NiO films were prepared by chemical bath deposition and electrodeposition method, respectively, using nickel foam as the substrate. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the images showed that their morphologies were distinct. The NiO film prepared by chemical bath deposition was highly porous, while the film prepared by electrodeposition was dense, and both of their thickness was about 1 μm. As anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the porous NiO film prepared by chemical bath deposition exhibited higher coulombic efficiency and weaker polarization and its specific capacity after 50 cycles was 490 mAh g −1 at the discharge–charge current density of 0.5 A g −1, and 350 mAh g −1 at 1.5 A g −1, higher than the electrodeposited film (230 mAh g −1 at 0.5 A g −1, and 170 mAh g −1 at 1.5 A g −1). The better electrochemical performances of the film prepared by chemical bath deposition are attributed to its highly porous morphology, which shorted diffusion length of lithium ions, and relaxed the volume change caused by the reaction between NiO and Li +.