Native and modified starches are important raw materials used in the industry. Gelatinization and rheological properties of starch are primary physicochemical properties to determine its applications. Starch gelatinization refers to a process that starch loses the native order and crystalline structure of the granules and becomes amorphous. Key rheological properties of starch include pasting property, viscosity of starch paste, and rheological features of starch gel. In this review, gelatinization and rheological properties of native starches from different botanical sources are compared and impacts of other ingredients, including sugars, salts, and lipids, on the properties are summarized. The review also covers current understandings of the gelatinization and rheological properties of modified starches with different structures. The information provided will be useful for the applications of starch in the industry as well as fundamental research in this field.