Open Access (OA) Journal publishing, which has seen significant growth over recent years, is now encountering substantial challenges. Despite the market size expanding from $1.9 billion in 2023 to $2.1 billion in 2024, the actual output of OA publications has slowed across various regions, including China. For the first time since its inception in 2003, the number of articles added to the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) decreased, with 1.117 million articles added in 2023, a 3% decline from 1.147 million articles in 2022.
Additionally, the OA sector is grappling with unprecedented issues concerning the integrity and truthfulness of articles submitted for publication. Simba Information’s July 2024 report, Open Access Journal Publishing 2024-2028, details the latest trends impacting OA journals and publishers, highlighting these critical challenges.
In the summer of 2024, the OA publishing field was rocked by the discovery of thousands of fraudulent open access papers, which led to mass retractions by various publishers. Notably, Wiley retracted numerous papers published by its Hindawi brand, and other major OA publishers, such as Frontiers and MDPI, faced similar issues.
The sector is also emphasizing the use of preprints to address the integrity crisis. Both Europe, through its “cOAlition S” approach to open access, and the US, with a plan to deposit papers in open repositories starting in 2026, are adopting new strategies to tackle this problem.
In addition to addressing growth and integrity issues, Simba’s Open Access Journal Publishing 2024-2028 report provides an in-depth analysis of larger market trends. The report covers:
• An update on transformative agreements
• The range of competing OA pay and revenue models
• The role and impact of public funding agencies
• Market size and share of major publishers across geographies and revenue
• Recent mergers and acquisitions
• Forecasts through 2028
A significant portion of the report also profiles the performance and strategies of leading OA journal publishers.
Despite current challenges, OA remains a mainstream form of publishing, continuing to evolve and adapt to new realities. As the industry implements innovative measures to ensure integrity and transparency, the future of OA publishing promises to be both dynamic and resilient.
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