Based on Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products and meteorological data, the applicability of crop water shortage index (CWSI), drought severity index (DSI), normalized vegetation water supply index (NVSWI) and temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI) to characterize the drought condition in North China Plain was compared and analyzed. The spatio-temporal variation characteristics of drought from 2000 to 2018 were studied based on the optimized index. The results showed that:(1) the CWSI was significantly better than the other three drought indexes in reflecting drought. (2) In terms of time, the drought was the most serious in spring from 2000 to 2018, followed by autumn, winter and summer. However, the drought intensity of North China Plain decreased in spring at a rate of -0.03/10a, while the other three seasons showed an increasing trend at a rate of (0.01-0.08)/10a. (3) Spatially, the frequency of light aridity was high in the east and southeast of North China Plain, and the frequency of moderate aridity and above in the west and north was high. The spring aridity in the northwest of Shandong Province, the east of Henan Province and the north of Anhui Province showed a significant weakening trend (P<0.05); In summer, the aridity in the southeast of North China Plain increased significantly (P<0.05), while it decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the north; In autumn, the aridity in the southwest of North China Plain increased greatly; The aridity in the west, middle and south increased significantly in winter (P<0.05).