Three types of coatings (Type 1: nc-TiC/a-C where, a-C means amorphous hydrogen-free carbon; Type 2: MoS2(Ti,W); and Type 3: MoO3 with Ag addition) were deposited by magnetron sputtering onto oxygen hardened Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy and model γ-TiAl alloy substrates in order to improve their tribological properties. The paper describes the coatings micro/nanostructure characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy as well as X-ray diffractometry. The Type 1 coatings were composed of titanium carbides nanocrystals embedded in a-C matrix. The MoS2(Ti,W) coatings (Type 2) consisted mainly of MoS2 nanoclusters embedded in an amorphous matrix with some Ti α and W nanocrystals. The as-deposited MoO3-Ag coating (Type 3) consisted of nanocrystalline Ag embedded in an amorphous matrix containing Mo and O. The coating's microstructure was changed after annealing into a mixture of different silver molybdates, such as Ag2MoO4, Ag6Mo10O33 and Ag2Mo2O7. It was established that the applied coatings improved tribological properties of both substrates. Type 1 coatings are suitable for use at a temperature lower than 200 °C, Type 2 ones at a temperature lower than 350 °C, and Type 3 at an elevated temperature 450 °C – 550 °C.