diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 9277d5bd2..b928712d0 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 # Changes
 
 ## Unreleased - 2020-xx-xx
+### Added
+* Add `Either<A, B>` extractor helper. [#1788]
+
 ### Changed
 * Upgrade `serde_urlencoded` to `0.7`.
 
+[#1788]: https://github.com/actix/actix-web/pull/1788
+
 
 ## 3.2.0 - 2020-10-30
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 659ba05fd..60af8fa11 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 //! Error and Result module
+
 pub use actix_http::error::*;
 use derive_more::{Display, From};
 use serde_json::error::Error as JsonError;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 088444e05..13e02c098 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -102,10 +102,11 @@ pub use crate::app::App;
 pub use crate::extract::FromRequest;
 pub use crate::request::HttpRequest;
 pub use crate::resource::Resource;
-pub use crate::responder::{Either, Responder};
+pub use crate::responder::Responder;
 pub use crate::route::Route;
 pub use crate::scope::Scope;
 pub use crate::server::HttpServer;
+pub use crate::types::{Either, EitherExtractError};
 
 pub mod dev {
     //! The `actix-web` prelude for library developers
diff --git a/src/responder.rs b/src/responder.rs
index fc80831b8..d1c22323f 100644
--- a/src/responder.rs
+++ b/src/responder.rs
@@ -332,82 +332,6 @@ impl<T: Responder> Future for CustomResponderFut<T> {
     }
 }
 
-/// Combines two different responder types into a single type
-///
-/// ```rust
-/// use actix_web::{Either, Error, HttpResponse};
-///
-/// type RegisterResult = Either<HttpResponse, Result<HttpResponse, Error>>;
-///
-/// fn index() -> RegisterResult {
-///     if is_a_variant() {
-///         // <- choose left variant
-///         Either::A(HttpResponse::BadRequest().body("Bad data"))
-///     } else {
-///         Either::B(
-///             // <- Right variant
-///             Ok(HttpResponse::Ok()
-///                 .content_type("text/html")
-///                 .body("Hello!"))
-///         )
-///     }
-/// }
-/// # fn is_a_variant() -> bool { true }
-/// # fn main() {}
-/// ```
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
-pub enum Either<A, B> {
-    /// First branch of the type
-    A(A),
-    /// Second branch of the type
-    B(B),
-}
-
-impl<A, B> Responder for Either<A, B>
-where
-    A: Responder,
-    B: Responder,
-{
-    type Error = Error;
-    type Future = EitherResponder<A, B>;
-
-    fn respond_to(self, req: &HttpRequest) -> Self::Future {
-        match self {
-            Either::A(a) => EitherResponder::A(a.respond_to(req)),
-            Either::B(b) => EitherResponder::B(b.respond_to(req)),
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-#[pin_project(project = EitherResponderProj)]
-pub enum EitherResponder<A, B>
-where
-    A: Responder,
-    B: Responder,
-{
-    A(#[pin] A::Future),
-    B(#[pin] B::Future),
-}
-
-impl<A, B> Future for EitherResponder<A, B>
-where
-    A: Responder,
-    B: Responder,
-{
-    type Output = Result<Response, Error>;
-
-    fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
-        match self.project() {
-            EitherResponderProj::A(fut) => {
-                Poll::Ready(ready!(fut.poll(cx)).map_err(|e| e.into()))
-            }
-            EitherResponderProj::B(fut) => {
-                Poll::Ready(ready!(fut.poll(cx).map_err(|e| e.into())))
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 impl<T> Responder for InternalError<T>
 where
     T: std::fmt::Debug + std::fmt::Display + 'static,
diff --git a/src/types/either.rs b/src/types/either.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f1d81a0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/types/either.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,274 @@
+use std::{
+    future::Future,
+    pin::Pin,
+    task::{Context, Poll},
+};
+
+use actix_http::{Error, Response};
+use bytes::Bytes;
+use futures_util::{future::LocalBoxFuture, ready, FutureExt, TryFutureExt};
+use pin_project::pin_project;
+
+use crate::{dev, request::HttpRequest, FromRequest, Responder};
+
+/// Combines two different responder types into a single type
+///
+/// ```rust
+/// use actix_web::{Either, Error, HttpResponse};
+///
+/// type RegisterResult = Either<HttpResponse, Result<HttpResponse, Error>>;
+///
+/// fn index() -> RegisterResult {
+///     if is_a_variant() {
+///         // <- choose left variant
+///         Either::A(HttpResponse::BadRequest().body("Bad data"))
+///     } else {
+///         Either::B(
+///             // <- Right variant
+///             Ok(HttpResponse::Ok()
+///                 .content_type("text/html")
+///                 .body("Hello!"))
+///         )
+///     }
+/// }
+/// # fn is_a_variant() -> bool { true }
+/// # fn main() {}
+/// ```
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub enum Either<A, B> {
+    /// First branch of the type
+    A(A),
+    /// Second branch of the type
+    B(B),
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+impl<A, B> Either<A, B> {
+    pub(self) fn unwrap_left(self) -> A {
+        match self {
+            Either::A(data) => data,
+            Either::B(_) => {
+                panic!("Cannot unwrap left branch. Either contains a right branch.")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(self) fn unwrap_right(self) -> B {
+        match self {
+            Either::A(_) => {
+                panic!("Cannot unwrap right branch. Either contains a left branch.")
+            }
+            Either::B(data) => data,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<A, B> Responder for Either<A, B>
+where
+    A: Responder,
+    B: Responder,
+{
+    type Error = Error;
+    type Future = EitherResponder<A, B>;
+
+    fn respond_to(self, req: &HttpRequest) -> Self::Future {
+        match self {
+            Either::A(a) => EitherResponder::A(a.respond_to(req)),
+            Either::B(b) => EitherResponder::B(b.respond_to(req)),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[pin_project(project = EitherResponderProj)]
+pub enum EitherResponder<A, B>
+where
+    A: Responder,
+    B: Responder,
+{
+    A(#[pin] A::Future),
+    B(#[pin] B::Future),
+}
+
+impl<A, B> Future for EitherResponder<A, B>
+where
+    A: Responder,
+    B: Responder,
+{
+    type Output = Result<Response, Error>;
+
+    fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
+        match self.project() {
+            EitherResponderProj::A(fut) => {
+                Poll::Ready(ready!(fut.poll(cx)).map_err(|e| e.into()))
+            }
+            EitherResponderProj::B(fut) => {
+                Poll::Ready(ready!(fut.poll(cx).map_err(|e| e.into())))
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A composite error resulting from failure to extract an `Either<A, B>`.
+///
+/// The implementation of `Into<actix_web::Error>` will return the payload buffering error or the
+/// error from the primary extractor. To access the fallback error, use a match clause.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum EitherExtractError<A, B> {
+    /// Error from payload buffering, such as exceeding payload max size limit.
+    Bytes(Error),
+
+    /// Error from primary extractor.
+    Extract(A, B),
+}
+
+impl<A, B> Into<Error> for EitherExtractError<A, B>
+where
+    A: Into<Error>,
+    B: Into<Error>,
+{
+    fn into(self) -> Error {
+        match self {
+            EitherExtractError::Bytes(err) => err,
+            EitherExtractError::Extract(a_err, _b_err) => a_err.into(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Provides a mechanism for trying two extractors, a primary and a fallback. Useful for
+/// "polymorphic payloads" where, for example, a form might be JSON or URL encoded.
+///
+/// It is important to note that this extractor, by necessity, buffers the entire request payload
+/// as part of its implementation. Though, it does respect a `PayloadConfig`'s maximum size limit.
+impl<A, B> FromRequest for Either<A, B>
+where
+    A: FromRequest + 'static,
+    B: FromRequest + 'static,
+{
+    type Error = EitherExtractError<A::Error, B::Error>;
+    type Future = LocalBoxFuture<'static, Result<Self, Self::Error>>;
+    type Config = ();
+
+    fn from_request(req: &HttpRequest, payload: &mut dev::Payload) -> Self::Future {
+        let req2 = req.clone();
+
+        Bytes::from_request(req, payload)
+            .map_err(EitherExtractError::Bytes)
+            .and_then(|bytes| bytes_to_a_or_b(req2, bytes))
+            .boxed_local()
+    }
+}
+
+async fn bytes_to_a_or_b<A, B>(
+    req: HttpRequest,
+    bytes: Bytes,
+) -> Result<Either<A, B>, EitherExtractError<A::Error, B::Error>>
+where
+    A: FromRequest + 'static,
+    B: FromRequest + 'static,
+{
+    let fallback = bytes.clone();
+    let a_err;
+
+    let mut pl = payload_from_bytes(bytes);
+    match A::from_request(&req, &mut pl).await {
+        Ok(a_data) => return Ok(Either::A(a_data)),
+        // store A's error for returning if B also fails
+        Err(err) => a_err = err,
+    };
+
+    let mut pl = payload_from_bytes(fallback);
+    match B::from_request(&req, &mut pl).await {
+        Ok(b_data) => return Ok(Either::B(b_data)),
+        Err(b_err) => Err(EitherExtractError::Extract(a_err, b_err)),
+    }
+}
+
+fn payload_from_bytes(bytes: Bytes) -> dev::Payload {
+    let (_, mut h1_payload) = actix_http::h1::Payload::create(true);
+    h1_payload.unread_data(bytes);
+    dev::Payload::from(h1_payload)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::{
+        test::TestRequest,
+        web::{Form, Json},
+    };
+
+    #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+    struct TestForm {
+        hello: String,
+    }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn test_either_extract_first_try() {
+        let (req, mut pl) = TestRequest::default()
+            .set_form(&TestForm {
+                hello: "world".to_owned(),
+            })
+            .to_http_parts();
+
+        let form = Either::<Form<TestForm>, Json<TestForm>>::from_request(&req, &mut pl)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap_left()
+            .into_inner();
+        assert_eq!(&form.hello, "world");
+    }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn test_either_extract_fallback() {
+        let (req, mut pl) = TestRequest::default()
+            .set_json(&TestForm {
+                hello: "world".to_owned(),
+            })
+            .to_http_parts();
+
+        let form = Either::<Form<TestForm>, Json<TestForm>>::from_request(&req, &mut pl)
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap_right()
+            .into_inner();
+        assert_eq!(&form.hello, "world");
+    }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn test_either_extract_recursive_fallback() {
+        let (req, mut pl) = TestRequest::default()
+            .set_payload(Bytes::from_static(b"!@$%^&*()"))
+            .to_http_parts();
+
+        let payload =
+            Either::<Either<Form<TestForm>, Json<TestForm>>, Bytes>::from_request(
+                &req, &mut pl,
+            )
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap_right();
+        assert_eq!(&payload.as_ref(), &b"!@$%^&*()");
+    }
+
+    #[actix_rt::test]
+    async fn test_either_extract_recursive_fallback_inner() {
+        let (req, mut pl) = TestRequest::default()
+            .set_json(&TestForm {
+                hello: "world".to_owned(),
+            })
+            .to_http_parts();
+
+        let form =
+            Either::<Either<Form<TestForm>, Json<TestForm>>, Bytes>::from_request(
+                &req, &mut pl,
+            )
+            .await
+            .unwrap()
+            .unwrap_left()
+            .unwrap_right()
+            .into_inner();
+        assert_eq!(&form.hello, "world");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/types/mod.rs b/src/types/mod.rs
index b32711e2a..cedf86dd2 100644
--- a/src/types/mod.rs
+++ b/src/types/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Helper types
 
+mod either;
 pub(crate) mod form;
 pub(crate) mod json;
 mod path;
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ pub(crate) mod payload;
 mod query;
 pub(crate) mod readlines;
 
+pub use self::either::{Either, EitherExtractError};
 pub use self::form::{Form, FormConfig};
 pub use self::json::{Json, JsonConfig};
 pub use self::path::{Path, PathConfig};