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There is no absolutely universal \"most effective\" method of electrochemical protection; optimal protection can only be achieved when the method is suitable for the specific operating conditions. Considering the application scenarios of heat exchangers, the suitability of these two methods is as follows: For conventional conductive media such as seawater, circulating water, and neutral salt solutions, cathodic protection represents the option with the highest overall effectiveness. It is suitable for most heat exchangers made of carbon steel or stainless steel, can be applied to all types of equipment, and when used in combination with anti-corrosion coatings, it enables long-term stable operation. There are numerous practical examples of its use, and the technology behind it is well-developed. For strongly oxidizing corrosive media such as concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated phosphoric acid, the effectiveness of anodic protection is far greater than that of cathodic protection; it enables a dense passivation film to form on the metal surface, reducing the corrosion rate of the equipment to one-thousandth of its original level. For example, when 316L stainless steel heat exchangers are protected using anodic protection, their service life can be extended from 6 months to over 5 years. In practical engineering applications, if the appropriate application scenario is not selected, neither method will provide optimal protection; in fact, it may even accelerate equipment corrosion.