Two kinds of kinetic models, which are Jander model and Chou model, were applied to investigate the hydriding kinetic behavior of Mg-Ni based alloys. By comparing the calculated values with experimental data, it can be seen that both models were successfully used in the diffusion-controlled hydrogen absorption process of Mg-Ni system. However, Chou model was not only convenient for use but also gave a set of physical meaningful explicit analytic expressions. Chou model should be preferentially recommended to deal with the calculation at multi-temperatures and multi-pressures without multistep calculation. The application of Chou model to Mg(20)Ni(8)Cu(2) and Mg(20)Ni(8)Co(2) alloys shows that the calculated results agreed well with the experimental data and it is reasonable to expect that this model will also suitable for other Mg-Ni based alloys if the mechanism is similar. (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.