Barium titanate (BaTiO3) and potassium sodium niobate (K0.5Na0.5NbO3) piezoelectric ceramics have become the forefront of international high-tech materials research due to their environmental friendliness, excellent electrical properties and proper curie temperature, and were expected to replace some lead-based piezoelectric ceramics in electronic devices in the fields of national defense, aerospace and communications, etc. In this paper, the latest research progress of BaTiO3 and K0.5Na0.5NbO3 piezoelectric ceramic materials was reviewed, the aspect of constructing phase boundary to regulate the piezoelectric performance, designing the material system of BaTiO3-based piezoelectric ceramics, the thermal stability and improvement of K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based piezoelectric ceramics and the new molding and sintering process of piezoelectric ceramics were analyzed and summarized objectively. Finally, future development trend of the two kinds of materials was discussed, and a reference for the development of high-performance lead-free piezoelectric ceramics was provided.