A homogeneous nanocomposite of SnSe and carbon black, denoted as SnSe/C nanocomposite, was fabricated by high energy ball milling and empolyed as a high performance anode material for both sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries. The X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations confirmed that SnSe in SnSe/C nanocomposite was homogeneously distributed within carbon black. The nanocomposite anode exhibited enhanced electrochemical performances including a high capacity, long cycling behavior and good rate performance in both sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In SIBs, an initial capacitiy of 748.5 mAh g(-1) was obtained and was maintained well on cycling (324.9 mAh g(-1) at a high current density of 500 mA g(-1) in the 200 th cycle) with 72.5% retention of second cycle capacity (447.7 mAh g(-1)). In LIBs, high initial capacities of approximately 1097.6 mAh g(-1) was obtained, and this reduced to 633.1 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at 500 mA g(-1). (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.