Transparent pricing

Our transparent pricing ensures that we do not receive both an article processing charge and subscription income for open access (OA) articles. View our individual journal and package subscription prices.

How we set 2024 prices

First we took account of cost inflation based upon the official UK Retail Price Index (RPI) at a mid-point of 13.3% instead of the higher rate of 19.8%. Other economic factors may have to be taken into account future years and we will give details of these as and when they are applicable.

Then we took account of the percentage change in the number of non-OA articles published. We did this by comparing the 2 most recent rolling 3-year periods: 2019-21 and 2020-22 (with 2022 being the last complete year). By using rolling 3-year periods rather than comparing 1 year with the previous, we hope to smooth out any short-term fluctuations. If the percentage of non-OA articles drops the price will be adjusted accordingly. We reduced the safety cap of ±15% to ±10% to protect libraries from the subscription price changing too suddenly in any 1 year.

Any one-off increases to article numbers, for instance to clear a backlog of articles, as well as OA articles, where a fee has been paid, are not counted in these figures. Any articles that have had a full waiver of the APC fee will be counted as non-OA for this calculation. 

Below are final article counts for each subscription title in the periods 2019-21 and 2020-22, and the division of paid OA and non-OA articles in each period. The percentage change in number of non-OA articles is combined with the rate of inflation as measured by UK RPI to give the net decrease or increase in price. For simplicity subsequent prices are rounded down or up to the closest full British Pound, US Dollar or Euro.

 Journal
2019 - 2021 2020-2022 Change in non-OA 2024 Price Adjustment
Biology Letters 601 articles published, of which 115 paid for OA 561 articles published, of which 158 paid for OA -17.08% 13.3%-17.08% = -3.78%
Interface Focus 209 articles published, of which 52 paid for OA 174 articles published, of which 54 paid for OA -23.57% 13.3%-23.57% = -10% cap
Interface  830 articles published, of which 213 paid for OA 798 articles published, of which 243 paid for OA   -10.05% 13.3%-10.05%= 3.25%
Notes and Records 130 articles published, of which 6 paid for OA       

144 articles published, of which 12 paid for OA 

 +6.45%  13.3%+6.45%= 10% cap
Proceedings A 888 articles published, of which 140 paid for OA    894 articles published, of which 201 paid for OA    -7.35%

13.3%-7.35% = 5.95%       

Proceedings B 1812 articles published, of which 544 paid for OA   1776 articles published, of which 679 paid for OA         -13.49% 13.3%-13.49% = -0.19%
Philosophical Transactions A 1023 articles published, of which 201 paid for OA  1027 articles published, of which 257 paid for OA  -6.33% 13.3% -6.33% = 6.97%
Philosophical Transactions B 1245 articles published, of which 330 paid for OA   1228 articles published, of which 428 paid for OA -12.57% 13.3%-12.57% = 0.73%