diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eb2c2341..e62481f3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ React Flow is a library for building node-based graphs. You can easily implement
 - [Edges](#edges)
   - [Options](#options)
   - [Edge Types & Custom Edges](#edge-types--custom-edges)
+  - [Edge Utils](#edge-utils)
 - [Components](#components)
   - [Background](#background)
   - [Minimap](#minimap)
@@ -282,6 +283,7 @@ If you wanted to display this edge, you would need a node with id = 1 (source no
 - `labelStyle`: css properties for the text
 - `labelShowBg`: boolean - default: `true`
 - `labelBgStyle`: css properties for the text background
+- `labelBgPadding`: [number, number] background rectangle padding - default: `[2, 4]`
 - `arrowHeadType`: 'arrow' or 'arrowclosed' - defines the arrowhead of the edge
 - `markerEndId`: custom marker end url - if this is used `arrowHeadType` gets ignored
 - `isHidden`: if `true`, the edge will not be rendered
@@ -289,7 +291,7 @@ If you wanted to display this edge, you would need a node with id = 1 (source no
 
 You can find an example with different edges in the [edges example](https://reactflow.dev/edges).
 
-### Edge Types & Custom Edges
+## Edge Types & Custom Edges
 
 The basic edge types are `default` (bezier), `straight`, `step` and `smoothedge`. The default `edgeTypes` object looks like this:
 
@@ -315,6 +317,49 @@ Now you could use the new type `special` for an edge.
 The `straight`, `default` and `step` types would still be available unless you overwrote one of them.
 There is an implementation of a custom edge in the [edges example](/example/src/Edges/index.js).
 
+## Edge Utils
+
+There are several utils that help you to create a custom edge. They are used in the [custom edge](/example/src/Edges/CustomEdge.js) example.
+
+### getBezierPath
+
+Returns the path of a bezier edge.
+
+`getBezierPath({
+  sourceX,
+  sourceY,
+  sourcePosition = Position.Bottom,
+  targetX,
+  targetY,
+  targetPosition = Position.Top,
+}: GetBezierPathParams): string`
+
+### getSmoothStepPath
+
+Returns the path of a smooth step edge. You can set `borderRadius` = `0` to get a step edge path.
+
+`getSmoothStepPath({
+  sourceX,
+  sourceY,
+  sourcePosition = Position.Bottom,
+  targetX,
+  targetY,
+  targetPosition = Position.Top,
+  borderRadius = 5,
+}: GetSmoothStepPathParams): string`
+
+### getEdgeCenter
+
+Returns the center poostion `[centerX, centerY]` of the edge.
+
+`getEdgeCenter({ sourceX, sourceY, targetX, targetY }: GetCenterParams): [number, number, number, number]`
+
+### getMarkerEnd
+
+Returns the marker end url for displaying the arrow head.
+
+`getMarkerEnd(arrowHeadType?: ArrowHeadType, markerEndId?: string): string`
+
 # Components
 
 ## Background
diff --git a/example/src/Edges/CustomEdge.js b/example/src/Edges/CustomEdge.js
index 0a26c7bd..1e351b75 100644
--- a/example/src/Edges/CustomEdge.js
+++ b/example/src/Edges/CustomEdge.js
@@ -1,14 +1,25 @@
 import React from 'react';
+import { getBezierPath, getMarkerEnd } from 'react-flow-renderer';
+
+export default function CustomEdge({
+  id,
+  sourceX,
+  sourceY,
+  targetX,
+  targetY,
+  sourcePosition,
+  targetPosition,
+  style = {},
+  data,
+  arrowHeadType,
+  markerEndId,
+}) {
+  const edgePath = getBezierPath({ sourceX, sourceY, sourcePosition, targetX, targetY, targetPosition });
+  const markerEnd = getMarkerEnd(arrowHeadType, markerEndId);
 
-export default function CustomEdge({ id, sourceX, sourceY, targetX, targetY, style = {}, data }) {
   return (
     <>
-      <path
-        id={id}
-        style={style}
-        className="react-flow__edge-path"
-        d={`M ${sourceX},${sourceY}L ${targetX},${targetY}`}
-      />
+      <path id={id} style={style} className="react-flow__edge-path" d={edgePath} markerEnd={markerEnd} />
       <text>
         <textPath href={`#${id}`} style={{ fontSize: '12px' }} startOffset="50%" textAnchor="middle">
           {data.text}
diff --git a/example/src/Edges/index.js b/example/src/Edges/index.js
index 10657aec..55a08d47 100644
--- a/example/src/Edges/index.js
+++ b/example/src/Edges/index.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const initialElements = [
   { id: '6', type: 'output', data: { label: 'Output 6' }, position: { x: 50, y: 550 } },
   { id: '7', type: 'output', data: { label: 'Output 7' }, position: { x: 250, y: 550 } },
   { id: '8', type: 'output', data: { label: 'Output 8' }, position: { x: 525, y: 600 } },
-  { id: 'e1-2', source: '1', target: '2', label: 'bezier edge (default)' },
+  { id: 'e1-2', source: '1', target: '2', label: 'bezier edge (default)', className: 'normal-edge' },
   { id: 'e2-2a', source: '2', target: '2a', type: 'smoothstep', label: 'smoothstep edge' },
   { id: 'e2-3', source: '2', target: '3', type: 'step', label: 'step edge' },
   { id: 'e3-4', source: '3', target: '4', type: 'straight', label: 'straight edge' },
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ const initialElements = [
     source: '5',
     target: '7',
     label: 'label with styled bg',
-    labelBgStyle: { fill: '#eee', fillOpacity: 0.7 },
+    labelBgStyle: { fill: '#555', color: '#fff', fillOpacity: 0.7 },
     arrowHeadType: 'arrowclosed',
+    labelBgPadding: [8, 4],
   },
-  { id: 'e5-8', source: '5', target: '8', type: 'custom', data: { text: 'custom edge' } },
+  { id: 'e5-8', source: '5', target: '8', type: 'custom', data: { text: 'custom edge' }, arrowHeadType: 'arrowclosed' },
 ];
 
 const edgeTypes = {
diff --git a/src/components/ConnectionLine/index.tsx b/src/components/ConnectionLine/index.tsx
index 00cc037b..4d010e2f 100644
--- a/src/components/ConnectionLine/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ConnectionLine/index.tsx
@@ -59,18 +59,12 @@ export default ({
   const targetY = (connectionPositionY - transform[1]) * (1 / transform[2]);
 
   let dAttr: string = '';
-  const xOffset = Math.abs(targetX - sourceX) / 2;
-  const centerX = targetX < sourceX ? targetX + xOffset : targetX - xOffset;
 
-  const yOffset = Math.abs(targetY - sourceY) / 2;
-  const centerY = targetY < sourceY ? targetY + yOffset : targetY - yOffset;
   const isRightOrLeft = sourceHandle?.position === Position.Left || sourceHandle?.position === Position.Right;
   const targetPosition = isRightOrLeft ? Position.Left : Position.Top;
 
   if (connectionLineType === ConnectionLineType.Bezier) {
     dAttr = getBezierPath({
-      centerX,
-      centerY,
       sourceX,
       sourceY,
       sourcePosition: sourceHandle?.position,
@@ -80,10 +74,6 @@ export default ({
     });
   } else if (connectionLineType === ConnectionLineType.Step) {
     dAttr = getSmoothStepPath({
-      xOffset,
-      yOffset,
-      centerX,
-      centerY,
       sourceX,
       sourceY,
       sourcePosition: sourceHandle?.position,
@@ -94,10 +84,6 @@ export default ({
     });
   } else if (connectionLineType === ConnectionLineType.SmoothStep) {
     dAttr = getSmoothStepPath({
-      xOffset,
-      yOffset,
-      centerX,
-      centerY,
       sourceX,
       sourceY,
       sourcePosition: sourceHandle?.position,
diff --git a/src/components/Edges/BezierEdge.tsx b/src/components/Edges/BezierEdge.tsx
index 9b27b6fc..59b93399 100644
--- a/src/components/Edges/BezierEdge.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Edges/BezierEdge.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 import React, { memo } from 'react';
 
 import EdgeText from './EdgeText';
-import { getMarkerEnd } from './utils';
+
+import { getMarkerEnd, getCenter } from './utils';
 import { EdgeBezierProps, Position } from '../../types';
 
 interface GetBezierPathParams {
-  centerX: number;
-  centerY: number;
   sourceX: number;
   sourceY: number;
   sourcePosition?: Position;
@@ -16,8 +15,6 @@ interface GetBezierPathParams {
 }
 
 export function getBezierPath({
-  centerX,
-  centerY,
   sourceX,
   sourceY,
   sourcePosition = Position.Bottom,
@@ -25,10 +22,11 @@ export function getBezierPath({
   targetY,
   targetPosition = Position.Top,
 }: GetBezierPathParams): string {
-  let path = `M${sourceX},${sourceY} C${sourceX},${centerY} ${targetX},${centerY} ${targetX},${targetY}`;
-
+  const [centerX, centerY] = getCenter({ sourceX, sourceY, targetX, targetY });
   const leftAndRight = [Position.Left, Position.Right];
 
+  let path = `M${sourceX},${sourceY} C${sourceX},${centerY} ${targetX},${centerY} ${targetX},${targetY}`;
+
   if (leftAndRight.includes(sourcePosition) && leftAndRight.includes(targetPosition)) {
     path = `M${sourceX},${sourceY} C${centerX},${sourceY} ${centerX},${targetY} ${targetX},${targetY}`;
   } else if (leftAndRight.includes(targetPosition)) {
@@ -55,16 +53,10 @@ export default memo(
     style,
     arrowHeadType,
     markerEndId,
+    labelBgPadding,
   }: EdgeBezierProps) => {
-    const yOffset = Math.abs(targetY - sourceY) / 2;
-    const centerY = targetY < sourceY ? targetY + yOffset : targetY - yOffset;
-
-    const xOffset = Math.abs(targetX - sourceX) / 2;
-    const centerX = targetX < sourceX ? targetX + xOffset : targetX - xOffset;
-
+    const [centerX, centerY] = getCenter({ sourceX, sourceY, targetX, targetY });
     const path = getBezierPath({
-      centerX,
-      centerY,
       sourceX,
       sourceY,
       sourcePosition,
@@ -81,6 +73,7 @@ export default memo(
         labelStyle={labelStyle}
         labelShowBg={labelShowBg}
         labelBgStyle={labelBgStyle}
+        labelBgPadding={labelBgPadding}
       />
     ) : null;
 
diff --git a/src/components/Edges/EdgeText.tsx b/src/components/Edges/EdgeText.tsx
index 73b94871..e10e84d2 100644
--- a/src/components/Edges/EdgeText.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Edges/EdgeText.tsx
@@ -2,43 +2,44 @@ import React, { memo, useRef, useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 
 import { EdgeTextProps, Rect } from '../../types';
 
-const textBgPadding = 2;
+export default memo(
+  ({ x, y, label, labelStyle = {}, labelShowBg = true, labelBgStyle = {}, labelBgPadding = [2, 4] }: EdgeTextProps) => {
+    const edgeRef = useRef<SVGTextElement>(null);
+    const [edgeTextBbox, setEdgeTextBbox] = useState<Rect>({ x: 0, y: 0, width: 0, height: 0 });
 
-export default memo(({ x, y, label, labelStyle = {}, labelShowBg = true, labelBgStyle = {} }: EdgeTextProps) => {
-  const edgeRef = useRef<SVGTextElement>(null);
-  const [edgeTextBbox, setEdgeTextBbox] = useState<Rect>({ x: 0, y: 0, width: 0, height: 0 });
+    useEffect(() => {
+      if (edgeRef.current) {
+        const textBbox = edgeRef.current.getBBox();
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (edgeRef.current) {
-      const textBbox = edgeRef.current.getBBox();
-      setEdgeTextBbox({
-        x: textBbox.x,
-        y: textBbox.y,
-        width: textBbox.width,
-        height: textBbox.height,
-      });
+        setEdgeTextBbox({
+          x: textBbox.x,
+          y: textBbox.y,
+          width: textBbox.width,
+          height: textBbox.height,
+        });
+      }
+    }, []);
+
+    if (typeof label === 'undefined' || !label) {
+      return null;
     }
-  }, []);
 
-  if (typeof label === 'undefined' || !label) {
-    return null;
+    return (
+      <g transform={`translate(${x - edgeTextBbox.width / 2} ${y - edgeTextBbox.height / 2})`}>
+        {labelShowBg && (
+          <rect
+            width={edgeTextBbox.width + 2 * labelBgPadding[0]}
+            x={-labelBgPadding[0]}
+            y={-labelBgPadding[1]}
+            height={edgeTextBbox.height + 2 * labelBgPadding[1]}
+            className="react-flow__edge-textbg"
+            style={labelBgStyle}
+          />
+        )}
+        <text className="react-flow__edge-text" y={edgeTextBbox.height / 2} dy="0.3em" ref={edgeRef} style={labelStyle}>
+          {label}
+        </text>
+      </g>
+    );
   }
-
-  return (
-    <g transform={`translate(${x - edgeTextBbox.width / 2} ${y - edgeTextBbox.height / 2})`}>
-      {labelShowBg && (
-        <rect
-          width={edgeTextBbox.width + 2 * textBgPadding}
-          x={-textBgPadding}
-          y={-textBgPadding}
-          height={edgeTextBbox.height + 2 * textBgPadding}
-          className="react-flow__edge-textbg"
-          style={labelBgStyle}
-        />
-      )}
-      <text className="react-flow__edge-text" y={edgeTextBbox.height / 2} dy="0.3em" ref={edgeRef} style={labelStyle}>
-        {label}
-      </text>
-    </g>
-  );
-});
+);
diff --git a/src/components/Edges/SmoothStepEdge.tsx b/src/components/Edges/SmoothStepEdge.tsx
index f0dc1996..989ccaf3 100644
--- a/src/components/Edges/SmoothStepEdge.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Edges/SmoothStepEdge.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React, { memo } from 'react';
 
 import EdgeText from './EdgeText';
-import { getMarkerEnd } from './utils';
+import { getMarkerEnd, getCenter } from './utils';
 import { EdgeSmoothStepProps, Position } from '../../types';
 
 // These are some helper methods for drawing the round corners
@@ -34,10 +34,6 @@ const rightTopCorner = (cornerX: number, cornerY: number, cornerSize: number): s
   `L ${cornerX - cornerSize},${cornerY}Q ${cornerX},${cornerY} ${cornerX},${cornerY + cornerSize}`;
 
 interface GetSmoothStepPathParams {
-  xOffset: number;
-  yOffset: number;
-  centerX: number;
-  centerY: number;
   sourceX: number;
   sourceY: number;
   sourcePosition?: Position;
@@ -48,10 +44,6 @@ interface GetSmoothStepPathParams {
 }
 
 export function getSmoothStepPath({
-  xOffset,
-  yOffset,
-  centerX,
-  centerY,
   sourceX,
   sourceY,
   sourcePosition = Position.Bottom,
@@ -60,9 +52,10 @@ export function getSmoothStepPath({
   targetPosition = Position.Top,
   borderRadius = 5,
 }: GetSmoothStepPathParams): string {
+  const [centerX, centerY, offsetX, offsetY] = getCenter({ sourceX, sourceY, targetX, targetY });
   const cornerWidth = Math.min(borderRadius, Math.abs(targetX - sourceX));
   const cornerHeight = Math.min(borderRadius, Math.abs(targetY - sourceY));
-  const cornerSize = Math.min(cornerWidth, cornerHeight, xOffset, yOffset);
+  const cornerSize = Math.min(cornerWidth, cornerHeight, offsetX, offsetY);
 
   const leftAndRight = [Position.Left, Position.Right];
 
@@ -138,6 +131,7 @@ export default memo(
     labelStyle,
     labelShowBg,
     labelBgStyle,
+    labelBgPadding,
     style,
     sourcePosition = Position.Bottom,
     targetPosition = Position.Top,
@@ -145,17 +139,9 @@ export default memo(
     markerEndId,
     borderRadius = 5,
   }: EdgeSmoothStepProps) => {
-    const yOffset = Math.abs(targetY - sourceY) / 2;
-    const centerY = targetY < sourceY ? targetY + yOffset : targetY - yOffset;
-
-    const xOffset = Math.abs(targetX - sourceX) / 2;
-    const centerX = targetX < sourceX ? targetX + xOffset : targetX - xOffset;
+    const [centerX, centerY] = getCenter({ sourceX, sourceY, targetX, targetY });
 
     const path = getSmoothStepPath({
-      xOffset,
-      yOffset,
-      centerX,
-      centerY,
       sourceX,
       sourceY,
       sourcePosition,
@@ -175,6 +161,7 @@ export default memo(
         labelStyle={labelStyle}
         labelShowBg={labelShowBg}
         labelBgStyle={labelBgStyle}
+        labelBgPadding={labelBgPadding}
       />
     ) : null;
 
diff --git a/src/components/Edges/StraightEdge.tsx b/src/components/Edges/StraightEdge.tsx
index 8721cf44..17ebcb8b 100644
--- a/src/components/Edges/StraightEdge.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Edges/StraightEdge.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export default memo(
     labelStyle,
     labelShowBg,
     labelBgStyle,
+    labelBgPadding,
     style,
     arrowHeadType,
     markerEndId,
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export default memo(
         labelStyle={labelStyle}
         labelShowBg={labelShowBg}
         labelBgStyle={labelBgStyle}
+        labelBgPadding={labelBgPadding}
       />
     ) : null;
 
diff --git a/src/components/Edges/utils.ts b/src/components/Edges/utils.ts
index a25f135c..cc217446 100644
--- a/src/components/Edges/utils.ts
+++ b/src/components/Edges/utils.ts
@@ -7,3 +7,25 @@ export const getMarkerEnd = (arrowHeadType?: ArrowHeadType, markerEndId?: string
 
   return typeof arrowHeadType !== 'undefined' ? `url(#react-flow__${arrowHeadType})` : 'none';
 };
+
+export interface GetCenterParams {
+  sourceX: number;
+  sourceY: number;
+  targetX: number;
+  targetY: number;
+}
+
+export const getCenter = ({
+  sourceX,
+  sourceY,
+  targetX,
+  targetY,
+}: GetCenterParams): [number, number, number, number] => {
+  const xOffset = Math.abs(targetX - sourceX) / 2;
+  const centerX = targetX < sourceX ? targetX + xOffset : targetX - xOffset;
+
+  const yOffset = Math.abs(targetY - sourceY) / 2;
+  const centerY = targetY < sourceY ? targetY + yOffset : targetY - yOffset;
+
+  return [centerX, centerY, xOffset, yOffset];
+};
diff --git a/src/components/Edges/wrapEdge.tsx b/src/components/Edges/wrapEdge.tsx
index d8c67704..5fd3b728 100644
--- a/src/components/Edges/wrapEdge.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Edges/wrapEdge.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ interface EdgeWrapperProps {
   label?: string;
   labelStyle?: CSSProperties;
   labelShowBg?: boolean;
-  labelBgStyle: CSSProperties;
+  labelBgStyle?: CSSProperties;
+  labelBgPadding?: [number, number];
   className?: string;
   onClick?: (event: React.MouseEvent, edge: Edge) => void;
   animated?: boolean;
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ export default (EdgeComponent: ComponentType<EdgeCompProps>) => {
     labelStyle,
     labelShowBg,
     labelBgStyle,
+    labelBgPadding,
     className,
     isHidden,
     data,
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ export default (EdgeComponent: ComponentType<EdgeCompProps>) => {
           labelStyle={labelStyle}
           labelShowBg={labelShowBg}
           labelBgStyle={labelBgStyle}
+          labelBgPadding={labelBgPadding}
           data={data}
           {...rest}
         />
diff --git a/src/container/EdgeRenderer/index.tsx b/src/container/EdgeRenderer/index.tsx
index ab57b2d8..7b6efe86 100644
--- a/src/container/EdgeRenderer/index.tsx
+++ b/src/container/EdgeRenderer/index.tsx
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ function renderEdge(
     <EdgeComponent
       key={edge.id}
       id={edge.id}
+      className={edge.className}
       type={edge.type}
       data={edge.data}
       onClick={props.onElementClick}
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ function renderEdge(
       labelStyle={edge.labelStyle}
       labelShowBg={edge.labelShowBg}
       labelBgStyle={edge.labelBgStyle}
+      labelBgPadding={edge.labelBgPadding}
       style={edge.style}
       arrowHeadType={edge.arrowHeadType}
       source={sourceId}
diff --git a/src/hooks/useElementUpdater.ts b/src/hooks/useElementUpdater.ts
index 2765ab41..b03c33d5 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useElementUpdater.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useElementUpdater.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@ const useElementUpdater = (propElements: Elements): void => {
             edgeProps.labelShowBg = propEdge.labelShowBg;
           }
 
+          if (typeof propEdge.labelBgPadding !== 'undefined') {
+            edgeProps.labelBgPadding = propEdge.labelBgPadding;
+          }
+
           if (typeof labelBgStyle !== 'undefined') {
             edgeProps.labelBgStyle = labelBgStyle;
           }
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index e53cfcbd..9bce1399 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ export default ReactFlow;
 
 export { default as Handle } from './components/Handle';
 export { default as EdgeText } from './components/Edges/EdgeText';
+export { getBezierPath } from './components/Edges/BezierEdge';
+export { getSmoothStepPath } from './components/Edges/SmoothStepEdge';
+export { getMarkerEnd, getCenter as getEdgeCenter } from './components/Edges/utils';
 
 export { isNode, isEdge, removeElements, addEdge, getOutgoers } from './utils/graph';
 
diff --git a/src/types/index.ts b/src/types/index.ts
index ad5ab4ad..a84d56fc 100644
--- a/src/types/index.ts
+++ b/src/types/index.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ export interface Edge {
   labelStyle?: CSSProperties;
   labelShowBg?: boolean;
   labelBgStyle?: CSSProperties;
+  labelBgPadding?: [number, number];
   style?: CSSProperties;
   animated?: boolean;
   arrowHeadType?: ArrowHeadType;
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ export interface EdgeProps {
   labelStyle?: CSSProperties;
   labelShowBg?: boolean;
   labelBgStyle?: CSSProperties;
+  labelBgPadding?: [number, number];
   style?: CSSProperties;
   arrowHeadType?: ArrowHeadType;
   markerEndId?: string;
@@ -235,6 +237,7 @@ export interface EdgeCompProps {
   labelStyle?: CSSProperties;
   labelShowBg?: boolean;
   labelBgStyle?: CSSProperties;
+  labelBgPadding?: [number, number];
   onClick?: (event: ReactMouseEvent, edge: Edge) => void;
   animated?: boolean;
   selected?: boolean;
@@ -248,6 +251,7 @@ export interface EdgeTextProps {
   labelStyle?: CSSProperties;
   labelShowBg?: boolean;
   labelBgStyle?: CSSProperties;
+  labelBgPadding?: [number, number];
 }
 
 export type NodePosUpdate = {