Loading　cocatalyst　on　semiconductors　was　crucially　necessary　for　improving　the　photocatalytic　hydrogen　evolution.　Amorphous　MoSx　as　a　novel　and　noble　metal-free　cocatalyst　was　loaded　on　CdS　nanorods　by　a　simple　photodeposition　method.　Efficient　hydrogen　evolution　with　amount　of　15 mmol h−1 g−1　was　observed　over　the　MoSx　modified　CdS　nanorods,　which　was　about　6　times　higher　than　that　by　using　Pt　as　cocatalyst.　Meanwhile,　with　MoSx　cocatalyst,　the　efficiency　of　CdS　nanorods　was　superior　to　that　of　CdS　nanoparticles　and　bulk　CdS.　No　deactivation　could　be　observed　in　the　efficiency　of　MoSx　modified　CdS　nanorods　under　irradiation　for　successive　10 h.　Further　experimental　results　indicated　that　the　efficient　electrons　transfer,　low　overpotential　of　hydrogen　evolution　and　active　S　atoms　over　the　MoSx　modified　CdS　nanorods　were　responsible　for　the　higher　efficiency.　Our　results　provided　guidance　for　synthesizing　noble　metal-free　materials　as　cocatalyst　for　photocatalytic　hydrogen　evolution.　©　2016　Elsevier　Inc.