Paper publishing sites have become essential tools for academic researchers seeking to share their work, gain visibility and collaborate with others in their field. With a multitude of platforms available, choosing the right site can be overwhelming. Researchers must consider several key factors, such as whether the platform supports their specific discipline, offers peer review or provides open access options. Cost, visibility and additional features also play a significant role in determining the best platform. This guide explores 50 paper publishing sites, helping researchers navigate the options and select the most suitable platform for their needs.
Academia.edu | AJOL | arXiv | Bentham Open Science | bioRxiv | Cambridge Open Engage | CiteSeerX | CogPrints | Core | DOAJ | EconStor | ERIC | eLife | Elsevier | eScholarship | Europe PMC | F1000Research | Figshare | Frontiers | HAL | Inderscience Publishers | INASP | J-STAGE | LingBuzz | MDPI | MedRxiv | OAPEN | OpenEdition | OSF Preprints | PeerJ | PhilPapers | PLOS | PMC | PubPub | Redalyc | ResearchGate | RePEc | SAGE Open | Scholastica | ScienceDirect | ScienceOpen | Sciendo | SciELO | SSOAR | SSRN | SpringerOpen | Taylor & Francis Online | Vixra | Wiley Online Library | Zenodo
How to choose an academic paper publishing site?
When choosing a platform to upload their research paper or article, researchers should consider the following factors:
Scope and discipline
Ensure the platform aligns with the subject matter and discipline of your research. Some platforms are general (e.g. ResearchGate, Academia.edu), while others are subject-specific (e.g. bioRxiv for biology).
Peer-review
Determine whether the platform offers peer review or is purely a repository. Peer-reviewed platforms like PLOS or eLife can enhance the credibility of the research, while repositories like arXiv are suitable for preprints or early dissemination.
Open access vs subscription
While open access platforms (e.g. DOAJ, Zenodo) make research freely available to all, others may charge for access. Open access increases the visibility and impact of the work.
Cost
Check whether there are article processing charges or submission fees. Some platforms are free (e.g. arXiv, PubMed Central), while others charge fees for open access or publication services (e.g. MDPI, Frontiers).
Indexing and visibility
Consider whether the platform is indexed in major academic databases like PubMed. This can significantly enhance the visibility and citation of your research.
Preprint vs postprint
Decide whether to upload a preprint (before formal peer review) or a postprint (after peer review). Preprint platforms (e.g. bioRxiv) allow for early feedback but may not carry the same weight as postprint publications.
Copyright and licensing
Verify the platform’s copyright and licensing terms. Some platforms allow authors to retain rights (e.g. Creative Commons licenses), while others may require the transfer of copyright.
Target audience and reach
Consider who will have access to your research. Platforms with a global reach (e.g. ResearchGate, SSRN) ensure broader dissemination, while regional platforms may target more specific audiences.
Metrics and citations
Some platforms provide tools to track metrics such as downloads, views and citations (e.g. ResearchGate, ScienceOpen). These metrics can help gauge the impact of the research.
Academia.edu
Academia.edu is a research-sharing platform with over 270 million users. It provides tools for sharing papers, tracking citations and interacting with other researchers. It operates on a freemium model, offering free access to papers but with paid premium features like advanced analytics.
| Cost? | Freemium (free basic access + some paid features) |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
African Journals Online (AJOL)
AJOL is the largest online library of peer-reviewed African-published scholarly journals. This paper publishing site provides open access and subscription-based journals, helping to increase the global visibility of African research.
| Cost? | Free for reading; some publishing fees |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Focus on African research |
arXiv
arXiv is a free distribution service for preprints in fields like physics, mathematics, computer science and more. Researchers can share their work before peer review, receiving early feedback from the community. It is widely used and highly regarded in its fields.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Preprints |
| Format? | No |
| Scope? | Physics, mathematics and computer science |
| Research origin? | Global |
Bentham Open Science
Bentham Open provides a platform for publishing peer-reviewed open access journals in various scientific, technical and medical fields. This paper publishing site supports a broad range of disciplines and offers easy access to scholarly content.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Sciences, technology and medicine |
| Research origin? | Global |
bioRxiv
Similar to arXiv but focused on biology, bioRxiv provides a platform for biologists to share their preprints. This allows researchers to rapidly disseminate their findings and invite feedback prior to formal publication.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints |
| Scope? | Biology |
| Research origin? | Global |
Cambridge Open Engage
Cambridge Open Engage is a collaboration platform where researchers can share early research outputs, such as preprints, conference posters and data sets. It facilitates discussion and feedback before formal peer review.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
CiteSeerX
CiteSeerX is a digital library and search engine for academic papers in computer science and related fields. This paper publishing site offers access to freely available research and provides citation indexing to help researchers discover related work.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Computer science |
| Research origin? | Global |
CogPrints
CogPrints is an open access repository for research in psychology, neuroscience, linguistics and other areas of cognitive science. Researchers can freely submit their papers, making it accessible to a global audience.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Psychology, neuroscience, linguistics and cognitive sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
Core
Core aggregates open access research outputs from repositories and journals worldwide, offering a wide range of academic papers across disciplines. This paper publishing site is particularly useful for discovering research from various institutions and repositories.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
DOAJ indexes high-quality, peer-reviewed open access journals across various disciplines, providing free access to research papers. It hosts over 10 million articles in more than 13,000 journals, supporting researchers looking for a no-cost publishing solution.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
EconStor
EconStor is a digital repository for academic papers in economics and related disciplines. This paper publishing site provides open access to working papers, conference papers and journal articles, supporting global dissemination of economic research.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Economics |
| Research origin? | Global |
Education Resources Information Center (ERIC)
ERIC provides access to a vast collection of education research, including journal articles, research reports, conference papers and other materials. It is maintained by the US Department of Education and offers free access to educational research.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Educational research |
| Research origin? | Global |
eLife
eLife is a non-profit platform that supports open science by offering free publishing tools such as Libero. This paper publishing site focuses on life and biomedical sciences and integrates open source tools to enable reproducibility and open annotation of published papers.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | Biomedical sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
Elsevier
Elsevier is one of the largest academic publishers, offering a wide array of journals in diverse fields. While many of its journals operate on a subscription model, it also provides open access options.
| Cost? | Paid (subscription-based with open access options) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
eScholarship
eScholarship is an open access repository and publishing platform managed by the University of California. This paper publishing site allows researchers to publish their work and offers peer-reviewed journals, conference papers and other scholarly outputs.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | University of California research |
Europe PMC
Europe PMC provides access to life sciences research articles, including preprints and full-text publications. This paper publishing site is part of PubMed Central, offering a comprehensive repository of biomedical and health research.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Biomedical and life sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
F1000Research
F1000Research offers an open access publishing platform where articles are published before peer review, followed by transparent peer review. It covers a wide range of disciplines and prioritises quick dissemination of research.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Figshare
Figshare is a platform for sharing not only papers but also research data, figures and software. This paper publishing site is widely used by academic institutions and journals to promote open data, and researchers can store all their outputs in one place.
| Cost? | Free for uploading; some paid services |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Frontiers
Frontiers is an open access publisher that prioritises rigorous peer review and high visibility for research. It has a range of journals across over 1,500 disciplines and emphasises impact through a high-quality editorial board.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Science, technology and medicine |
| Research origin? | Global |
HAL
HAL is an open access repository where authors can deposit scholarly documents from all academic fields. This paper publishing site is a widely used platform in Europe and promotes accessibility and long-term preservation of scientific work.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | More popular in Europe |
Inderscience Publishers
Inderscience publishes journals across various fields, particularly in science, technology and management. The platform supports both open access and subscription models, offering researchers flexible publishing options.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Science, technology and management |
| Research origin? | Global |
INASP
INASP provides support for journals in developing countries and promotes the publication of research from these regions. Its platform focuses on supporting researchers from the Global South countries.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Focus on the Global South |
J-STAGE
J-STAGE is a platform developed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency that offers access to thousands of Japanese academic journals in various fields, with a strong focus on science, technology and medicine.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Science, technology and medicine |
| Research origin? | Focus on Japanese research |
LingBuzz
LingBuzz is a free platform for researchers in linguistics to upload and share preprints and postprints. This paper publishing site is specifically designed for the linguistics community.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Linguistics |
| Research origin? | Global |
MDPI
MDPI is an open access publisher with a focus on rapid publication and high-quality peer review. It covers a wide range of academic disciplines, including the life sciences, environmental sciences and engineering.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing charges) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Science, technology and medicine |
| Research origin? | Global |
MedRxiv
MedRxiv is a free online archive and distribution service for preprints in the health sciences. This paper publishing site allows researchers to share preliminary findings before formal peer review, accelerating the dissemination of research in clinical and health sciences.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints |
| Scope? | Health sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
Open Access Publishing in European Networks (OAPEN)
OAPEN specialises in open access books and book chapters, with a focus on peer-reviewed academic work. It offers a broad collection across disciplines, particularly in the humanities and social sciences.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Humanities and social sciences |
| Research origin? | European focus |
OpenEdition
OpenEdition is a platform for publishing open access academic journals and books in the social sciences and humanities. This paper publishing site provides researchers with visibility across a wide range of academic disciplines, offering content in multiple languages.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Humanities and social sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
Open Science Framework (OSF) Preprints
OSF Preprints offers an open access repository where researchers can share preprints from all academic disciplines. It allows you to disseminate early versions of your work and receive feedback from the research community before formal peer review.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprint |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
PeerJ
PeerJ is an open access journal that covers research in the life sciences and medicine. It provides affordable publishing options for researchers and emphasises the importance of transparency and open peer review.
| Cost? | Paid (subscription or per-article fee) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Life sciences and medicine |
| Research origin? | Global |
PhilPapers
PhilPapers is a comprehensive directory of online philosophy articles and books. This paper publishing site allows 360,000 registered researchers in philosophy to upload and share their work.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Philosophy |
| Research origin? | Global |
PLOS
PLOS offers a suite of high-impact, peer-reviewed open access journals across multiple disciplines, including biology, medicine and ecology. It is a pioneer in open access publishing, committed to making scientific research accessible to everyone.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Biology, medicine and ecology |
| Research origin? | Global |
PubMed Central (PMC)
PMC is a free archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the US National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine. It provides researchers with access to a wide range of peer-reviewed scientific articles, often used for open access publications in the health sciences.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes (for articles published in indexed journals) |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Biomedical and life sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
PubPub
PubPub is an open access platform for publishing academic content, focusing on collaborative writing and peer review. This paper publishing site is used by research communities and institutions to manage journals, conferences and other scholarly content.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Redalyc
Redalyc is an open access digital library of scientific journals from Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the Caribbean, primarily focused on the humanities, arts and social sciences. It promotes visibility for research from these regions.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Humanities, arts and social sciences |
| Research origin?? | Focus on Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the Caribbean |
ResearchGate
ResearchGate is a popular platform that hosts over 160 million publications and connects 25 million scientists. It allows researchers to upload papers, track citations and build a professional profile. The platform supports collaboration with other researchers and facilitates the exchange of feedback and resources.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Research Papers in Economics (RePEc)
RePEc is a collaborative platform that collects and distributes economic research papers, providing free access to working papers, journal articles and software components. This paper publishing site focuses on improving the dissemination of economics and related fields.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Economics |
| Research origin? | Global |
SAGE Open
SAGE Open is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that publishes original research across the social and behavioural sciences, as well as the humanities. It offers rapid publication and a rigorous peer-review process.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | Social and behavioural sciences and humanities |
| Research origin? | Global |
Scholastica
Scholastica is an open access journal publishing platform designed to streamline manuscript submissions, peer review and article production. This paper publishing site offers integrations with databases like DOAJ and Crossref, making it easy to register DOIs and track the reach of your publications.
| Cost? | Paid (for journal-publishing services) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
ScienceDirect
Managed by Elsevier, ScienceDirect is a leading full-text scientific database, offering subscription-based access to a vast collection of research articles. Many journals offer open access options, allowing researchers to reach a wider audience.
| Cost? | Paid (subscription) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
ScienceOpen
ScienceOpen is an open access platform that offers free publishing of preprints with DOIs, advanced search tools and metrics for tracking citations and readership. It aims to support the open science movement, helping researchers enhance the visibility of their work.
| Cost? | Free for preprints; paid for some publishing services |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Sciendo
Sciendo offers both open access and subscription-based publishing services, with a focus on academic journals, books and conference proceedings across various disciplines. This paper publishing site supports a wide range of research fields and provides high visibility for academic content.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO)
SciELO provides open access to scientific journals from Latin America, Portugal, Spain and South Africa. It promotes the visibility of research and fosters scholarly communication, particularly in the sciences and social sciences.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Focus on Latin America, Portugal, Spain, South Africa |
Social Science Open Access Repository (SSOAR)
SSOAR is an open access repository that collects and provides access to scholarly publications in the social sciences. This paper publishing site supports both preprints and postprints, making it an ideal platform for social science researchers to share their work.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Social sciences |
| Research origin? | Global |
Social Science Research Network (SSRN)
SSRN is a repository that specialises in the early dissemination of research in the social sciences and humanities. It allows researchers to share working papers and preprints for feedback before formal publication.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | Social sciences and hummanities |
| Research origin? | Global |
SpringerOpen
SpringerOpen provides open access journals across multiple disciplines. This paper publishing site supports research in areas like science, technology and medicine, with all articles available for free to readers, ensuring wide visibility for authors.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | Science, technology and medicine |
| Research origin? | Global |
Taylor & Francis Online
Taylor & Francis is a leading publisher of scholarly research, offering both open access and traditional publishing models. It covers a wide range of academic fields and offers a fast-tracked review process for some journals.
| Cost? | Paid (article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprint |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Vixra
Vixra is an alternative preprint repository created to ensure that any research, regardless of the discipline, can be shared without restrictive submission guidelines. This paper publishing site is similar to arXiv but more open to submissions from independent (non-affiliated) and/or amateur scientists.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Wiley Online Library
Wiley offers a vast selection of 1,900+ peer-reviewed journals across disciplines such as science, engineering, humanities and social sciences. They provide both open access and subscription-based options, supporting the broad dissemination of research.
| Cost? | Paid (subscription or article-processing fees) |
| Peer-review? | Yes |
| Format? | Postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
Zenodo
Zenodo is a general-purpose open access repository developed by CERN. It supports the publication of data, software, reports and papers, providing DOIs and facilitating citation. It is ideal for researchers looking to share datasets and research outputs alongside traditional papers.
| Cost? | Free |
| Peer-review? | No |
| Format? | Preprints and postprints |
| Scope? | All disciplines |
| Research origin? | Global |
How professional editing services can help prepare an academic paper for publication?
When preparing an academic paper for publication in a journal or on a paper publishing site, ensuring the highest level of clarity, coherence and correctness is crucial. Professional academic services such as proofreading, copyediting, line editing and developmental editing can greatly enhance the quality of a manuscript, making it more likely to meet the rigorous standards of academic publishers.
Proofreading
Proofreading focuses on correcting surface-level errors such as grammar, spelling, punctuation and formatting inconsistencies. It is the final step before submission and ensures that the paper is free from typographical errors that could distract from its content. Proofreading is essential for maintaining professionalism and ensuring that small mistakes do not undermine the credibility of the research.
Copyediting
Copyediting goes a step beyond proofreading by improving sentence structure, clarity and flow. A copyeditor checks for grammatical accuracy, consistency in terminology, proper citation formatting and adherence to the specific style guide required by the journal or platform (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago). This service is essential for ensuring that the paper reads smoothly and that all technical aspects of the writing meet publication standards.
Line editing
Line editing involves a more detailed review of the language, focusing on the style, tone and precision of the writing. It enhances the overall readability by refining sentence flow, eliminating redundancy and ensuring that the argument is communicated effectively. Line editing helps improve the logical progression of ideas, making the paper more engaging and clear for its intended audience.
Developmental editing
Developmental editing is a broader, more in-depth service that focuses on the overall structure, content and coherence of the paper. It involves assessing the strength of the argument, the organisation of sections, the depth of research and the logical flow of the manuscript. Developmental editing is particularly useful for early drafts or complex research papers that require significant restructuring or refinement to meet publication standards.
Other benefits of using professional editing services
Academic journals and paper publishing sites often have strict submission guidelines and high expectations for clarity, coherence and technical accuracy. Submitting a manuscript that has been professionally edited increases the likelihood of acceptance by:
- Improving clarity: Professional editing helps ensure that the research findings are communicated clearly and effectively, reducing the risk of misinterpretation.
- Enhancing readability: Services like line editing improve the flow and readability of the text, making it easier for reviewers and readers to engage with the content.
- Meeting submission guidelines: Editors ensure that the manuscript follows the required style and formatting guidelines, reducing the chances of rejection due to technicalities.
- Strengthening the argument: Developmental editing helps refine the research argument, ensuring that it is logically sound and well-supported by evidence.
- Minimising errors: Proofreading and copyediting eliminate typographical, grammatical and formatting errors, presenting a polished and professional final product.
Key takeaways
In conclusion, researchers have a variety of paper publishing sites to choose from, depending on their specific needs. Key considerations include whether the paper publishing sites offer open access, peer review or subject-specific repositories. Additionally, the costs, indexing and licensing policies of the paper publishing sites play crucial roles in selecting the best platform. Understanding these factors can help researchers maximise the visibility and impact of their work. Finally, paper publishing sites provide an essential gateway for academics to share, disseminate and collaborate effectively across disciplines and regions.
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