Abstract:　Electrochemical　energy　systems　such　as　fuel　cells　and　metal–air　batteries　can　be　used　as　clean　power　sources　in　the　field　of　electric　transportation　and　possess　great　potential　in　the　reduction　of　various　energy　and　environmental　issues.　In　these　systems,　the　oxygen　reduction　reaction　(ORR)　at　the　cathode　is　the　rate-determining　factor　for　overall　system　performance,　and　up　to　now,　platinum　group　metals　supported　on　carbon　materials,　especially　Pt,　remain　the　highest　performing　and　the　most　practical　ORR　electrocatalysts.　However,　corresponding　carbonaceous　catalyst　supports　are　extremely　susceptible　to　corrosion　under　electrochemical　operation,　and　therefore,　the　extensive　exploration　of　alternative　stable　materials　for　ORR　electrocatalysts　with　both　high　electrochemical　stability　and　catalytic　performance　is　essential.　Here,　noncarbon　materials　with　high　corrosion　resistance　have　been　explored　to　substitute　traditional　carbon　supports　or　even　act　directly　as　low-cost　non-noble　metal　electrocatalysts,　and　based　on　this,　this　review　will　present　a　comprehensive　overview　and　deep　analysis　of　the　recent　progress　in　noncarbon　materials,　including　metals,　oxides,　nitrides,　carbides,　sulfides,　and　so　on.　Overall,　general　attributes　associated　with　noncarbon　materials　include　high　corrosion　resistance,　strong　metal–support　interaction,　and　impressive　porous　structure　retention.　However,　major　drawbacks　include　low　electrical　conductivity,　insufficient　chemical　stability　in　acidic　or　alkaline　media,　and　poor　electrochemical　stability　at　ORR　electrode　potentials.　To　overcome　these　challenges,　this　review　will　also　summarize　efficient　strategies　such　as　combining　with　highly　conductive　materials,　introducing　dopants　and　forming　vacancies　to　result　in　promising　electrocatalytic　ORR　performances.　Finally,　this　review　will　propose　possible　research　directions　to　facilitate　future　research　and　development　toward　the　practical　application　of　noncarbon-based　ORR　electrocatalysts.　Graphical　abstract:　1.A　comprehensive　overview　and　deep　analysis　of　the　recent　progress　on　noncarbon　materials,　including　metals,　oxides,　nitrides,　carbides,　sulfides,　and　so　on,　are　presented.2.A　variety　of　synthesis　and　modification　strategies　for　noncarbon　materials　as　supports　or　directly　as　low-cost　electrocatalysts　are　summarized　in　terms　of　corresponding　catalytic　ORR　activity　and　stability　in　fuel　cells　and　metal–air　batteries.3.Ex　situ/in　situ　material　characterizations　through　the　use　of　sophisticated　equipment,　electrochemical　testing,　and　theoretical　calculation　are　reviewed　and　analyzed　for　the　optimization　of　catalyst　design　and　ORR　performance.[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.]　©　2021,　Shanghai　University　and　Periodicals　Agency　of　Shanghai　University.