The invention provides a ternary precursor with a composite hetero-structure. The molecular formula of the ternary precursor is Ni<1-a-b>CoM(OH)2@Ni<1-x-y>Co<x>M<y>O<z>, wherein 0<a<1, 0<b<1, 0<a+b<1, 0<x<1, ,0<y<1, 0<x+y<1, 1<z<1.5, and M represents Mn or Al. The ternary precursor comprises a ternary oxide precursor and a ternary hydroxide precursor. The ternary hydroxide precursor is coated on the surface of the ternary oxide precursor. The molecular formula of the ternary oxide precursor is Ni<1-x-y>Co<x>M<y>O<z>, and the molecular formula of the ternary hydroxide precursor is Ni<1-a-b>CoM(OH)2. The invention further provides a preparation method of the ternary precursor. According to the preparation method, a spray pyrolysis method and a co-precipitation method are combined, the ternary oxide precursor obtained by spray pyrolysis is taken as the seed crystal, then a layer of ternary hydroxide precursor is coated on the surface of the ternary oxide precursor through theco-precipitation method to obtain the ternary precursor, and the ternary precursor and lithium salts are mixed and sintered to prepare the ternary cathode material. The ternary cathode material has the advantages of good layered structure, high initial efficiency, high specific capacity, and excellent circulating ratio performance.