fn encode(input: &[u8], output: &mut String, bits: u64) -> Result<(), ZBase3
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Encode a whole number of octets (bytes) to a [`String`].
+///
+/// If you need a number of bits that is not a multiple of 8 (that is,
+/// not a whole number of bytes), or you need to append to an existing
+/// string, use [`encode`] instead.
+///
+/// This method is not available in `no_std` mode.
+#[cfg(feature = "std")]
+pub fn encode_full_bytes(input: &[u8]) -> String {
+    let mut output = String::from("");
+    encode(input, &mut output, input.len() as u64 * 8).unwrap();
+    output
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     use super::encode;
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    use super::encode_full_bytes;
     use crate::test_data::{TestCase, RANDOM_TEST_DATA, STANDARD_TEST_DATA};
 
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    fn run_full_bytes_tests(test_cases: &[TestCase]) {
+        for test in test_cases {
+            if (test.bits % 8) == 0 {
+                assert_eq!(String::from(test.encoded), encode_full_bytes(test.unencoded));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     fn run_tests(test_cases: &[TestCase]) {
         let mut buffer = String::new();
         for test in test_cases {
@@ -263,12 +290,26 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     fn test_encode_standard() {
         run_tests(STANDARD_TEST_DATA);
     }
 
     #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
     fn test_encode_random() {
         run_tests(RANDOM_TEST_DATA);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    fn test_encode_full_bytes_standard() {
+        run_full_bytes_tests(STANDARD_TEST_DATA);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[cfg(feature = "std")]
+    fn test_encode_full_bytes_random() {
+        run_full_bytes_tests(RANDOM_TEST_DATA);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index cd5b499..d3d4923 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -50,17 +50,30 @@
 //!
 //! ## High-level API
 //!
-//! The high-level API consists of the functions [`encode`] and
-//! its reverse, [`decode`].
+//! The high-level API consists of two encoding functions
+//! [`encode_full_bytes`] and [`encode`]; and two decoding functions
+//! [`decode_full_bytes`] and [`decode`].
+//!
+//! [`encode_full_bytes`] and [`decode_full_bytes`] are simple to use
+//! when you know that the unencoded bytestring is a whole number of
+//! bytes.  [`encode`] and [`decode`] can also handle numbers of
+//! unencoded bits that are not divisible by 8, and can also append
+//! their results to existing variables.
 //!
 //! Example:
 //!
 //! ```
-//! use libzbase32::{ZBase32Error, encode, decode};
+//! use libzbase32::{ZBase32Error, encode, encode_full_bytes, decode};
 //!
 //! # fn main() {
 //! const DATA: &'static [u8] = &[0, 44, 55, 128];
 //!
+//! let full_bytes_encoded = encode_full_bytes(DATA);
+//! assert_eq!(&full_bytes_encoded, "yysdxyy");
+//!
+//! let full_bytes_decoded = decode_full_bytes(full_bytes_encoded);
+//! assert_eq!(&full_bytes_decoded, DATA);
+//!
 //! let mut encoded = String::new();
 //! encode(DATA, &mut encoded, 25).expect("Encoding failed!");
 //!