diff --git a/sql/schema.sql b/sql/schema.sql
index fc678bc..ac2f42e 100644
--- a/sql/schema.sql
+++ b/sql/schema.sql
@@ -611,6 +611,33 @@ begin
 end;
 $$;
 
+-- Counts unclaimed runs that are ready to be claimed.
+-- Uses the same candidate logic as claim_task but without locking or updating.
+create function durable.count_unclaimed_ready_tasks (
+  p_queue_name text
+)
+  returns bigint
+  language plpgsql
+as $$
+declare
+  v_now timestamptz := durable.current_time();
+  v_count bigint;
+begin
+  execute format(
+    'select count(*)
+       from durable.%1$I r
+       join durable.%2$I t on t.task_id = r.task_id
+      where r.state in (''pending'', ''sleeping'')
+        and t.state in (''pending'', ''sleeping'', ''running'')
+        and r.available_at <= $1',
+    'r_' || p_queue_name,
+    't_' || p_queue_name
+  ) into v_count using v_now;
+
+  return v_count;
+end;
+$$;
+
 -- Marks a run as completed
 create function durable.complete_run (
   p_queue_name text,
diff --git a/src/client.rs b/src/client.rs
index 58d0346..4da6686 100644
--- a/src/client.rs
+++ b/src/client.rs
@@ -721,6 +721,22 @@ where
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// Count unclaimed tasks that are ready to be claimed in a queue.
+    ///
+    /// All of these tasks can be claimed by a running worker on the provided queue.
+    pub async fn count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(
+        &self,
+        queue_name: Option<&str>,
+    ) -> DurableResult<i64> {
+        let queue = queue_name.unwrap_or(&self.queue_name);
+        let query = "SELECT durable.count_unclaimed_ready_tasks($1)";
+        let (count,): (i64,) = sqlx::query_as(query)
+            .bind(queue)
+            .fetch_one(&self.pool)
+            .await?;
+        Ok(count)
+    }
+
     /// Cancel a task by ID. Running tasks will be cancelled at
     /// their next checkpoint or heartbeat.
     pub async fn cancel_task(&self, task_id: Uuid, queue_name: Option<&str>) -> DurableResult<()> {
diff --git a/src/postgres/migrations/20260317153556_add_count_unclaimed_ready_tasks.sql b/src/postgres/migrations/20260317153556_add_count_unclaimed_ready_tasks.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e01a9c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/postgres/migrations/20260317153556_add_count_unclaimed_ready_tasks.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+-- Add function to count unclaimed runs that are ready to be claimed.
+-- Uses the same candidate logic as claim_task but without locking or updating.
+create or replace function durable.count_unclaimed_ready_tasks (
+  p_queue_name text
+)
+  returns bigint
+  language plpgsql
+as $$
+declare
+  v_now timestamptz := durable.current_time();
+  v_count bigint;
+begin
+  execute format(
+    'select count(*)
+       from durable.%1$I r
+       join durable.%2$I t on t.task_id = r.task_id
+      where r.state in (''pending'', ''sleeping'')
+        and t.state in (''pending'', ''sleeping'', ''running'')
+        and r.available_at <= $1',
+    'r_' || p_queue_name,
+    't_' || p_queue_name
+  ) into v_count using v_now;
+
+  return v_count;
+end;
+$$;
diff --git a/tests/count_unclaimed_test.rs b/tests/count_unclaimed_test.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bad2a13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/count_unclaimed_test.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+#![allow(clippy::unwrap_used, clippy::expect_used, clippy::panic)]
+
+mod common;
+
+use common::tasks::{EchoParams, EchoTask};
+use durable::{Durable, DurableBuilder, MIGRATOR, WorkerOptions};
+use sqlx::{AssertSqlSafe, PgPool};
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+/// Helper to create a DurableBuilder from the test pool.
+fn create_client(pool: PgPool, queue_name: &str) -> DurableBuilder {
+    Durable::builder().pool(pool).queue_name(queue_name)
+}
+
+// ============================================================================
+// count_unclaimed_ready_tasks Tests
+// ============================================================================
+
+#[sqlx::test(migrator = "MIGRATOR")]
+async fn test_count_unclaimed_empty_queue(pool: PgPool) -> sqlx::Result<()> {
+    let client = create_client(pool.clone(), "count_empty")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    client.create_queue(None).await.unwrap();
+
+    let count = client
+        .count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(None)
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to count unclaimed tasks");
+    assert_eq!(count, 0, "Empty queue should have 0 unclaimed tasks");
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[sqlx::test(migrator = "MIGRATOR")]
+async fn test_count_unclaimed_after_spawning(pool: PgPool) -> sqlx::Result<()> {
+    let client = create_client(pool.clone(), "count_spawn")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    client.create_queue(None).await.unwrap();
+
+    // Spawn 3 tasks
+    for i in 0..3 {
+        client
+            .spawn::<EchoTask>(EchoParams {
+                message: format!("task {i}"),
+            })
+            .await
+            .expect("Failed to spawn task");
+    }
+
+    let count = client
+        .count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(None)
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to count unclaimed tasks");
+    assert_eq!(count, 3, "Should have 3 unclaimed tasks after spawning 3");
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[sqlx::test(migrator = "MIGRATOR")]
+async fn test_count_unclaimed_decreases_after_claim(pool: PgPool) -> sqlx::Result<()> {
+    let client = create_client(pool.clone(), "count_claim")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    client.create_queue(None).await.unwrap();
+
+    // Spawn 3 tasks
+    for i in 0..3 {
+        client
+            .spawn::<EchoTask>(EchoParams {
+                message: format!("task {i}"),
+            })
+            .await
+            .expect("Failed to spawn task");
+    }
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        client.count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(None).await.unwrap(),
+        3,
+        "Should start with 3 unclaimed"
+    );
+
+    // Start a worker that will claim and complete tasks
+    let worker = client
+        .start_worker(WorkerOptions {
+            concurrency: 3,
+            poll_interval: Duration::from_millis(100),
+            ..Default::default()
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    // Wait for the worker to process all tasks
+    tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
+
+    let count = client
+        .count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(None)
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to count unclaimed tasks");
+    assert_eq!(
+        count, 0,
+        "Should have 0 unclaimed tasks after worker claims them"
+    );
+
+    worker.shutdown().await;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[sqlx::test(migrator = "MIGRATOR")]
+async fn test_count_unclaimed_with_explicit_queue_name(pool: PgPool) -> sqlx::Result<()> {
+    let client = create_client(pool.clone(), "default")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    // Create two queues
+    client.create_queue(Some("queue_a")).await.unwrap();
+    client.create_queue(Some("queue_b")).await.unwrap();
+
+    // Spawn tasks into queue_a
+    let client_a = create_client(pool.clone(), "queue_a")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    for i in 0..2 {
+        client_a
+            .spawn::<EchoTask>(EchoParams {
+                message: format!("a-{i}"),
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+    }
+
+    // Spawn tasks into queue_b
+    let client_b = create_client(pool.clone(), "queue_b")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    for i in 0..5 {
+        client_b
+            .spawn::<EchoTask>(EchoParams {
+                message: format!("b-{i}"),
+            })
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+    }
+
+    // Count using explicit queue names
+    let count_a = client
+        .count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(Some("queue_a"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    let count_b = client
+        .count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(Some("queue_b"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(count_a, 2, "queue_a should have 2 unclaimed tasks");
+    assert_eq!(count_b, 5, "queue_b should have 5 unclaimed tasks");
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[sqlx::test(migrator = "MIGRATOR")]
+async fn test_count_unclaimed_excludes_future_tasks(pool: PgPool) -> sqlx::Result<()> {
+    let client = create_client(pool.clone(), "count_future")
+        .register::<EchoTask>()
+        .unwrap()
+        .build()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    client.create_queue(None).await.unwrap();
+
+    // Spawn two tasks (both ready now)
+    client
+        .spawn::<EchoTask>(EchoParams {
+            message: "ready now".to_string(),
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    let delayed = client
+        .spawn::<EchoTask>(EchoParams {
+            message: "will be delayed".to_string(),
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    // Push one run's available_at into the future via direct SQL
+    sqlx::query(AssertSqlSafe(
+        "UPDATE durable.r_count_future SET available_at = now() + interval '1 hour' WHERE task_id = $1".to_string()
+    ))
+    .bind(delayed.task_id)
+    .execute(&pool)
+    .await?;
+
+    let count = client
+        .count_unclaimed_ready_tasks(None)
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to count unclaimed tasks");
+    assert_eq!(
+        count, 1,
+        "Should only count the immediately-ready task, not the delayed one"
+    );
+
+    Ok(())
+}