The size-dependent nonlinear buckling and postbuckling characteristics of circular cylindrical nanoshells subjected to the axial compressive load are investigated with an analytical approach. The surface energy effects are taken into account according to the surface elasticity theory of Gurtin and Murdoch. The developed geometrically nonlinear shell model is based on the classical Donnell shell theory and the von K′arm′an’s hypothesis. With the numerical results, the effect of the surface stress on the nonlinear buckling and postbuckling behaviors of nanoshells made of Si and Al is studied. Moreover, the influence of the surface residual tension and the radius-to-thickness ratio is illustrated.The results indicate that the surface stress has an important effect on prebuckling and postbuckling characteristics of nanoshells with small sizes. The size-dependent nonlinear buckling and postbuckling characteristics of circular cylindrical nanoshells subjected to the axial compressive load are investigated with an analytical approach. The surface energy effects are taken into account according to the surface elasticity theory of Gurtin and Murdoch. model is based on the classical Donnell shell theory and the von K’arm’an’s hypothesis. With the numerical results, the effect of the surface stress on the nonlinear buckling and postbuckling behaviors of nanoshells made of Si and Al is studied. influence of the surface residual tension and the radius-to-thickness ratio is illustrated. the results indicate that the surface stress has an important effect on prebuckling and postbuckling characteristics of nanoshells with small sizes.