Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) cause 11-14% yearly yield losses in worldwide agricultural crops. Establishment of efficient pest management practices is challenged by their diverse parasitic habits, either freely moving and feeding on root tissues or sedentary in feeding sites inside susceptible roots. The cyst nematodes of the genera Heterodera (HET) and Globodera (GLO), are among the most damaging obligate PPNs that parasitize cereals, rice, potatoes and soybean. The adult females body wall dries and hardens into a cyst (cutinization) that protects the embryonated eggs and can persist in the soil for many years until hatching. In the absence of resistant crops, soil fumigation of pesticides provides a good strategy for population control. However, synthetic nematicides can cause negative environmental and public health impacts, and are feared to lead to the development of resistance and immunity. The use of essential oils (EOs) can be a viable environment friendly alternative that has been poorly explored on cyst nematodes but has showed very good results on other PPNs. The present work reviews the existing bibliography on the biological activity of EOs against GLO and HET. One work reported a patented EO formulation claiming successful control of both genera, using EOs from Tagetes erecta, Ocimum basilicum and Cymbopogon martini. Seven works reported on the activity of EOs from 17 plant species against HET and only two against GLO, with EOs from 7 species. The EC₅₀ values reported varied between 0.1 and 4 mg/mL, with the most successful belonging to Kaempferia galanga EO. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate, a phenylpropanoid ester, was the EO volatile with the highest toxicity against HET, showing lower EC₅₀ values than the nematodicide fosthiazate. The study of EOs against cyst nematodes is still preliminary in comparison to other PPNs. Future works must expand this research line and explore greener practices in cyst nematode pest management.