We fabricated epitaxial (1-x)BiFeO3-xBaTiO3 (x = 0.1-0.7) solid solution films on niobium doped SrTiO3(001) substrate. The x-ray diffraction analysis of the films indicates compressively strained growth for the composition x<0.3 and strain relaxed growth for the composition x≥0.3. Correspondingly, the films showed a structural change from a rhombohedral (or modified monoclinic MA) phase to a tetragonal phase near the composition x∼0.3. Interestingly the ferroelectric measurements showed a distinct difference between the compositions, with the boundary at x∼0.3, above which the films remain in a highly resistive state. The magnetic measurements revealed a weak ferromagnetic signature for the films of composition x≤0.5. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.