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Paste your title, keywords or abstract. We match it against 28,582 journal papers published by PhD researchers on ScholarsColab and show where the closest work appeared, with each journal’s indexing (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI, Scopus, JCR 2024).
How it works: no AI or language model is used. Your words are matched against the titles of real published papers by our mentors; journals are ranked by how many closely matching papers they published. Indexing comes from the SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI, Scopus and JCR 2024 lists, matched by journal name; “not found in our indexing lists” does not prove a journal is unindexed. Always check a journal’s scope and current indexing before submitting.
Open access models at a glance
| Model | How it works | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | The final paper is free to read on the journal’s website | Often the author, through an APC (sometimes the institution or funder) |
| Diamond (platinum) | Free to read and free to publish | A society, university or funder supports the journal |
| Hybrid | A subscription journal lets authors pay to make one article open | The author, for that article |
| Green | The author shares an accepted version in a repository, sometimes after an embargo | No fee; depends on the journal’s sharing policy |
| Subscription | Readers or libraries pay; authors usually pay nothing | Readers and libraries |
Real data: open access mega-journals
In our mentors’ data, 813 papers from 2010–2022 appeared in large open-access journals (such as IEEE Access, Scientific Reports, PLOS ONE and MDPI titles), with a median of 34.0 citations, against 9.0 for other journals.Large open access journals publish many papers across broad scopes, and many are well indexed. Higher median citations here are an association, not a guarantee: open access papers are easier to read and share, but these journals also differ in field and selectivity. For a detailed look at one large open access journal, see our analysis of IEEE Access APC funding on the ScholarsColab blog.
What APCs cost, and how to pay less
- APCs vary widely, from no charge (diamond) to several thousand US dollars; always check the journal’s current price list.
- Waivers and discounts are often available for authors from lower-income countries.
- Institutional agreements (sometimes called transformative or read-and-publish agreements) may cover your APC; ask your library.
- Funders sometimes pay APCs, but may require specific licences.
- Society memberships can bring discounts.
How to choose an open access journal safely
- Check indexing in Web of Science or Scopus, and whether the journal is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
- Read the APC and any extra charges before submitting.
- Check the licence, usually a Creative Commons licence such as CC BY.
- Look at recent issues: quality, topics and authors.
- Be cautious of very fast acceptance promises, a common sign of predatory journals.
Frequently asked questions
What is an APC?
An article processing charge is a fee some open access journals charge, usually after acceptance, to publish a paper and make it free to read.
Are open access journals lower quality?
No. Many leading journals are open access. Quality depends on the journal’s peer review and standards, not on its access model.
What is diamond open access?
Diamond open access journals charge neither readers nor authors; they are funded by societies, universities or other organisations.
Can I publish open access for free?
Yes: through diamond journals, APC waivers, institutional agreements, or by sharing an accepted version in a repository (green open access).
Do open access papers get more citations?
Many studies report an advantage, and our data shows higher median citations in large open access journals, but it varies by field and journal.
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