A low cost and environment-friendly Cu2ZnSnS4, Cu2CoSnS4 and Cu2NiSnS4 nanocrystals have been used as a catalyst instead of noble metal Pt for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in the presence of triethanolamine and eosin Y as a sacrificial reducing agent and a photosensitizer, respectively under visible light irradiation. Cu2NiSnS4 and Cu2CoSnS4 nanocrystals exhibit a longer photostability and a higher hydrogen evolution rate of 1200 mu molg(-1) h(-1), 900 mu molg(-1) h(-1), respectively, compared to that of Cu2ZnSnS4 by producing hydrogen 670 mu molg(-1) h(-1). (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.