• Biomass-derived carbons (BDCs) are low-cost, renewable, and abundant, making them promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs).
• Various synthesis methods, including carbonization, chemical activation, and template methods, enable the production of BDCs with tailored microstructures for enhanced sodium storage.
• The sodium storage mechanism in BDCs involves adsorption, intercalation, and filling, which can be optimized through pore, defect, and crystallite engineering.
• BDCs exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, including high capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability, positioning them as viable alternatives to traditional graphite anodes in SIBs.