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Rethinking the cost of Open Access: A new way to value scientific journals

As open access becomes the dominant model in scholarly publishing, questions about the fairness and transparency of Article Processing Charges (APCs) are more relevant than ever. This study introduces a novel method to evaluate whether APCs align with a journal’s actual value, using visibility metrics like the SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) instead of relying on brand prestige. By analyzing nearly 7,000 journals, the findings reveal significant disparities between what some journals charge and the visibility they provide—raising important considerations for researchers, funders, and policy makers striving for a more equitable and sustainable publishing ecosystem.