Along with the rapid development of portable electronic products and electric vehicles, the research on lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high energy density and power density has attracted more and more attention. Anode material as a necessary component of electronic device has become an important research direction. Commercial graphite anode is limited by its low theoretical capacity. Germanium-based nanomaterials have emerged as important candidates for lithium-ion battery anode materials owing to its high theoretical specific capacity and unique chemical and physical properties. This review will focus on preparation methods, current applications and future development of germanium nano materials with different morphologies and composition in LIBs.