[Objective]The Yellow River basin was regarded as an important "energy basin" in China. It was great significance to analyze spatio-temporal difference, sources of difference, evolution characteristics of green transformation efficiency in resource-based cities contribute to promote high-quality development in the entire basin. [Methods]Based on statistical data from 37 resource-based cities from 2013 to 2022, Super-efficiency SBM model was selected to evaluate the level of green transformation efficiency, and Dagum Gini coefficient were used to analyze the sources of difference. its evolution characteristics of green transformation efficiency was revealed by the kernel density estimation method. [Results](1) green transformation efficiency level has been increasing in resource-based cities year by year, which has the characteristic of "slight increase - rapid increase"; (2) spatial heterogeneity of green transformation efficiency among different regions is significant, green transformation efficiency level in resource-based cities of the downstream region was higher than that in the upper and middle reaches, and regional differences were the main source; (3) differences of green transformation efficiency were gradually narrowing among resource-based cities in different regions, and that in the downstream is smaller than that in the upper and middle reaches. [Conclusion]Regional cooperation should be strengthen among resource-based cities, radiation effect of cities with high levels should be strengthen, and differentiated plans from a holistic perspective need to be developed in order to achieve coordinated promotion between green transformation of resource-based cities and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.