The invention discloses a hollow carbon sphere and a preparation method and application thereof. Firstly, a solution containing resin monomers, a surfactant, ammonia, water and alcohol is prepared, then orthosilicate is added into the solution, and orthosilicate is hydrolyzed to prepare silicon-dioxide suspension; a formaldehyde solution is added into the silicon-dioxide suspension for a polymerization reaction, and a silicon-dioxide resin composite sphere is obtained; the silicon-dioxide resin composite sphere is calcined to prepare a silicon-dioxide carbon composite sphere; silicon dioxide in the silicon-dioxide carbon composite sphere is removed through acid or alkali, and the hollow carbon sphere is obtained. The silicon-dioxide resin composite sphere is synthesized in one step, in other words, the synthesis of silicon dioxide and the resin coating process are combined to solve the problem that the two-step method of the prior art is cumbersome and needs fine regulation. The prepared hollow carbon sphere has a controllable wall thickness, a large pore volume and a large specific surface area.