The commercialization of Li-S batteries is hampered by the poor conductivity of sulfur species, shuttle effects, and sluggish reaction kinetics. Due to their high porosity and specific surface area, abundantly exposed active sites, and interactive conductive networks, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) derivatives have been used as efficient sulfur adsorbents and reaction promoters. Herein, this review clarifies the clear correlation between MOFs derivatives and advanced sulfur electrode to precisely guide the functional design of MOFs derivatives for stable and fast sulfur electrodes. First, the reaction mechanism, challenges, and design principles of sulfur electrodes in Li-S batteries are briefly summarized. Meanwhile, the significance of MOFs derivatives in advanced sulfur electrodes is emphasized. Second, the characteristics of MOFs derivatives are highlighted. On this basis, a bridge between problem-feature-function is proposed. Specifically, MOFs derivatives with morphology modulation, structural engineering, various composition regulation, and the corresponding electrochemical performance in Li-S batteries are highlighted, respectively. Finally, a perspective on the future development of MOFs derivatives for stable and fast sulfur electrodes are given. This review is expected to provide enlightening guidance for the design and understanding of MOFs derivatives in Li-S batteries.