As a kind of pressure-driven membranes, the nanofiltration (NF) membrane and process can separate molecules and ions with different molecular weights and valences, which are well applicable in purification, concentration, recovery of resources across various industries. However, in some complex applications, an individual NF membrane often faces the problems of deficient separation efficiency and membrane instability. Researchers have developed NF based hybrid processes, which not only solve the above problems faced by single NF, but also enhance the overall efficiency of hybrid systems involving other separation processes. Currently, there is a notable surge in publications regarding the NF-based hybrid processes, but a systematic review is still lacking. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the key integration approaches and application areas in which NF-based hybrid process have been utilized in recent years. The challenges awaiting the researcher in the field of NF-based hybrid process are also provided. •NF-based hybrid process is effective in eliminating NF application bottlenecks.•Systematic analysis of research related to NF-based hybrid processes are performed.•The integration forms and application of NF-based hybrid processes are introduced.•The aims, challenges, and advantages of NF-based hybrid processes are presented.