Hollow silica nanospheres are a new type of structural material with a single cavity or multiple cavities with diameters within the nanometer range. Currently, hollow silica nanospheres have been developed with various preparation methods which are different. Hollow silica nanospheres have a wide range of applications in multi-disciplinary such as medicine, thermal insulation, and optics. Various preparation methods of hollow silica nanospheres and their characteristics were sorted and analyzed, such as template method, selective etching method, and spray drying method, and their advantages and disadvantages were evaluated, while the progress of the application of hollow silica nanospheres was discussed.