Article Processing Charges (APC) Explained for Authors

An article processing charge (APC) is a fee some open access journals charge to publish an accepted article, so that it can be free for everyone to read. A fair APC is published on the journal’s website in advance, is charged only after your paper has been accepted through peer review, and comes with waivers or discounts for authors who cannot pay. A fee demanded at submission, or a fee that buys guaranteed acceptance, is a serious red flag.

Why APCs exist

Publishing a journal costs money even when it is online. Traditional journals recover costs by charging readers or libraries through subscriptions. Open access journals make articles free to read, so they need other income. Some are funded by universities, societies or grants and charge authors nothing. Others charge an APC to the author, the author’s institution or a funder.

An APC is therefore a business model, not in itself a sign of good or bad practice. What matters is how the fee is charged and what you get for it.

What an APC should pay for

Not every journal provides every service. Read the journal’s fee page to see exactly what is included.

Fair practice: what a trustworthy journal does

1. Publishes the fee in advance

The full fee, the currency and any taxes should be on the journal’s website before you submit. You should never discover the fee for the first time in an acceptance email.

2. Charges only after acceptance

This is the single most important test. Peer review and the editorial decision must happen first. Payment comes only after acceptance. That way, the fee cannot influence the decision.

3. Separates money from editorial decisions

Editors and reviewers should not know or care whether an author will pay or has received a waiver. Ability to pay must never affect acceptance.

4. Offers waivers and discounts

Fair journals offer full or partial waivers for students, authors without funding, or authors from lower-income settings, and explain how to request one.

5. Explains refunds and withdrawal

The policy should say what happens if you withdraw after acceptance or if the journal cannot publish the paper.

6. Issues proper receipts

Payments should go to an account in the name of the journal or its publisher, with a receipt or invoice, not to a personal account.

Red flags

• Fee at submission, or a “processing” or “review” fee before any decision.
• Guaranteed acceptance on payment.
• Fast track fees that shorten or skip peer review.
• Hidden fees that appear only after acceptance, such as charges for certificates, extra pages or “indexing”.
• Payment deadlines in hours, used to pressure you.
• No published fee page at all.
• Payment to a personal bank account or UPI handle that does not match the publisher’s name.

If you see two or more of these, step back. Our guide on how to identify predatory journals has a full checklist.

Worked example: comparing two offers

Suppose two journals respond to your paper.

Journal A lists its APC on its website. It sends your paper for double-blind review, returns detailed comments after six weeks, accepts the revised version, and then sends an invoice with a note on how to apply for a student waiver.

Journal B emails you the day after you submit to say your paper is “accepted for the upcoming issue” and asks you to pay a fee within 24 hours, with an extra charge for a certificate and “express publication”.

Journal A follows fair practice. Journal B has not reviewed your paper at all, is charging at the point of acceptance with no review, and is pressuring you with deadlines and add-ons. Withdraw from Journal B in writing.

Questions to ask before you submit

1. Is the APC published on the website? How much is it, including taxes?
2. When exactly is it charged?
3. Is there a waiver or discount, and how do I apply?
4. What services does the fee cover?
5. Are there any other charges at any stage?
6. What is the refund policy if I withdraw or the paper is not published?
7. Who receives the payment, and will I get an invoice?

APCs and open access licences

When you pay an APC, check what licence your article will carry and whether you keep copyright. Many open access journals use Creative Commons licences such as CC BY, which allow reuse with attribution. Read our guide on copyright in research papers and CC BY for details.

Paying an APC is not a shortcut

An APC does not make a paper better or a journal more reputable. It is simply a way of funding publication. Choose a journal for its scope, review quality and policies first, and consider the fee second. See how to choose a law journal.

The LJLPS approach to fees

The Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences (LJLPS) charges no publication fee at any stage for Volume 1, Issue 1 (January to February 2027). For later issues, it will charge an article processing charge only after acceptance, as set out on its article processing charges page. Acceptance is never linked to payment.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to pay to publish a research paper?

It is common in some open access journals, but many journals charge nothing. Paying is acceptable only when the fee is transparent and charged after acceptance through genuine peer review.

When should a journal ask for an APC?

Only after your paper has been accepted. A journal asking for payment at submission or before review is not following fair practice.

Can I ask for an APC waiver?

Yes. Many journals offer waivers or discounts for students and unfunded authors. Check the fee page or write to the editor before you submit.

Does paying an APC guarantee publication?

No. In a fair journal, payment comes after an independent acceptance decision. Any journal offering acceptance in exchange for payment should be avoided.