To study the impact of climatic conditions on soil microbial metabolic properties, a transplant experiment of red soil was conducted in the warm temperate and mid-subtropical zone of East China. Soil microbial communities were measured by BIOLOG ECO plate. The results showed that the climatic conditions affected soil pH and nutrient contents, and then affected soil microbial metabolic properties. From warm temperate to mid-subtropical climate, soil pH and total P contents decreased significantly, soil available K contents increased significantly, soil microbial community activity (expressed as AWCD) also increased significantly. Principal component analysis of soil microbial communities showed there was significant difference in the metabolic fingerprints of soil microbial communities in red soil among different climatic conditions. Amino acid, amines and phenolic ethylamine were much more to be utilized by red soil microorganism in middle subtropical climate compared with warm temperate climate. Correlation analysis of soil microbial communities and soil nutrient contents showed that temperature and rainfall, soil pH, total N and available K contents are the influential factors of soil microbial metabolic properties.