What publishers actually charge
A charge belongs to a journal, not to a publisher. Inside one portfolio the spread runs from USD 150 to nearly USD 10,000, so a publisher average tells an author almost nothing. Below are figures read from primary sources, each dated.
Prices checked 6 August 2026
Individual journals
| Journal | Model | List charge |
|---|---|---|
| NatureSpringer Nature · The highest list APC of any general journal. | hybrid | USD 12,850 · GBP 9,390 · EUR 10,850 |
| Nature MedicineSpringer Nature · Same list price as Nature. | hybrid | USD 12,850 |
| The LancetElsevier | hybrid | USD 9,550 |
| CancerWiley | hybrid | USD 4,840 |
| BMC MedicineSpringer Nature · Two different figures appear across Springer Nature's own pages for this journal: USD 4,190 on the BMC journal page and USD 4,490 on the Springer Nature listing. In the country-tiered pricing pilot. | gold | USD 4,190 · GBP 2,990 · EUR 3,390 |
| BMC Public HealthSpringer Nature · In the country-tiered pricing pilot. | gold | USD 3,450 · GBP 2,690 · EUR 3,150 |
| BMJ OpenBMJ · Stated exclusive of VAT for UK and EU authors and GST for Australian and Indian authors. | gold | GBP 2,390 |
| BMC Digital HealthSpringer Nature · In the country-tiered pricing pilot. | gold | USD 2,090 · GBP 1,390 · EUR 1,690 |
These are list prices before tax and before any waiver, discount, institutional agreement or country-tiered adjustment.
Ranges a publisher states for its own portfolio
| Publisher | Stated range |
|---|---|
| ElsevierElsevier states this range on its pricing policy page. A separate Elsevier support page gives the range as USD 500 to 5,000 — the publisher's own two pages do not agree, which is itself worth knowing before budgeting. | USD 150 – 9,900 |
A complete APC price list for all Elsevier journals is published as an Excel file, last collated 26 July 2026.
Conference charges
| Body | List, member / non-member | 2026 subsidised |
|---|---|---|
| ACM sponsored conferencesACM is running a temporary subsidy for 2026 conference articles not covered by an ACM Open institutional agreement. Geographic discounts apply on top of the subsidised rate, not the list rate. | USD 700 / 1,000 | USD 250 / 350 |
Six things that make a quoted price misleading
A publisher does not have a price
Charges are set per journal, not per publisher. Elsevier's own range spans USD 150 to 9,900 — a sixty-six-fold difference inside one portfolio. Quoting a publisher average tells an author almost nothing about the journal they are actually considering.
Hybrid usually costs more than fully open access
The pattern is consistent across the figures here: the most expensive charges sit on hybrid titles in high-prestige portfolios, while fully open access journals cluster lower. Paying more does not buy open access sooner; it buys it in a more selective venue.
Tax is usually excluded
Quoted charges are normally before VAT or GST. BMJ Open states its charge exclusive of VAT for UK and EU authors and GST for Australian and Indian authors. The final invoice can be materially higher than the advertised figure.
Publishers contradict themselves
Elsevier's pricing policy page gives a range of USD 150 to 9,900; its author support page gives USD 500 to 5,000. Springer Nature lists two different figures for BMC Medicine across its own sites. Where that happens we record both rather than choosing one.
Country-tiered pricing changes the list price itself
On journals inside Springer Nature's pilot, the price you see is already adjusted to your location and the waiver scheme does not apply on top. Elsevier runs a similar pilot across 143 fully open access journals. The advertised figure is therefore not always the figure you would pay.
Currency is not converted at market rate
Publishers set separate figures in USD, GBP and EUR rather than converting one into the others. The cheapest currency to be billed in is not always the one nearest your own.
Before you budget
Sources
Charges change without notice and vary by journal. Always confirm on the journal's own page before submitting. If a figure here is out of date, tell us.