diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 3bdbe5c..13d5a3e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2593,6 +2593,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "hex 0.4.3",
  "http",
  "itertools 0.13.0",
+ "leaky-bucket",
  "librqbit-bencode",
  "librqbit-buffers",
  "librqbit-clone-to-owned",
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml b/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
index 1639863..825d8d4 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ tokio = { version = "1", features = [
     "fs",
     "io-util",
 ] }
+leaky-bucket = "1.1"
 console-subscriber = { version = "0.4", optional = true }
 axum = { version = "0.7", optional = true }
 tower-http = { version = "0.5", features = ["cors", "trace"], optional = true }
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs
index 455381c..0eadf6f 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ mod file_ops;
 pub mod http_api;
 #[cfg(feature = "http-api")]
 pub mod http_api_client;
+mod limits;
 mod merge_streams;
 mod peer_connection;
 mod peer_info_reader;
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/limits.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/limits.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5df402c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/limits.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use leaky_bucket::RateLimiter;
+use peer_binary_protocol::PIECE_MESSAGE_DEFAULT_LEN;
+use serde::Deserialize;
+use serde::Serialize;
+
+#[derive(Default, Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Copy)]
+pub struct LimitsConfig {
+    pub upload_bps: Option<usize>,
+    pub download_bps: Option<usize>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub struct Limits {
+    down: Option<leaky_bucket::RateLimiter>,
+    up: Option<leaky_bucket::RateLimiter>,
+}
+
+impl Limits {
+    pub fn new(config: LimitsConfig) -> Self {
+        let new = |bps: usize| -> RateLimiter {
+            let b_per_100_ms = bps.div_ceil(10);
+            RateLimiter::builder()
+                .interval(Duration::from_millis(100))
+                .refill(b_per_100_ms)
+                // whatever the limit is, we need to be able to download / upload a chunk
+                .max(PIECE_MESSAGE_DEFAULT_LEN.max(bps))
+                .build()
+        };
+        Self {
+            down: config.download_bps.map(new),
+            up: config.upload_bps.map(new),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub async fn prepare_for_upload(&self, len: usize) {
+        if let Some(rl) = self.up.as_ref() {
+            rl.acquire(len).await;
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub async fn prepare_for_download(&self, len: usize) {
+        if let Some(rl) = self.down.as_ref() {
+            rl.acquire(len).await;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
index edd24cd..ca9b923 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/session.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::{
     bitv_factory::{BitVFactory, NonPersistentBitVFactory},
     dht_utils::{read_metainfo_from_peer_receiver, ReadMetainfoResult},
     file_info::FileInfo,
+    limits::{Limits, LimitsConfig},
     merge_streams::merge_streams,
     peer_connection::PeerConnectionOptions,
     read_buf::ReadBuf,
@@ -122,6 +123,8 @@ pub struct Session {
 
     root_span: Option<Span>,
 
+    pub(crate) ratelimits: Limits,
+
     pub(crate) stats: SessionStats,
 
     #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
@@ -264,6 +267,9 @@ pub struct AddTorrentOptions {
     #[serde(default)]
     pub disable_trackers: bool,
 
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub ratelimits: LimitsConfig,
+
     /// Initial peers to start of with.
     pub initial_peers: Option<Vec<SocketAddr>>,
 
@@ -421,6 +427,8 @@ pub struct SessionOptions {
     // the root span to use. If not set will be None.
     pub root_span: Option<Span>,
 
+    pub ratelimits: LimitsConfig,
+
     #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
     pub disable_upload: bool,
 }
@@ -636,6 +644,7 @@ impl Session {
                 concurrent_initialize_semaphore: Arc::new(tokio::sync::Semaphore::new(
                     opts.concurrent_init_limit.unwrap_or(3),
                 )),
+                ratelimits: Limits::new(opts.ratelimits),
                 #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
                 _disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
             });
@@ -1179,6 +1188,7 @@ impl Session {
                     allow_overwrite: opts.overwrite,
                     output_folder,
                     disk_write_queue: self.disk_write_tx.clone(),
+                    ratelimits: opts.ratelimits,
                     #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
                     _disable_upload: self._disable_upload,
                 },
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
index 220c637..8ff5ebe 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ use tracing::{debug, error, error_span, info, trace, warn, Instrument};
 use crate::{
     chunk_tracker::{ChunkMarkingResult, ChunkTracker, HaveNeededSelected},
     file_ops::FileOps,
+    limits::Limits,
     peer_connection::{
         PeerConnection, PeerConnectionHandler, PeerConnectionOptions, WriterRequest,
     },
@@ -201,6 +202,12 @@ pub struct TorrentStateLive {
 
     pub(crate) streams: Arc<TorrentStreams>,
     have_broadcast_tx: tokio::sync::broadcast::Sender<ValidPieceIndex>,
+
+    ratelimit_upload_tx: tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedSender<(
+        tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedSender<WriterRequest>,
+        ChunkInfo,
+    )>,
+    ratelimits: Limits,
 }
 
 impl TorrentStateLive {
@@ -238,6 +245,12 @@ impl TorrentStateLive {
 
         let (have_broadcast_tx, _) = tokio::sync::broadcast::channel(128);
 
+        let (ratelimit_upload_tx, ratelimit_upload_rx) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel::<(
+            tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedSender<WriterRequest>,
+            ChunkInfo,
+        )>();
+        let ratelimits = Limits::new(paused.shared.options.ratelimits);
+
         let state = Arc::new(TorrentStateLive {
             torrent: paused.shared.clone(),
             peers: PeerStates {
@@ -272,6 +285,8 @@ impl TorrentStateLive {
             per_piece_locks: (0..lengths.total_pieces())
                 .map(|_| RwLock::new(()))
                 .collect(),
+            ratelimit_upload_tx,
+            ratelimits,
         });
 
         state.spawn(
@@ -304,6 +319,11 @@ impl TorrentStateLive {
             error_span!(parent: state.torrent.span.clone(), "peer_adder"),
             state.clone().task_peer_adder(peer_queue_rx),
         );
+
+        state.spawn(
+            error_span!(parent: state.torrent.span.clone(), "upload_scheduler"),
+            state.clone().task_upload_scheduler(ratelimit_upload_rx),
+        );
         Ok(state)
     }
 
@@ -388,6 +408,26 @@ impl TorrentStateLive {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    async fn task_upload_scheduler(
+        self: Arc<Self>,
+        mut rx: tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<(
+            tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedSender<WriterRequest>,
+            ChunkInfo,
+        )>,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        while let Some((tx, ci)) = rx.recv().await {
+            self.ratelimits.prepare_for_upload(ci.size as usize).await;
+            if let Some(session) = self.torrent.session.upgrade() {
+                session
+                    .ratelimits
+                    .prepare_for_upload(ci.size as usize)
+                    .await;
+            }
+            let _ = tx.send(WriterRequest::ReadChunkRequest(ci));
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     async fn task_manage_incoming_peer(
         self: Arc<Self>,
         checked_peer: CheckedIncomingConnection,
@@ -1227,12 +1267,10 @@ impl PeerHandler {
             );
         }
 
-        // TODO: this is not super efficient as it does copying multiple times.
-        // Theoretically, this could be done in the sending code, so that it reads straight into
-        // the send buffer.
-        let request = WriterRequest::ReadChunkRequest(chunk_info);
-        trace!("sending {:?}", &request);
-        Ok::<_, anyhow::Error>(self.tx.send(request)?)
+        self.state
+            .ratelimit_upload_tx
+            .send((self.tx.clone(), chunk_info))?;
+        Ok(())
     }
 
     fn on_have(&self, have: u32) {
@@ -1406,6 +1444,18 @@ impl PeerHandler {
                     None => return Ok(()),
                 };
 
+                self.state
+                    .ratelimits
+                    .prepare_for_download(request.length as usize)
+                    .await;
+
+                if let Some(session) = self.state.torrent().session.upgrade() {
+                    session
+                        .ratelimits
+                        .prepare_for_download(request.length as usize)
+                        .await;
+                }
+
                 loop {
                     match aframe!(tokio::time::timeout(
                         Duration::from_secs(5),
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
index cf8940a..4c16106 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/mod.rs
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ use tracing::trace;
 use tracing::warn;
 
 use crate::chunk_tracker::ChunkTracker;
+use crate::limits::LimitsConfig;
 use crate::session::TorrentId;
 use crate::spawn_utils::BlockingSpawner;
 use crate::storage::BoxStorageFactory;
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ pub(crate) struct ManagedTorrentOptions {
     pub allow_overwrite: bool,
     pub output_folder: PathBuf,
     pub disk_write_queue: Option<DiskWorkQueueSender>,
+    pub ratelimits: LimitsConfig,
     #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
     pub _disable_upload: bool,
 }
diff --git a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
index a03c87c..9a0eb5b 100644
--- a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
@@ -480,6 +480,8 @@ async fn async_main(opts: Opts, cancel: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
         cancellation_token: Some(cancel.clone()),
         #[cfg(feature = "disable-upload")]
         disable_upload: opts.disable_upload,
+        // TODO: expose
+        ratelimits: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let stats_printer = |session: Arc<Session>| async move {