diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index af6a7c61b..4a1a392aa 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ edition = "2018"
 [package.metadata.docs.rs]
 rustdoc-args = [ "--html-in-header", "katex-header.html" ]
 
+[dev-dependencies]
+criterion = "0.2.11"
+
+[[bench]]
+name = "groups"
+harness = false
+required-features = ["groups"]
+
 [dependencies.subtle]
 version = "2.1"
 default-features = false
diff --git a/benches/groups.rs b/benches/groups.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfad095e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benches/groups.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#[macro_use]
+extern crate criterion;
+
+extern crate bls12_381;
+use bls12_381::*;
+
+use criterion::{black_box, Criterion};
+
+fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    // G1Affine
+    {
+        let name = "G1Affine";
+        let a = G1Affine::generator();
+        c.bench_function(&format!("{} check on curve", name), move |b| {
+            b.iter(|| black_box(a).is_on_curve())
+        });
+    }
+
+    // G1Projective
+    {
+        let name = "G1Projective";
+        let a = G1Projective::generator();
+        c.bench_function(&format!("{} check on curve", name), move |b| {
+            b.iter(|| black_box(a).is_on_curve())
+        });
+    }
+
+    // G2Affine
+    {
+        let name = "G2Affine";
+        let a = G2Affine::generator();
+        c.bench_function(&format!("{} check on curve", name), move |b| {
+            b.iter(|| black_box(a).is_on_curve())
+        });
+    }
+
+    // G2Projective
+    {
+        let name = "G2Projective";
+        let a = G2Projective::generator();
+        c.bench_function(&format!("{} check on curve", name), move |b| {
+            b.iter(|| black_box(a).is_on_curve())
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, criterion_benchmark);
+criterion_main!(benches);