Abstract The capability of detecting visible and near infrared light within a narrow wavelength range is in high demand for numerous emerging application areas, including wearable electronics, the Internet of Things, computer vision, artificial vision and biosensing. Organic and perovskite semiconductors possess a set of properties that make them particularly suitable for narrowband photodetection. This has led to rising interest in their use towards such functionality, and has driven remarkable progress in recent years. Through a comparative analysis across an extensive body of literature, this review provides an up-to-date assessment of this rapidly growing research area. The transversal approach adopted here focuses on the identification of: (a) the unifying aspects underlying organic and perovskite narrowband photodetection in the visible and in the near infrared range; and (b) the trends relevant to photoconversion efficiency and spectral width in relation to material, device and processing strategies. A cross-sectional view of organic and perovskite narrowband photodetection is thus delineated, giving fresh insight into the status and prospects of this research area.