IgA nephropathy is a common glomerular disease on a global scale, which has resulted in significant economic burdens. The complement system plays a vital role in enhancing the efficacy of antibodies and phagocytic cells in eliminating microbes and damaged cells, and promoting inflammation. Complement activation has been found to contribute to the progression of various renal diseases, including IgA nephropathy. In this study, a thorough analysis was conducted on publications related to complement in IgAN from 1991 to 2022, retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus database. The analysis focused on various aspects such as annual publications, country, institution, author, journal, keywords, and co-cited references, utilizing Citespace and Vosviewer. A total of 819 publications were obtained, and while there were slight fluctuations in annual publications, an overall upward trend was observed. China, Japan and the United States were the leading countries in terms of publications, with China having the highest number of publications (201). Collaborative network analysis revealed that England, University of Alabama Birmingham, and Robert J Wyatt were the most influential country, institution, and author, respectively, in this field of research. Furthermore, the analysis of references and keywords indicated that complement activation contributes to IgAN, and immunosuppression in IgAN are a hot topic of research. This study identifies current research hotspots and advanced tendencies in the study of complement in IgAN, providing scholars with crucial directions in this research area.