diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/list.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/list.scala
index 0891a2f1bf..fee7388ca1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/list.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/syntax/list.scala
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package cats
 package syntax
 
 import cats.data.{NonEmptyChain, NonEmptyList}
-
 import scala.collection.immutable.SortedMap
 
 trait ListSyntax {
@@ -52,6 +51,32 @@ final class ListOps[A](private val la: List[A]) extends AnyVal {
     toNel.fold(SortedMap.empty[B, NonEmptyList[A]])(_.groupBy(f))
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Groups elements inside this `List` according to the `Order` of the keys
+   * produced by the given mapping monadic function.
+   *
+   * {{{
+   * scala> import cats.data.NonEmptyList
+   * scala> import scala.collection.immutable.SortedMap
+   * scala> import cats.implicits._
+   *
+   * scala> val list = List(12, -2, 3, -5)
+   *
+   * scala> val expectedResult = Option(SortedMap(false -> NonEmptyList.of(-2, -5), true -> NonEmptyList.of(12, 3)))
+   *
+   * scala> list.groupByNelA(num => Option(0).map(num >= _)) === expectedResult
+   * res0: Boolean = true
+   * }}}
+   */
+  def groupByNelA[F[_], B](f: A => F[B])(implicit F: Applicative[F], B: Order[B]): F[SortedMap[B, NonEmptyList[A]]] = {
+    implicit val ordering: Ordering[B] = B.toOrdering
+    val functor = Functor[SortedMap[B, *]]
+
+    toNel.fold(F.pure(SortedMap.empty[B, NonEmptyList[A]]))(nel =>
+      F.map(nel.traverse(a => F.tupleLeft(f(a), a)))(list => functor.map(list.groupBy(_._2))(_.map(_._1)))
+    )
+  }
+
   /** Produces a `NonEmptyList` containing cumulative results of applying the
    * operator going left to right.
    *
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ListSuite.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ListSuite.scala
index 5124f6880d..009ef5085e 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ListSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/cats/tests/ListSuite.scala
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ class ListSuite extends CatsSuite {
     }
   )
 
+  test("groupByNelA should be consistent with groupByNel")(
+    forAll { (fa: List[Int], f: Int => Int) =>
+      fa.groupByNelA(f.andThen(Option(_))) should ===(Option(fa.groupByNel(f)))
+    }
+  )
+
   test("show") {
     List(1, 2, 3).show should ===("List(1, 2, 3)")
     (Nil: List[Int]).show should ===("List()")