A cell processing method and apparatus are provided. The method includes: obtaining, by a first sending end, a first timestamp compensation time; adding, by the first sending end, the first timestamp compensation time to a first timestamp carried in a first cell, where the first timestamp is a sending time of the first cell; and sending, by the first sending end to a receiving end, the first cell that is added with the first timestamp compensation time, so that the receiving end forwards the first cell according to the first timestamp that is added with the first timestamp compensation time. In the present invention, a first timestamp compensation time is added to a first timestamp carried in a first cell, which improves cell forwarding efficiency of the receiving end and prevents the occurrence of cell accumulation in a link.