The polysaccharides from fruit body of Auricularia auricula and Tremella fuciformis were extracted using hot water, and partially purified through ethanol precipitation and dialysis. Free radical scavenging activities of the crude and purified polysaccharides were examined and compared each other. Free radical scavenging activities of the partially purified polysaccharides were higher than those of crude polysaccharides. DPPH free radical, ABTS radical and SOD-like activities of partially purified polysaccharide at 1 mg/mL of concentration from A. auricula were 61.7, 9.6 and 38.9%, respectively, while those of T. fuciformis were 9.6, 5.7 and 15.3%, respectively. Results of site and non-site specific hydroxyl radical scavenging activities indicated that the partially purified polysaccharide fractions from A. auricula and T. fuciformis exhibited the hydroxyl radical scavenging effect by hydrogen donating ability and iron ion chelating ability. Also, reducing powers of A. auricula and T. fuciformis were 77.1 and 14.7% of BHT (0.1%) as standard, respectively. It was suggested that antioxidant activities of A. auricula were about 1.4~6.4 times higher than those of T. fuciformis due to different levels of polyphenol content.