The present study aims at detecting and comparing basic and integrated science process skills (SPSs) in the primary school textbooks between Iran and South Africa using comparative method. Skills were compared by percentage to ensure a fair, proportion-based analysis. Drawing on the finding, both countries’ textbooks omit the place and time relation skill, which is essential for developing students’ understanding of spatial and temporal scientific concepts. The textbooks emphasize deduction in South Africa (40.4%) and communication in Iran (29.7%) as the dominant basic science skills. These differences align with curricular goals in each country. Furthermore, experimentation emerges as the most frequent integrated science process in both countries. This skill is critical for hands-on learning and scientific inquiry and is consistent with educational strategies that promote active engagement. However, the overall frequency of SPSs in South African textbooks (1877) significantly exceeds that of Iranian textbooks (635). This difference could be due to the greater number of pages in the South African textbooks. Also, it indicates a more thorough integration of these skills into the curriculum and may reflect a broader pedagogical emphasis on student interaction with scientific processes. It is necessary to include the correct and balanced number of all SPSs in Iranian science textbooks.