The paper reviews recent developments in lead-free piezoelectric materials, emphasizing their preparation, structure-property correlation, and applications. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is widely used due to its excellent piezoelectric properties, but its toxicity has led to the search for alternatives. Perovskite systems like bismuth sodium titanate (BNT) and alkali niobates (ANbO3), as well as non-perovskites like bismuth layer-structured ferroelectrics, are explored. These materials show stable piezoelectric responses, though not matching PZT's performance. The review highlights the challenges and advancements in doping and processing methods, such as sol-gel and co-precipitation, to enhance properties. Despite the limitations, lead-free materials are promising for various applications, including actuators, sensors, and resonators, due to their environmental benefits. The research area is of current interest globally, with ongoing efforts to improve their performance.The paper reviews recent developments in lead-free piezoelectric materials, emphasizing their preparation, structure-property correlation, and applications. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is widely used due to its excellent piezoelectric properties, but its toxicity has led to the search for alternatives. Perovskite systems like bismuth sodium titanate (BNT) and alkali niobates (ANbO3), as well as non-perovskites like bismuth layer-structured ferroelectrics, are explored. These materials show stable piezoelectric responses, though not matching PZT's performance. The review highlights the challenges and advancements in doping and processing methods, such as sol-gel and co-precipitation, to enhance properties. Despite the limitations, lead-free materials are promising for various applications, including actuators, sensors, and resonators, due to their environmental benefits. The research area is of current interest globally, with ongoing efforts to improve their performance.