A surface acoustic wave (SAW) is a sound wave travelling on the surface of an elastic material. SAW offers a robust control of the acoustic energy leading to an unparalleled versatility. As an actuator, SAW can exert acoustic forces on particles and fluids thus enabling dexterous micro/nanoscale manipulations. As a sensor, SAW has a unique sensing capability upon changes in the environment. On-chip SAW technology, in which SAW is integrated with modern lab-on-a-chip (LOC), has drawn a lot of attention in recent years and found various exciting applications in micro/nanosystems. In particular, its well-known biocompatibility provides on-chip SAW technology as an exceptional platform for biomaterials research at the small-scale. In this minireview, we highlighted recent advances of on-chip SAW technology for biomaterials manipulation and characterization with a focus on cell-based (e.g. single-cell and multicellular) biomaterials. We also discussed and shared our perspective on future directions for this emerging research field.