The invention discloses a method for preparing a nickel-based alloy by stepwise adding carbon in a melting process, which comprises: adding 66 to 70 percent of the total Ni, 16 to 20 percent of the total C, total Co, total Mo, total Cr and the rest Ni into a crucible in turn, or adding the rest Ni into a feeding tank; adding 16 to 20 percent of total C, the rest C, V-Al, Al, Ti, CrB and Zr into a feeding tank separately, namely, adding 16 to 20 percent of the total C in a refining period, the rest C in an alloying period and V-Al, Al and Ti in turn after the C is melted completely; and performing cold treatment, heating and pouring. In the invention, the technique for adding the C can reduce the gas content of the alloy; and thus, the drawbacks such as looseness caused by high gas content of the alloy in a casting forming process are overcome and the precise control of the alloy elements is realized on the premise that the deoxidation effect of the C is fully played.