•Five mixture design methods for SCC based on different principles are reviewed.•Feature and flow chart of mixture design procedure for each method is presented.•Advantages and disadvantages of each method is compared.•It provides valuable suggestions for choosing appropriate design method for SCC. Mixture design is a very important step in production and application of concrete. Many mixture design methods have been proposed for self-compacting concrete (SCC). This paper presents a critical review on SCC mixture design methods in publications. Based on principles, those methods can be classified into five categories including empirical design method, compressive strength method, close aggregate packing method and methods based on statistical factorial model and rheology of paste model. The procedures, advantages and disadvantages of each method were discussed. The most appropriate method should be chosen according to actual situations to obtain high quality SCC with satisfactory properties.