diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Foldable.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Foldable.scala
index 64db5d0ece8..2e62bd57f29 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Foldable.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Foldable.scala
@@ -151,6 +151,26 @@ import simulacrum.typeclass
    */
   def size[A](fa: F[A]): Long = foldMap(fa)(_ => 1)
 
+  /**
+    * Get the element at the index of the `Foldable`.
+    *
+    * The default implementation of this is based on `foldLeft`, and thus will
+    * always fold across the entire structure.
+    */
+  def get[A](fa: F[A])(idx: Long): Option[A] =
+    foldLeft(fa, (0L, Option.empty[A])) { (b, a) =>
+      b._1 match {
+        case i if i == idx  => (i + 1, Some(a))
+        case i if i < idx => (i + 1, None)
+        case _ => b
+      }
+    }._2
+
+  /**
+    * Get the element at the index of the `Foldable`
+    */
+  def apply[A](fa: F[A])(idx: Long): A = get(fa)(idx).get
+
   /**
    * Fold implemented using the given Monoid[A] instance.
    */
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/instances/vector.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/instances/vector.scala
index dfde5b10f7c..589f9dda9a0 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/instances/vector.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/instances/vector.scala
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ trait VectorInstances extends cats.kernel.instances.VectorInstances {
 
       override def size[A](fa: Vector[A]): Long = fa.size.toLong
 
+      override def get[A](fa: Vector[A])(idx: Long): Option[A] = if (fa.size > idx && idx > 0) Some(fa(idx.toInt)) else None
+
       override def traverse[G[_], A, B](fa: Vector[A])(f: A => G[B])(implicit G: Applicative[G]): G[Vector[B]] =
       foldRight[A, G[Vector[B]]](fa, Always(G.pure(Vector.empty))){ (a, lgvb) =>
         G.map2Eval(f(a), lgvb)(_ +: _)
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/FoldableTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/FoldableTests.scala
index 381eecb4b00..006188e2934 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/FoldableTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/FoldableTests.scala
@@ -10,9 +10,16 @@ abstract class FoldableCheck[F[_]: Foldable](name: String)(implicit ArbFInt: Arb
 
   def iterator[T](fa: F[T]): Iterator[T]
 
-  test("size") {
-    forAll { (fa: F[Int]) =>
-      fa.size should === (iterator(fa).size.toLong)
+  test("size/get/apply") {
+    forAll { (fa: F[Int], n: Int) =>
+      val s = fa.size
+      s should === (iterator(fa).size.toLong)
+      if(n < s && n > 0) {
+        fa(n.toLong) === (iterator(fa).take(n + 1).toList.last)
+        fa.get(n.toLong) === Some(fa(n.toLong))
+      } else {
+        fa.get(n.toLong) === None
+      }
     }
   }