Nanorod ZnO and spherical nano ZnO for gas sensors were prepared by hydrothermal reaction method and hydrazine method, respectively. The nano-ZnO gas sensors were fabricated by a screen printing method on alumina substrates. The gas sensing properties were investigated for hydrocarbon gas. The effects of Co concentration on the structural and morphological properties of the nano ZnO:Co were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. XRD patterns revealed that nanorod and spherical ZnO:Co with a wurtzite structure were grown with (1 0 0), (0 0 2), (1 0 1) peaks. The sensitivity of nanorod and spherical ZnO:Co sensors was measured for 5 ppm CH4 and CH3CH2CH3 gas at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air with that in target gases. The highest sensitivity to the CH4 and CH3CH2CH3 gas of spherical nano ZnO:Co sensors was observed at Co 6 wt%. The spherical nano ZnO:Co sensor exhibited a higher sensitivity to hydrocarbon gas than nanorod ZnO.