Solar radiation measurements are not easily available, especially for the diffuse solar radiation. In this study, two models for estimating the diffuse solar radiation are proposed based on multiple predictors including the clearness index, relative sunshine duration, ambient temperature and relative humidity. One of them aims to increase the estimation accuracy, and the other aims to estimate the diffuse solar radiation direct from other meteorological elements in the absence of the global solar radiation. For a case study, the performance of the proposed models is validated by comparing with eight existing models selected from literature against the measured data at Guangzhou station in China. Through the analysis based on statistical error tests, results show that the two models can estimate the monthly average daily diffuse solar radiation with good accuracy. ► Two models for estimating the diffuse solar radiation are proposed. ► One model aims to increase the estimation accuracy. ► The other model aims to work with the global solar radiation unavailable. ► For a case study, the proposed models are validated at Guangzhou station in China.