Abstract Background Herpes zoster(HZ), a severe complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), is associated with significant morbidity. The effect of herpes zoster vaccine(HZV) for preventing HZ on patients after HSCT is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the efficacy and safety of HZV in HSCT recipients. Methods The databases Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies. Random-effects models were used to calculate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for HZ infection and related events. Results A total of 3048 individuals from five studies (four randomized controlled trials and one retrospective cohort study) were included. The overall incidence of HZ in the HZV group and control group was 6.4% and 18.3% respectively, resulting in a pooled RR of 0.36 (95%CI, 0.29–0.45; P