Example techniques to selectively enable data transfer using accrued data credits are disclosed. In one aspects of the present disclosure, an apparatus to arbitrate data transfer between a computing host and a storage device across an interface comprises a data transfer limiter to track an amount of data credits used by a data transfer across the interface and an amount of accrued data credits available to the interface. The apparatus further comprises a data transfer arbiter to selectively disable the data transfer across the interface when the amount of data credits used by the data transfer across the interface exceeds a first threshold, and to selectively enable the data transfer across the interface when the amount of data credits used by the data transfer across the interface does not exceed a second threshold. The amount of accrued data credits reduces the amount of data credits used by the data transfer.