Rapid, sensitive, and reliable bacterial pathogens detection is a chief requirement. The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have numerous applications such as in the detection of biomolecules for their high surface to volume ratio and unique optical property facilitating development of highly efficient AuNPs-based bio-sensing tools. Although various molecular detection methods, such as PCR, real-time PCR, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification are sensitive and convenient, these techniques need elaborate work and require special skills to increase their specificity. Smartly fabricated gold nanoparticle (GNPs) play a role as probes for selective detection of pathogens. The AuNPs-based colorimetric methods have become applicable for rapid, simple, reliable and high-efficient, sensitive, inexpensive, and easy detection of the DNA, RNA, and protein biomolecules. Colorimetric detection using AuNPs has been used for rapid and high precision and multiplex detection of a large number and of bacterial pathogens. AuNPs act in functionalized and unfunctionalized ways. AuNPs-based colorimetric methods have incredible advantages compared with many other bacterial detection methods. In spite of many molecular techniques, AuNPs-based colorimetric methods do not require additional devices, fabrication cost, signal processing and interpretation complexities, and costly and complex instruments. This simple and rapid method is suitable, especially in low-income areas and for large number of samples analysis. In this review, applications of AuNPs and AuNPs-based colorimetric methods for bacterial pathogens detection have been overviewed.