Metal sulfonate frameworks offer unique properties and enormous potential for proton conduction. This review summarizes the recent progress in this topical field, including sulfonic acid coordinated MOFs, sulfate groups encapsulated MOFs and the composite membranes with these MOFs and so on. In-depth disscusses of the relationship of structures and proton conducting properties on such MOFs are presented. Display omitted •Proton conductive metal sulfonate frameworks were reviewed.•MOFs are classified and described according to the type of organic ligands.•Proton conductivity and conducting mechanism were discussed.•The future development trend of such MOFs is prospected. Since the easy-to-design and customization of structures, guest accessibility of cavities, and functional tunability, MOFs have evolved into a burgeoning type of proton conductors. The sulfonic acid groups in MOFs can not only be used as proton sources but also can be involved in the formation of hydrogen bonds within the frameworks, which is extremely conducive to the efficient transfer of protons. In this review, recent advances of proton conductive sulfonate-based MOFs are provided covering sulfonic acid coordinated MOFs, MOFs encapsulated sulfate groups and the composite membrane contained these MOFs and so on. In-depth discussion of the relationship of structures and proton conducting properties on such MOFs is presented. Perspectives on the opportunities and challenges are proposed and highlighted.