Fractional　vegetation　coverage　(FVC)　is　an　important　ecological　parameter　reflecting　the　growth　of　regional　plants.　Existing　FVC　estimation　is　often　based　on　vegetation　indices,　especially　the　Normalized　Difference　Vegetation　Index　(NDVI).　However,　NDVI　can　be　oversaturated　and　easily　affected　by　problems　such　as　‘shadow’　in　images,　which　leads　to　a　decrease　in　the　precision　of　FVC　estimation.　In　this　study,　the　Normalized　Shaded　Vegetation　Index　(NSVI)　was　used　to　comprehensively　compare　the　estimation　ability　of　FVC　with　NDVI,　and　the　differences　in　FVC　estimation　ability　between　NSVI　and　NDVI　were　explored.　Based　on　two　dimensions　of　‘bright’　and　‘shadow’　hierarchies　and　FVC　ranks,　four　evaluation　systems　of　signal-to-noise　ratio　(SNR),　index　range,　statistical　model　and　dimidiate　pixel　model　were　selected　from　Sentinel-2A　MSI,　Landsat-8　OLI　and　Resource-1-02D　(ZY1-02D)　images　and　covered　a　variety　of　topographic　landscapes.　The　results　showed　that:　(1)　the　ability　of　NSVI　to　resist　soil　background　is　slightly　smaller　than　NDVI;　(2)　the　range　of　NSVI　and　NDVI　in　hyperspectral　images　is　slightly　larger　than　multispectral　images,　and　the　ability　of　NSVI　to　detect　vegetation　information　in　medium-high-rank　and　high-rank　FVC　areas　has　obvious　advantages;　(3)　in　the　same　kind　of　regression　model,　the　goodness　of　fit　of　NSVI,　NDVI　and　FVC　was　slightly　higher　in　bright　areas　than　in　shaded　areas,　and　the　goodness　of　fit　of　the　five　regression　models　obtained　from　NSVI　showed　a　significant　advantage　in　bright　areas　compared　with　NDVI,　with　the　best　fit　of　the　cubic　curve　model;　(4)　the　estimation　accuracy　of　the　dimidiate　pixel　model　based　on　NSVI　and　NDVI　is　slightly　higher　in　bright　areas　than　in　shaded　areas,　and　the　estimation　ability　of　NSVI　is　slightly　better　than　that　of　NDVI　in　bright　areas　with　medium-high-rank　and　high-rank　FVC.　NSVI　and　NDVI　have　their　own　advantages　in　SNR,　index　range,　statistical　model　and　dimidiate　pixel　model,　so　it　is　suggested　that　when　remote　sensing　estimation　of　FVC　is　carried　out,　NSVI　should　be　preferred　in　medium-high-rank　and　high-rank　FVC　areas,　and　NDVI　should　be　preferred　in　low-rank　FVC　areas　in　shaded　areas.　©　2023　The　Author(s).　Published　by　Informa　UK　Limited,　trading　as　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.