diff --git a/tar_benchmark_test.go b/tar_benchmark_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d946f2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tar_benchmark_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package tartest
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	upTar "archive/tar"
+
+	ourTar "github.com/vbatts/tar-split/archive/tar"
+)
+
+var testfile = "./archive/tar/testdata/sparse-formats.tar"
+
+func BenchmarkUpstreamTar(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		fh, err := os.Open(testfile)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		tr := upTar.NewReader(fh)
+		for {
+			_, err := tr.Next()
+			if err != nil {
+				if err == io.EOF {
+					break
+				}
+				fh.Close()
+				b.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, tr)
+		}
+		fh.Close()
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkOurTarNoAccounting(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		fh, err := os.Open(testfile)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		tr := ourTar.NewReader(fh)
+		tr.RawAccounting = false // this is default, but explicit here
+		for {
+			_, err := tr.Next()
+			if err != nil {
+				if err == io.EOF {
+					break
+				}
+				fh.Close()
+				b.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, tr)
+		}
+		fh.Close()
+	}
+}
+func BenchmarkOurTarYesAccounting(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		fh, err := os.Open(testfile)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		tr := ourTar.NewReader(fh)
+		tr.RawAccounting = true // This enables mechanics for collecting raw bytes
+		for {
+			_ = tr.RawBytes()
+			_, err := tr.Next()
+			_ = tr.RawBytes()
+			if err != nil {
+				if err == io.EOF {
+					break
+				}
+				fh.Close()
+				b.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, tr)
+			_ = tr.RawBytes()
+		}
+		fh.Close()
+	}
+}