Methods and apparatus for client-allocatable bandwidth pools are disclosed. A system includes a plurality of resources of a provider network and a resource manager. In response to a determination to accept a bandwidth pool creation request from a client for a resource group, where the resource group comprises a plurality of resources allocated to the client, the resource manager stores an indication of a total network traffic rate limit of the resource group. In response to a bandwidth allocation request from the client to allocate a specified portion of the total network traffic rate limit to a particular resource of the resource group, the resource manager initiates one or more configuration changes to allow network transmissions within one or more network links of the provider network accessible from the particular resource at a rate up to the specified portion.