diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cbf8ce1..34def81 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ const client = TcpSocket.createConnection({
 _Note: In order to use self-signed certificates make sure to [update your metro.config.js configuration](#self-signed-ssl-only-available-for-react-native--060)._
 
 ## API
-Here are listed all methods implemented in `react-native-tcp-socket`, their functionalities are equivalent to those provided by Node's [net](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html) (more info on [#41](https://github.com/Rapsssito/react-native-tcp-socket/issues/41)). However, the **methods whose interface differs from Node are shown in bold**.
+Here are listed all methods implemented in `react-native-tcp-socket`, their functionalities are equivalent to those provided by Node's [net](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html) (more info on [#41](https://github.com/Rapsssito/react-native-tcp-socket/issues/41)). However, the **methods whose interface differs from Node are marked in bold**.
 
 ### TcpSocket
 * **Methods:**
@@ -187,10 +187,16 @@ Here are listed all methods implemented in `react-native-tcp-socket`, their func
   * [`address()`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_address)
   * [`destroy([error])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_destroy_error)
   * [`end([data][, encoding][, callback])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_end_data_encoding_callback)
+  * [`setEncoding([encoding])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_setencoding_encoding)
   * [`setKeepAlive([enable][, initialDelay])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_setkeepalive_enable_initialdelay) - _`initialDelay` is ignored_
   * [`setNoDelay([noDelay])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_setnodelay_nodelay)
   * [`setTimeout(timeout[, callback])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_settimeout_timeout_callback)
   * [`write(data[, encoding][, callback])`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_socket_write_data_encoding_callback)
+* **Events:**
+  * [`'close'`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_event_close_1)
+  * [`'connect'`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_event_connect)
+  * [`'data'`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_event_data)
+  * [`'error'`](https://nodejs.org/api/net.html#net_event_error_1)
 
 #### `createConnection()`
 `createConnection(options[, callback])` creates a TCP connection using the given [`options`](#createconnection-options).
diff --git a/src/TcpSocket.js b/src/TcpSocket.js
index aa0a206..75c0599 100644
--- a/src/TcpSocket.js
+++ b/src/TcpSocket.js
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export default class TcpSocket extends EventEmitter {
         this._timeout = undefined;
         /** @type {number} */
         this._state = STATE.DISCONNECTED;
+        this._encoding = undefined;
         this._registerEvents();
         if (address != undefined) this._setConnected(address);
     }
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ export default class TcpSocket extends EventEmitter {
         this._dataListener = this._eventEmitter.addListener('data', (evt) => {
             if (evt.id !== this._id) return;
             const bufferTest = Buffer.from(evt.data, 'base64');
-            this.emit('data', bufferTest);
+            const finalData = this._encoding ? bufferTest.toString(this._encoding) : bufferTest;
+            this.emit('data', finalData);
         });
         this._errorListener = this._eventEmitter.addListener('error', (evt) => {
             if (evt.id !== this._id) return;
@@ -155,6 +157,20 @@ export default class TcpSocket extends EventEmitter {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the encoding for the socket as a Readable Stream. By default, no encoding is assigned and stream data will be returned as `Buffer` objects.
+     * Setting an encoding causes the stream data to be returned as strings of the specified encoding rather than as Buffer objects.
+     *
+     * For instance, calling `socket.setEncoding('utf8')` will cause the output data to be interpreted as UTF-8 data, and passed as strings.
+     * Calling `socket.setEncoding('hex')` will cause the data to be encoded in hexadecimal string format.
+     *
+     * @param {BufferEncoding} [encoding]
+     */
+    setEncoding(encoding) {
+        this._encoding = encoding;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Enable/disable the use of Nagle's algorithm. When a TCP connection is created, it will have Nagle's algorithm enabled.
      *