•Four different atomic component metallic glasses were studied under nanoindentation tests to determine their strain rate sensitivities of hardness.•Strain rate sensitivity of four different BMGs were calculated, the mechanism and influencing factors of negative SRS are studied.•The variation trends along with different factors were observed and discussed, creep behavior was observed and we note that the study of the creep behavior can be useful of exploring the deformation mechanism of metallic glasses. Nanoindentation tests were conducted on Pd40Cu30Ni10P20, (Fe0.6Co0.4)0.75B0.2Si0.0596Nb4, Zr48Cu34Pd2Al8Ag8 and Zr48Cu32Ni4Al8Ag8 bulk metallic glasses to determine their strain rate sensitivities of hardness. Strain rate sensitivities for different experimental conditions were calculated, it was found that all specimens exhibit negative strain rate sensitivity. Different variation trend of strain rate sensitivity values along with different factors were observed, these observations were utilized to discuss the reasons for negative strain rate sensitivity, and its dependence on the composition and other factors of metallic glasses.