The invention discloses a zinc-based alloy with controllable degradation rate. The zinc-based alloy comprises, by weight percentage, 0.01-10% of zirconium and the balance zinc; or the zinc-based alloycomprises, by weight percentage, 0.01-5% of stannum and the balance zinc. The zinc-based alloy is excellent in mechanical property, adjustable and appropriate in degradation rate and excellent in biocompatibility. The invention further discloses a preparation method of the zinc-based alloy with the controllable degradation rate, and the preparation method is simple and convenient to operate.