Tin disulfide (SnS2) is a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries because of its high specific capacity. However, the low conductivity and large volume change during reaction with Na+ ions greatly limit its practical application. Herein, a multistep templating method has been exploited for the rational design and synthesis of SnS2 nanosheets confined in carbon nanotubes (SnS2@CNTs). To demonstrate the universality of this method, SnS2 nanosheets confined in carbon nanoboxes (SnS2@CNBs) and hollow carbon nanospheres (SnS2@CNSs) have also been synthesized by simply changing the template in the reaction system. Due to their unique structural merits, the SnS2@CNTs, SnS2@CNBs, and SnS2@CNSs show improved sodium storage performance in terms of high specific capacity, good cycling stability, and superior rate capability. Display omitted •SnS2 nanosheets are confined in various hollow carbon nanostructures•Ultrathin SnS2 nanosheets ensure efficient capacitive sodium storage•SnS2-carbon electrodes manifest excellent electrochemical sodium storage performance Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted ever-growing attention as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries in view of the abundant resources and low cost of sodium. One major challenge for SIBs exists in developing efficient anode materials. Tin disulfide (SnS2) is a promising anode material for SIBs because of its high theoretical capacity. However, the low conductivity and huge volume expansion during reaction with Na+ ions significantly hamper its practical application. Here, we develop a facile templating method to effectively confine ultrathin SnS2 nanosheets in carbon nanotubes (SnS2@CNTs), carbon nanoboxes (SnS2@CNBs), and hollow carbon nanospheres (SnS2@CNSs). Benefiting from their unique structural advantages, these SnS2-carbon nanohybrids manifest high specific capacity, good cycling stability, and excellent rate capability. This work might enlighten scientists to exploit high-performance SIB anodes so that SIBs can be used in large-scale energy storage in the near future. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted enormous attention as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Recent studies on SIB cathodes have demonstrated performances comparable with their LIB counterparts. One major challenge for SIBs thus resides in exploiting suitable anode materials. Here, we develop a multistep templating method to confine SnS2 nanosheets in different carbon hollow structures including nanotubes, nanoboxes, and hollow nanospheres. Benefiting from their unique structural merits, these SnS2-carbon nanohybrids manifest excellent sodium storage properties.