Open access information for journal authors
Open access is an increasingly popular way to publish academic and scientific research. By 2023, more than 23 million articles were tagged as "open access" in Scopus, according to data from Unpaywall.
Finding the right open access home for your research at Elsevier is easy:
Nearly all of Elsevier's 2,900 journals enable open access publishing
Our portfolio of over 800 gold open access journals opens in new tab/window is continually growing
Over a quarter of the more than 630,000 research articles we published in 2023 were open access
We’re committed to make every OA publishing experience with us as fast, efficient and positive as possible, and ensure we present you with the lowest possible article publishing charge (APC) to publish an OA article in your chosen journal.
When you publish open access with us you benefit from the world-class expertise of our editors and reviewers, state-of-the-art innovations that measure your impact and make your work more visible (and your life easier), and exposure on the world’s biggest publishing platform, ScienceDirect. Your work is also included in relevant indexes and databases, and we ensure that it always remains discoverable and accessible, no matter how much time passes.
High visibility
Reach the audience your research deserves
Publishing gold open access with Elsevier means that millions of researchers globally will be able to find and read your work, completely free.
Not only will your article have exposure on the world’s biggest publishing platform, ScienceDirect opens in new tab/window – which has 20 million monthly unique visitors – but it will also be indexed and shared as widely as possible.
Our gold OA journals feature in databases like Scopus, DOAJ, Web of Science and PubMed Central.
Proven trust
Over 140 years of experience curating and verifying scientific knowledge
Benefit from our long experience serving the academic community and become part of a growing group of researchers who are sharing their work using our open access options.
There are Elsevier journals in every tier of impact, and you receive a high-quality publication and expert support, whichever journal you choose to publish in.
Top quality
Rigorous standards and quality journals across the board
While offering competitive article publishing charges (APCs), our expert editors and reviewers ensure that all our open access publications maintain the highest standards of quality through a rigorous peer review process.
With the assurance that you are publishing the best work possible, choosing Elsevier gives you a better share of the impact. Elsevier’s articles account for over 17 percent of global research output and attracted higher share of citations, at approximately 28 percent.
Powerful innovation
Access to state-of-the-art innovations that measure your impact and make your life easier
Using the latest innovations in impact and visibility tracking enables you to gather key insights on your article’s impact.
Our Online Author Communication System guarantees a seamless publishing experience with the assurance that you’ll be shown the lowest possible APC for your article, including any discounts for which you might be eligible.
With Elsevier’s PlumX metrics opens in new tab/window, you can track who’s talking about your article in the news or on social media, as well as who is citing and downloading your work.
Our patented Fingerprint Engine mines the text of scientific documents to make them more discoverable, and personalized options also include a fast-track to publishing through Elsevier’s state-of-the-art communications system.
Wide choice
Select the publishing model that’s right for you
You’ll be offered the lowest possible price to publish your article OA in your chosen journal
If your funder or institution requires you to publish gold open access, you’ll find what you need with Elsevier. With many institutional and funding body arrangements worldwide, we have the options you need to comply, and the support to make it easy.
We automatically apply APC waivers or discounts to those articles in gold open access journals for which all authors are based in a country eligible for the Research4Life program opens in new tab/window. In addition, we will consider individual waiver requests on a case-by-case basis. Through Research4Life , more than 11,000 institutions in over 125 low-and middle-income countries receive affordable access to more than 200,000 peer-reviewed resources.
Gold open access
Nearly all of Elsevier’s over 2,900 journals enable open access publishing, with more than 800 gold open access journals, the largest portfolio of open access titles. In the gold open access model, you pay an article publishing charge (APC), making your article immediately, permanently, and freely available for anyone to access, read, and build upon. In many cases, your institution or research funder will pay the APC on your behalf.
Browse our list of gold open access journals opens in new tab/window
Green open access
If you choose to publish a subscription article, we can still help you meet your open access funding requirements. All of our subscription journals offer a green open access option, meaning you can post a version of your article in a repository after an embargo, so people can access it freely. See our sharing policy for more information.
