diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.cc b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.cc
index 86658b44c54c..1c700d713b0c 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.cc
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "json/document.h"
 #include "json/json.h"
 #include "json/types.h"
+#include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/compatibility.h"
 #include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/error.h"
 #include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/errors.h"
 #include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.h"
@@ -550,9 +551,13 @@ sanitize_avro_schema_definition(unparsed_schema_definition def) {
       def.refs()};
 }
 
-bool check_compatible(
-  const avro_schema_definition& reader, const avro_schema_definition& writer) {
-    return check_compatible(*reader().root(), *writer().root());
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
+  const avro_schema_definition& reader,
+  const avro_schema_definition& writer,
+  verbose is_verbose [[maybe_unused]]) {
+    // TODO(gellert.nagy): start using the is_verbose flag in a follow up PR
+    return compatibility_result{
+      .is_compat = check_compatible(*reader().root(), *writer().root())};
 }
 
 } // namespace pandaproxy::schema_registry
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.h b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.h
index 80c38d1a47a9..9d13a67c490e 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.h
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/avro.h
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ make_avro_schema_definition(sharded_store& store, canonical_schema schema);
 result<canonical_schema_definition>
 sanitize_avro_schema_definition(unparsed_schema_definition def);
 
-bool check_compatible(
-  const avro_schema_definition& reader, const avro_schema_definition& writer);
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
+  const avro_schema_definition& reader,
+  const avro_schema_definition& writer,
+  verbose is_verbose = verbose::no);
 
 } // namespace pandaproxy::schema_registry
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.cc b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.cc
index 51311176248e..c72fbf812adb 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.cc
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.cc
@@ -1570,15 +1570,22 @@ ss::future<canonical_schema> make_canonical_json_schema(
     co_return schema;
 }
 
-bool check_compatible(
-  const json_schema_definition& reader, const json_schema_definition& writer) {
-    // schemas might be using incompatible dialects
-    if (!check_compatible_dialects(reader().doc, writer().doc)) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    // reader is a superset of writer iff every schema that is valid for writer
-    // is also valid for reader
-    return is_superset(reader().doc, writer().doc);
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
+  const json_schema_definition& reader,
+  const json_schema_definition& writer,
+  verbose is_verbose [[maybe_unused]]) {
+    auto is_compatible = [&]() {
+        // schemas might be using incompatible dialects
+        if (!check_compatible_dialects(reader().doc, writer().doc)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        // reader is a superset of writer iff every schema that is valid for
+        // writer is also valid for reader
+        return is_superset(reader().doc, writer().doc);
+    }();
+
+    // TODO(gellert.nagy): start using the is_verbose flag in a follow up PR
+    return compatibility_result{.is_compat = is_compatible};
 }
 
 } // namespace pandaproxy::schema_registry
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.h b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.h
index fa96a7ea9020..b288425209cf 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.h
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/json.h
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ make_json_schema_definition(sharded_store& store, canonical_schema schema);
 ss::future<canonical_schema> make_canonical_json_schema(
   sharded_store& store, unparsed_schema def, normalize norm = normalize::no);
 
-bool check_compatible(
-  const json_schema_definition& reader, const json_schema_definition& writer);
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
+  const json_schema_definition& reader,
+  const json_schema_definition& writer,
+  verbose is_verbose = verbose::no);
 
 } // namespace pandaproxy::schema_registry
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.cc b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.cc
index d07a3c44f83f..d982b1af721f 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.cc
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.cc
@@ -689,11 +689,13 @@ struct compatibility_checker {
 
 } // namespace
 
-bool check_compatible(
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
   const protobuf_schema_definition& reader,
-  const protobuf_schema_definition& writer) {
+  const protobuf_schema_definition& writer,
+  verbose is_verbose [[maybe_unused]]) {
     compatibility_checker checker{reader(), writer()};
-    return checker.check_compatible();
+    // TODO(gellert.nagy): start using the is_verbose flag in a follow up PR
+    return compatibility_result{.is_compat = checker.check_compatible()};
 }
 
 } // namespace pandaproxy::schema_registry
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.h b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.h
index edbc6aaf65c3..58c325064a47 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.h
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.h
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ validate_protobuf_schema(sharded_store& store, canonical_schema schema);
 ss::future<canonical_schema>
 make_canonical_protobuf_schema(sharded_store& store, unparsed_schema schema);
 
-bool check_compatible(
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
   const protobuf_schema_definition& reader,
-  const protobuf_schema_definition& writer);
+  const protobuf_schema_definition& writer,
+  verbose is_verbose = verbose::no);
 
 } // namespace pandaproxy::schema_registry
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.cc b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.cc
index 4d24aafa29f5..1acaae781afb 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.cc
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/protobuf.h"
 #include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/store.h"
 #include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/types.h"
+#include "pandaproxy/schema_registry/util.h"
 
 #include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/future.hh>
@@ -49,13 +50,14 @@ ss::shard_id shard_for(schema_id id) {
     return jump_consistent_hash(id(), ss::smp::count);
 }
 
-bool check_compatible(const valid_schema& reader, const valid_schema& writer) {
-    return reader.visit([&](const auto& reader) {
-        return writer.visit([&](const auto& writer) {
+compatibility_result check_compatible(
+  const valid_schema& reader, const valid_schema& writer, verbose is_verbose) {
+    return reader.visit([&](const auto& reader) -> compatibility_result {
+        return writer.visit([&](const auto& writer) -> compatibility_result {
             if constexpr (std::is_same_v<decltype(reader), decltype(writer)>) {
-                return check_compatible(reader, writer);
+                return check_compatible(reader, writer, is_verbose);
             }
-            return false;
+            return {.is_compat = false};
         });
     });
 }
@@ -682,6 +684,18 @@ ss::future<> sharded_store::maybe_update_max_schema_id(schema_id id) {
 
 ss::future<bool> sharded_store::is_compatible(
   schema_version version, canonical_schema new_schema) {
+    auto rslt = co_await do_is_compatible(
+      version, std::move(new_schema), verbose::no);
+    co_return rslt.is_compat;
+}
+
+ss::future<compatibility_result> sharded_store::is_compatible(
+  schema_version version, canonical_schema new_schema, verbose is_verbose) {
+    return do_is_compatible(version, std::move(new_schema), is_verbose);
+}
+
+ss::future<compatibility_result> sharded_store::do_is_compatible(
+  schema_version version, canonical_schema new_schema, verbose is_verbose) {
     // Lookup the version_ids
     const auto sub = new_schema.sub();
     const auto versions = co_await _store.invoke_on(
@@ -707,16 +721,22 @@ ss::future<bool> sharded_store::is_compatible(
     auto old_schema = co_await get_subject_schema(
       sub, version, include_deleted::no);
 
+    // Lookup the compatibility level
+    auto compat = co_await get_compatibility(sub, default_to_global::yes);
+
     // Types must always match
     if (old_schema.schema.type() != new_schema.type()) {
-        co_return false;
+        compatibility_result result{.is_compat = false};
+        if (is_verbose) {
+            result.messages = {
+              "Incompatible because of different schema type",
+              fmt::format("{{compatibility: {}}}", compat)};
+        }
+        co_return result;
     }
 
-    // Lookup the compatibility level
-    auto compat = co_await get_compatibility(sub, default_to_global::yes);
-
     if (compat == compatibility_level::none) {
-        co_return true;
+        co_return compatibility_result{.is_compat = true};
     }
 
     // Currently support JSON, PROTOBUF, AVRO
@@ -742,8 +762,18 @@ ss::future<bool> sharded_store::is_compatible(
 
     auto new_valid = co_await make_valid_schema(std::move(new_schema));
 
-    auto is_compat = true;
-    for (; is_compat && ver_it != versions.end(); ++ver_it) {
+    compatibility_result result{.is_compat = true};
+
+    auto formatter = [](std::string_view rdr, std::string_view wrtr) {
+        return [rdr, wrtr](std::string_view msg) {
+            return fmt::format(
+              fmt::runtime(msg),
+              fmt::arg("reader", rdr),
+              fmt::arg("writer", wrtr));
+        };
+    };
+
+    for (; result.is_compat && ver_it != versions.end(); ++ver_it) {
         if (ver_it->deleted) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -753,22 +783,56 @@ ss::future<bool> sharded_store::is_compatible(
         auto old_valid = co_await make_valid_schema(
           std::move(old_schema.schema));
 
+        std::vector<ss::sstring> version_messages;
+
         if (
           compat == compatibility_level::backward
           || compat == compatibility_level::backward_transitive
           || compat == compatibility_level::full
           || compat == compatibility_level::full_transitive) {
-            is_compat = is_compat && check_compatible(new_valid, old_valid);
+            auto r = check_compatible(new_valid, old_valid, is_verbose);
+            result.is_compat = result.is_compat && r.is_compat;
+            version_messages.reserve(
+              version_messages.size() + r.messages.size());
+            std::transform(
+              std::make_move_iterator(r.messages.begin()),
+              std::make_move_iterator(r.messages.end()),
+              std::back_inserter(version_messages),
+              formatter("new", "old"));
         }
         if (
           compat == compatibility_level::forward
           || compat == compatibility_level::forward_transitive
           || compat == compatibility_level::full
           || compat == compatibility_level::full_transitive) {
-            is_compat = is_compat && check_compatible(old_valid, new_valid);
+            auto r = check_compatible(old_valid, new_valid, is_verbose);
+            result.is_compat = result.is_compat && r.is_compat;
+            version_messages.reserve(
+              version_messages.size() + r.messages.size());
+            std::transform(
+              std::make_move_iterator(r.messages.begin()),
+              std::make_move_iterator(r.messages.end()),
+              std::back_inserter(version_messages),
+              formatter("old", "new"));
+        }
+
+        if (is_verbose && !result.is_compat) {
+            version_messages.emplace_back(
+              fmt::format("{{oldSchemaVersion: {}}}", old_schema.version));
+            version_messages.emplace_back(
+              fmt::format("{{oldSchema: '{}'}}", to_string(old_valid.raw())));
+            version_messages.emplace_back(
+              fmt::format("{{compatibility: {}}}", compat));
         }
+
+        result.messages.reserve(
+          result.messages.size() + version_messages.size());
+        std::move(
+          version_messages.begin(),
+          version_messages.end(),
+          std::back_inserter(result.messages));
     }
-    co_return is_compat;
+    co_return result;
 }
 
 void sharded_store::check_mode_mutability(force f) const {
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.h b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.h
index bf9fc976f517..4ce9e5611d9a 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.h
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/sharded_store.h
@@ -178,12 +178,24 @@ class sharded_store {
     ss::future<bool>
     is_compatible(schema_version version, canonical_schema new_schema);
 
+    ///\brief Check if the provided schema is compatible with the subject and
+    /// version, according the the current compatibility, with the result
+    /// optionally accompanied by a vector of detailed error messages.
+    ///
+    /// If the compatibility level is transitive, then all versions are checked,
+    /// otherwise checks are against the version provided and newer.
+    ss::future<compatibility_result> is_compatible(
+      schema_version version, canonical_schema new_schema, verbose is_verbose);
+
     ss::future<bool> has_version(const subject&, schema_id, include_deleted);
 
     //// \brief Throw if the store is not mutable
     void check_mode_mutability(force f) const;
 
 private:
+    ss::future<compatibility_result> do_is_compatible(
+      schema_version version, canonical_schema new_schema, verbose is_verbose);
+
     ss::future<bool>
     upsert_schema(schema_id id, canonical_schema_definition def);
     ss::future<> delete_schema(schema_id id);
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/compatibility_avro.cc b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/compatibility_avro.cc
index 78e2dc4e6ee6..596143c3f38c 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/compatibility_avro.cc
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/compatibility_avro.cc
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ bool check_compatible(
   const pps::canonical_schema_definition& w) {
     pps::sharded_store s;
     return check_compatible(
-      pps::make_avro_schema_definition(
-        s, {pps::subject("r"), {r.shared_raw(), pps::schema_type::avro}})
-        .get(),
-      pps::make_avro_schema_definition(
-        s, {pps::subject("w"), {w.shared_raw(), pps::schema_type::avro}})
-        .get());
+             pps::make_avro_schema_definition(
+               s, {pps::subject("r"), {r.shared_raw(), pps::schema_type::avro}})
+               .get(),
+             pps::make_avro_schema_definition(
+               s, {pps::subject("w"), {w.shared_raw(), pps::schema_type::avro}})
+               .get())
+      .is_compat;
 }
 
 SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_avro_type_promotion) {
diff --git a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/test_json_schema.cc b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/test_json_schema.cc
index 15b615866664..de8985a1d6cc 100644
--- a/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/test_json_schema.cc
+++ b/src/v/pandaproxy/schema_registry/test/test_json_schema.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@
 namespace pp = pandaproxy;
 namespace pps = pp::schema_registry;
 
+bool check_compatible(
+  const pps::json_schema_definition& reader_schema,
+  const pps::json_schema_definition& writer_schema) {
+    return pps::check_compatible(reader_schema, writer_schema).is_compat;
+}
+
 struct store_fixture {
     store_fixture() {
         store.start(pps::is_mutable::yes, ss::default_smp_service_group())
@@ -979,14 +985,14 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_compatibility_check) {
             try {
                 // sanity check that each schema is compatible with itself
                 BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE(
-                  pps::check_compatible(
+                  ::check_compatible(
                     make_json_schema(data.reader_schema),
                     make_json_schema(data.reader_schema)),
                   fmt::format(
                     "reader '{}' should be compatible with itself",
                     data.reader_schema));
                 BOOST_CHECK_MESSAGE(
-                  pps::check_compatible(
+                  ::check_compatible(
                     make_json_schema(data.writer_schema),
                     make_json_schema(data.writer_schema)),
                   fmt::format(
@@ -996,7 +1002,7 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_compatibility_check) {
                 // check compatibility (or not) reader->writer
                 BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(
                   data.reader_is_compatible_with_writer,
-                  pps::check_compatible(
+                  ::check_compatible(
                     make_json_schema(data.reader_schema),
                     make_json_schema(data.writer_schema)));
             } catch (...) {