diff --git a/plugin/client.go b/plugin/client.go
index 6f97167..b4e0ff7 100644
--- a/plugin/client.go
+++ b/plugin/client.go
@@ -14,13 +14,11 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	exec "golang.org/x/sys/execabs"
 
 	"filippo.io/age"
-	"filippo.io/age/internal/bech32"
 	"filippo.io/age/internal/format"
 )
 
@@ -36,14 +34,10 @@ type Recipient struct {
 var _ age.Recipient = &Recipient{}
 
 func NewRecipient(s string, ui *ClientUI) (*Recipient, error) {
-	hrp, _, err := bech32.Decode(s)
+	name, _, err := ParseRecipient(s)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid recipient encoding %q: %v", s, err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(hrp, "age1") {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("not a plugin recipient %q: %v", s, err)
-	}
-	name := strings.TrimPrefix(hrp, "age1")
 	return &Recipient{
 		name: name, encoding: s, ui: ui,
 	}, nil
@@ -151,25 +145,17 @@ type Identity struct {
 var _ age.Identity = &Identity{}
 
 func NewIdentity(s string, ui *ClientUI) (*Identity, error) {
-	hrp, _, err := bech32.Decode(s)
+	name, _, err := ParseIdentity(s)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid identity encoding: %v", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(hrp, "AGE-PLUGIN-") || !strings.HasSuffix(hrp, "-") {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("not a plugin identity: %v", err)
-	}
-	name := strings.TrimSuffix(strings.TrimPrefix(hrp, "AGE-PLUGIN-"), "-")
-	name = strings.ToLower(name)
 	return &Identity{
 		name: name, encoding: s, ui: ui,
 	}, nil
 }
 
 func NewIdentityWithoutData(name string, ui *ClientUI) (*Identity, error) {
-	s, err := bech32.Encode("AGE-PLUGIN-"+strings.ToUpper(name)+"-", nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	s := EncodeIdentity(name, nil)
 	return &Identity{
 		name: name, encoding: s, ui: ui,
 	}, nil
diff --git a/plugin/encode.go b/plugin/encode.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5000708
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin/encode.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Copyright 2023 The age Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package plugin
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"filippo.io/age/internal/bech32"
+)
+
+// EncodeIdentity encodes a plugin identity string for a plugin with the given
+// name. If the name is invalid, it returns an empty string.
+func EncodeIdentity(name string, data []byte) string {
+	s, _ := bech32.Encode("AGE-PLUGIN-"+strings.ToUpper(name)+"-", data)
+	return s
+}
+
+// ParseIdentity decodes a plugin identity string. It returns the plugin name
+// in lowercase and the encoded data.
+func ParseIdentity(s string) (name string, data []byte, err error) {
+	hrp, data, err := bech32.Decode(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid identity encoding: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(hrp, "AGE-PLUGIN-") || !strings.HasSuffix(hrp, "-") {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("not a plugin identity: %v", err)
+	}
+	name = strings.TrimSuffix(strings.TrimPrefix(hrp, "AGE-PLUGIN-"), "-")
+	name = strings.ToLower(name)
+	return name, data, nil
+}
+
+// EncodeRecipient encodes a plugin recipient string for a plugin with the given
+// name. If the name is invalid, it returns an empty string.
+func EncodeRecipient(name string, data []byte) string {
+	s, _ := bech32.Encode("age1"+strings.ToLower(name), data)
+	return s
+}
+
+// ParseRecipient decodes a plugin recipient string. It returns the plugin name
+// in lowercase and the encoded data.
+func ParseRecipient(s string) (name string, data []byte, err error) {
+	hrp, data, err := bech32.Decode(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid recipient encoding: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(hrp, "age1") {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("not a plugin recipient: %v", err)
+	}
+	name = strings.TrimPrefix(hrp, "age1")
+	return name, data, nil
+}