Display omitted •Proton conductive carboxylate-based MOFs were reviewed.•Aliphatic carboxylate-based and aromatic carboxylate-based MOFs were included.•Proton conductivity and conducting mechanism were discussed.•The future development trend of such MOFs is prospected. As a significant type of crystalline solid proton conducting materials, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been paid great attention and pursued by researchers. In this review, we will mainly summarize the proton conduction explorations of MOFs based on carboxylate ligands (including aliphatic carboxylate-based and aromatic carboxylate-based MOFs) from the aspects of synthetic strategies, stability, proton conductive properties and mechanism, application, etc. Finally, on the basis of summarization of literature and our own research on proton conduction, development prospects and challenges for such conductive materials in the future are highlighted.