Sn-based materials have attracted much attention as anodes in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to their low cost, high theoretical capacities, and high energy density. However, their practical applications are limited by the poor cyclability originating from the huge volume changes. Graphene nanosheets (GNSs), a novel two-dimensional carbon sheet with one atom thickness and one of the thinnest materials, significantly address the challenges of Sn-based anodes as excellent buffering materials, showing great research interests in LIBs. In this review, various nanocomposites of GNSs/Sn-based anodes are summarized in detail, including binary and ternary composites. The significant impact of 2D GNSs on the volume change of Sn-based anodes during cycling is discussed, along with with their preparation methods, properties and enhanced LIB performance. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.