Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, is characterised by a persistent synovitis in the joints and systemic inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are widely used to treat RA patients. However, a portion of patients still have inadequate response to traditional medications. Recently, cell-based therapies have become the focus, attracting more attention due to their potential for remission induction. Several immune-regulatory cell types, such as haematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells and regulatory T cells have been defined as novel targets. In this paper, we have summarised and reviewed current clinical trials using cell-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of RA.