<p>Increasing population and urbanization have led to a rise in municipal solid waste (MSW) worldwide. Landfilling is the most common method of disposal due to its low cost. However, poor landfill management generates toxic wastewater, called leachate, containing heavy metals and organic compounds. Treatment of this leachate is essential before discharge to prevent potential environmental and health hazards. This article provides a comprehensive comparison of various leachate treatment methods (leachate transfer, biological treatment, physico-chemical methods), including the latest ones. The tables and charts demonstrate the removal results and optimum conditions. It is unequivocally demonstrated that employing hybrid systems can drastically reduce total pollution and costs. Coagulation-flocculation (CF) can prevent fouling in membrane technologies, decrease the required dose in oxidation, and enhance the efficiency of microorganisms in biological treatments. The use of photocatalysts and electro-oxidation (EO) is a novel approach that can create a cost-effective system with higher hydroxyl radical generation, in contrast with simple AOPs. Moreover, the use of natural coagulants or adsorbents has been proven to be more effective and cheaper. Membrane technologies are unequivocally the primary choice to treat complex and young leachate due to their smaller space requirements, fast response, and high removal efficiency with selectivity options. Finally, operational parameters play a crucial role in the efficiency of each method, necessitating the identification of the optimal conditions.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>