Photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficiently induces apoptosis through visible-light irradiation of photosensitizers　(PSs) within tumors and microbial cells. Porphyrin analogues serve as widely utilized photosensitizing agents with their theranostic abilities being governed by molecular structures and central metal ions. However, these macrocyclic compounds tend to agglutinate and form stacks in aqueous environments, resulting in a loss of photochemical activity. To overcome this limitation, encapsulation within liposomes and polymer micelles enables the dispersion of porphyrins as monomolecular entities in aqueous solutions, preventing undesirable deactivation. Recently, the use reconstituted hemoproteins containing various metal-porphyrins and protein cages incorporating porphyrins have garnered significant interest as a new generation of biocompatible PSs. In this concept paper, we provide a comprehensive review of recent developments and trends of protein–porphyrin complex PSs for applications in anticancer and antimicrobial PDTs.