Polysaccharide-based aerogels have high application value as one kind of unique functional materials. Not only has it high porosity and low-density, but also the non-toxicity and biodegradability. In recent decades, a variety of natural raw materials and their combinations along with various preparation technologies have been investigated to develop polysaccharide-based aerogels with different functions for diverse applications. This review aims to clarify a general approach in the development of polysaccharide-based aerogels regarding pore structure design, polysaccharide selection and drying methods. The relevant researches and reports of polysaccharide-based aerogels have been also classified according to the applications in environmental engineering, buildings, medical practice, packaging and electrochemistry. Furthermore, some statistical graphs have been produced to summarize those publications during the past ten years, with an aim to indicate the distribution and research trend. Finally, the approaches to improve the quality of the aerogels are discussed and some perspectives are put forward to provide a reference for the future development of polysaccharide-based aerogels.