A competitive random access method applicable to a terminal, comprising: after sending a first message set of random access to a base station, comprising a first message of the random access and a third message of the random access, waiting for receiving a second message set of the random access sent by the base station, comprising a second message of the random access and a fourth message of the random access; determining whether an overhead of waiting for the second message set reaches a first preset condition; initiating the random access to the base station in a preset manner when the overhead of waiting for the second message set reaches the first preset condition; continuing waiting for the second message set when the overhead of waiting for the second message set does not reach the first preset condition; wherein the preset manner comprises: sending a first message of the random access to the base station; receiving a second message of the random access sent by the base station according to the first message; sending a third message of the random access to the base station according to the second message; and receiving a fourth message of the random access sent by the base station according to the third message; characterized by, the method further comprising: before sending the first message set of the random access to the base station, determining whether a listen before talk, LBT, competition failure for an unlicensed frequency band reaches a second preset condition; initiating the random access to the base station in the preset manner when the LBT competition failure reaches the second preset condition; sending the first message set of the random access to the base station when the LBT competition failure does not reach the second preset condition and an LBT competition succeeds, and waiting for receiving the second message set of the random access sent by the base station. after sending a first message set of random access to a base station, comprising a first message of the random access and a third message of the random access, waiting for receiving a second message set of the random access sent by the base station, comprising a second message of the random access and a fourth message of the random access; determining whether an overhead of waiting for the second message set reaches a first preset condition; initiating the random access to the base station in a preset manner when the overhead of waiting for the second message set reaches the first preset condition; continuing waiting for the second message set when the overhead of waiting for the second message set does not reach the first preset condition; wherein the preset manner comprises: sending a first message of the random access to the base station; receiving a second message of the random access sent by the base station according to the first message; sending a third message of the random access to the base station according to the second message; and receiving a fourth message of the random access sent by the base station according to the third message; characterized by, the method further comprising: before sending the first message set of the random access to the base station, determining whether a listen before talk, LBT, competition failure for an unlicensed frequency band reaches a second preset condition; initiating the random access to the base station in the preset manner when the LBT competition failure reaches the second preset condition; sending the first message set of the random access to the base station when the LBT competition failure does not reach the second preset condition and an LBT competition succeeds, and waiting for receiving the second message set of the random access sent by the base station. before sending the first message set of the random access to the base station, determining whether a listen before talk, LBT, competition failure for an unlicensed frequency band reaches a second preset condition; initiating the random access to the base station in the preset manner when the LBT competition failure reaches the second preset condition; sending the first message set of the random access to the base station when the LBT competition failure does not reach the second preset condition and an LBT competition succeeds, and waiting for receiving the second message set of the random access sent by the base station.