A great number of researches about eco-friendly and high-performance lubricant have been conducted to improve the lubrication of water based drilling fluids, solving the high friction of long horizontal section of horizontal wells and promoting the development of drilling technology for horizontal well. In this paper, the domestic and international research progress of lubricant for water based drilling fluids has been reviewed including the lubricants from alcohol ether, alkyl glycoside, modified vegetable oils, mixed lubricants, extreme-pressure lubricants, and encapsulated lubricants. The advantages and disadvantages of these lubricants are compared and the outlooks for the development of water based drilling lubricants are expected.