Some studies date the origin of the group to after the breakup of Gondwana, about 78–99 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous.

[3] The following phylogeny of most genera in the family is based on Portik and Papenfuss, 2015:,[4] Chan et al., 2016,[5] Chandramouli et al., 2016,[6] and Kok et al., 2017[3] Melanophryniscus Atelopus Oreophrynella Osornophryne Frostius Amazophrynella Dendrophryniscus Nannophryne Peltophryne Rhaebo Rhinella Anaxyrus Incilius Didynamipus Poyntonophrynus Sclerophrys Nimbaphrynoides Vandijkophrynus undescribed lineage Capensibufo Mertensophryne Wolterstorffina Werneria Nectophryne Barbarophryne Schismaderma Churamiti Nectophrynoides Pedostibes Adenomus Blythophryne Xanthophryne Bufoides Duttaphrynus (paraphyletic) Bufotes Epidalea Strauchbufo Bufo Leptophryne Ghatophryne Sabahphrynus Ansonia Pelophryne Ingerophrynus Phrynoidis Rentapia Ingerophrynus alongside Leptophryne was grouped as basal to the clade containing all other Southeast Asian toad genera and Ghatophryne by Portik and Papenfuss, but was found to group with Phrynoidis and Rentapia by Chan et al. Ghatophryne was grouped with Phrynoidis and Rentapia by Portik and Papenfuss but was found to group with Pelophryne and Ansonia by Chan et al.

True toads are widespread and are native to every continent except Australia and Antarctica, inhabiting a variety of environments, from arid areas to rainforest.

Depending on the species, male or female toads may possess a Bidder's organ, a trait unique to all bufonids except genera Melanophryniscus and Truebella.

The family also contains an incertae sedis species, "Bufo" scorteccii Balletto & Cherchi, 1970.