Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to compare the sensing characteristics of uniform fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) by presenting a detailed research review. Temperature, axial strain, bending, vibration and refractive index measurands of FBG and TFBG sensor are presented and some significant differences are found. Design/methodology/approach -Theoretical analysis and practical application in engineering are investigated and compared from other authors' research papers and self analysis. Spectra behavior of both FBG and TFBG are discussed. Findings -There are found to be significant differences in temperature, axial strain, bending, vibration and refractive index sensing characteristics of FBG and TFBG. Originality/value -The paper's analysis is comprehensive and clear and provides readers with the sensing characteristics of FBG and TFBG in detail.