Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a pluripotent lipid mediator and acts via different G-protein-couple LPA receptors. LPA has significant effects on several cellular biological behaviours, such as cell migration, invasion, proliferation and differentiation, etc. Cell migration is essential for tumor progression, and vital for stem cell to repair injured tissues. Increasing evidences have demonstrated that LPA dramatically affects migration capacity of various cells, particularly cancer cells and stem cells. In this paper, we review the effect of LPA on migration of cancer cells and stem cells, and discuss the underlying mechanisms. A better understanding of this process will shed new light on tissue regeneration and the prevention of tumor progression.