diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ee7e90b..1683a05 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ end
 ## API
 
 ```ex
-Bind.query(schema, params)
+Bind.query(params, schema)
 ```
 
 Parameters:
@@ -205,6 +205,25 @@ Example for descending pagination:
 GET /users?sort=-created_at&-start=-100
 ```
 
+### Counting
+
+Set `count=true` to ask how many rows match, without paging through them. `count` is a reserved key like `sort`, `limit` and `start`.
+
+```ex
+query = Bind.query(params, User) |> scope_to_viewer(viewer)
+users = Repo.all(query)
+count = if Bind.count?(params), do: Repo.one(Bind.count(query))
+```
+
+`Bind.count/1` takes the query `Bind.query/3` built, with any scopes piped after it, and selects how many rows it matches: the filters, joins and cursor stay, sort, limit and preloads drop. The query is counted as a subquery, so a scope's `distinct`, `group_by` or `select` never changes the number.
+
+The cursor is a where on id, so with `start` or `-start` the count is the rows past it and shrinks as a client pages. Ask for the total on the first page, which has no cursor.
+
+```
+GET /users?count=true&limit=0           # just the number
+GET /users?active[true]&count=true      # first page plus the number
+```
+
 ### Query String Support
 
 In a typical Phoenix controller, you can simply pass `conn.query_string` and get Ecto query back:
diff --git a/lib/bind.ex b/lib/bind.ex
index 392eee5..1536217 100644
--- a/lib/bind.ex
+++ b/lib/bind.ex
@@ -59,6 +59,44 @@ defmodule Bind do
     |> query(schema, opts)
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Whether the params ask for the number of matching rows: `count=true` (or `1`).
+  `count` is a reserved key like `sort`, `limit` and `start`.
+  """
+  def count?(query_string) when is_binary(query_string) do
+    query_string
+    |> Bind.QueryString.to_map()
+    |> count?()
+  end
+
+  def count?(params) when is_map(params) do
+    # the query-string path turns "1" into the integer 1
+    Map.get(params, "count") in [true, "true", "1", 1]
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Turns a query from `query/3`, with any scopes piped after it, into one that
+  selects how many rows it matches: the filters, joins and cursor stay, sort,
+  limit and preloads drop. Run it with `Repo.one/1`.
+
+  The cursor (`start`, `-start`) is a where on id, so with one the count is
+  the rows past it and shrinks as a client pages. The listing's total comes
+  from the first page, which has no cursor.
+
+  The query is counted as a subquery, so a scope's `distinct`, `group_by` or
+  `select` never changes the number.
+  """
+  def count(%Ecto.Query{} = query) do
+    rows =
+      query
+      |> exclude(:order_by)
+      |> exclude(:limit)
+      |> exclude(:offset)
+      |> exclude(:preload)
+
+    from(r in subquery(rows), select: count())
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Maps over query parameters, letting you transform values by pattern matching field names.
   """
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 551daf8..10f836c 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ defmodule Bind.MixProject do
   def project do
     [
       app: :bind,
-      version: "0.13.0",
+      version: "0.14.0",
       elixir: "~> 1.14",
       source_url: @source_url,
       homepage_url: @source_url,
diff --git a/test/count_test.exs b/test/count_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5bf932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/count_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+defmodule Bind.CountTest do
+  use ExUnit.Case
+  import Ecto.Query
+
+  defmodule User do
+    use Ecto.Schema
+
+    schema "users" do
+      field(:name, :string)
+      field(:age, :integer)
+      field(:team_id, :integer)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "count?/1" do
+    test "is true for count=true and count=1" do
+      assert Bind.count?(%{"count" => "true"})
+      assert Bind.count?(%{"count" => "1"})
+      assert Bind.count?(%{"count" => true})
+      assert Bind.count?("name[eq]=Alice&count=true")
+      assert Bind.count?("count=1")
+    end
+
+    test "is false without the key or with any other value" do
+      refute Bind.count?(%{})
+      refute Bind.count?(%{"count" => "false"})
+      refute Bind.count?(%{"count" => ""})
+      refute Bind.count?("name[eq]=Alice")
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "count/1" do
+    test "keeps the filters, drops sort and limit, selects the count" do
+      query = Bind.query("name[eq]=Alice&age[gte]=30&sort=-age&limit=5", User)
+      counted = inspect(Bind.count(query))
+
+      assert counted =~ "select: count()"
+      assert counted =~ "name == ^\"Alice\""
+      assert counted =~ "age >= ^30"
+      refute counted =~ "order_by"
+      refute counted =~ "limit"
+    end
+
+    test "keeps the cursor: it counts what the request would page through" do
+      query = Bind.query(%{"name[eq]" => "Alice", "-start" => 10}, User)
+      counted = inspect(Bind.count(query))
+
+      assert counted =~ "id < ^10"
+    end
+
+    test "keeps scopes piped after query/3 and drops their preloads" do
+      query =
+        "age[gte]=30"
+        |> Bind.query(User)
+        |> where([u], u.team_id == 7)
+        |> preload(:team)
+
+      counted = inspect(Bind.count(query))
+
+      assert counted =~ "team_id == 7"
+      assert counted =~ "select: count()"
+      refute counted =~ "preload"
+    end
+
+    test "counts a scope's distinct rows, not the distinct of the count" do
+      query = "age[gte]=30" |> Bind.query(User) |> distinct(true)
+      counted = inspect(Bind.count(query))
+
+      # the distinct lives in the subquery, the count wraps it
+      assert counted =~ "from u0 in subquery("
+      assert counted =~ "distinct: true"
+      assert counted =~ "select: count()"
+    end
+
+    test "the count query is unlimited even without an explicit limit param" do
+      # query/3 limits to 10 by default; the count must not inherit that
+      query = Bind.query(%{}, User)
+      assert inspect(query) =~ "limit: 10"
+      refute inspect(Bind.count(query)) =~ "limit"
+    end
+  end
+end