<p>The depletion of conventional energy resources, coupled with the growing demand for renewable energy solutions, has intensified the search for efficient energy storage systems capable of addressing the intermittent nature of renewable energy generation. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have dominated the energy storage market due to their high energy density and superior electrochemical performance. However, concerns related to cost, sustainability, resource availability, and safety have highlighted the need for alternative technologies. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), benefiting from the natural abundance and low cost of sodium resources, have emerged as a promising alternative for large-scale energy storage applications. Among the various cathode materials investigated for SIBs, iron-phosphate-based compounds have attracted considerable attention owing to the abundance, low cost, environmental benignity, and structural stability of their precursors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the crystal structures, electrochemical performances, and optimization strategies of selected iron-phosphate cathode materials for cost-effective and sustainable sodium-ion batteries. Furthermore, the current state of the art, existing challenges, critical perspectives, and futurs prospects for the industrial-scale implementation of these cathode materials are discussed.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>