Many of you often ask: How long does it take to publish in Scopus journals?A particularly common myth — that an article in the Q1 journal will be published quickly. Some companies that publish scientific articles offer fast and inexpensive publication in Scopus Q1 — but it’s not that simple. In this article, we’ll talk about such journals so that you don’t waste money, time, and nerves in the future.
In fact, everything is much more complicated: Each quartile has its own characteristics, deadlines, requirements, and pitfalls.
Today we will tell you about the real publication deadlines in Scopus journals — from Q1 to Q4. Without embellishments, myths, and illusions.
Q1–Q2 magazines
Q1—Q2 magazines is the highest level of journals in Scopus.
Publishing in such publications is prestigious, but also comes with serious challenges. Below are the four main categories of Q1 journals and the realistic publication deadlines:
Elite journals (Springer, Wiley, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, SAGE):
- These are leading world-class scientific publications;
- Average publication time: 200–300 days;
- Requirements: maximum novelty, deep methodology, high scientific level;
- Publication fee (APC): from $3000.
Double or even triple blind review, with multiple rounds of edits, is often used.
Not suitable for 95% authors — only for the scientific elite with advanced research.
Mid-tier Q1 commercial journals (MDPI, Frontiers, Emerald, De Gruyter):
- Publication can be obtained faster — in 3–10 months;
- The requirements are high, but more flexible than those of elite publishers;
- Ideal for 20% authors who:
– have a high-quality article;
– are willing to pay a high APC;
– want to shorten the waiting period.
- Publication fee: from $2000.
University Journals Q1 (free):
- These are usually old academic publications with a history of over 20–30 years;
- Advantage: complete absence of publication fee;
- Disadvantages:
– very long terms — from 12 to 24 months;
– subjective selection system — often published “by acquaintance”;
– a large workload on the editorial staff due to the number of applications.
- Suitable for approximately 50% authors — mostly those who are willing to wait years to save.
"Sharagy"
"Sharagy" are completely commercial journals with a low entry threshold but a high quartile. Often created solely for profit or purchased by private companies. Thanks to artificial citations and a small number of articles, they quickly achieve a high quartile.
Advantages:
- Low standards—they may accept articles without review;
- Very fast publication — sometimes in less than 10 days.
Disadvantages:
- There is a high risk that the article will not be indexed;
- Potential loss of reputation within the scientific community;
- Even if the article is indexed, the risk of deindexation is very high.
Publication contribution: 1000–2000$.
Conclusion: Very risky option. Suitable only for those who "play at your own risk."
Q3–Q4 magazines
Q3–Q4 journals in Scopus: faster, cheaper, but with nuances.
Just like Q1–Q2, lower quartile magazines can be roughly divided into three categories, each with its own advantages, risks, and target audience.
Mid-level commercial magazines
- They work on a paid basis;
- Average publication time: 4–8 months;
- Requirements: moderate; suitable for most authors who are familiar with academic writing;
- Target audience: 30–40% authors who are capable of writing a mid-level article and are willing to pay a mid-range publication fee;
- Publication fee: 600–12,001 TP4T;
- Balance: A solid option for those who want to get published without strict requirements.
Free university journals
- They are published by universities and do not charge an APC;
- Advantages: free publication; accepts articles of average quality;
- Disadvantages:
– Reviewers often lack motivation and work slowly;
– waiting time for a review: 4–8 months or longer;
– sometimes, a biased evaluation or a complete lack of feedback;
– there are cases when an article simply “gets lost”.
- Target audience: up to 70% authors—those who are willing to wait in order to save money.
Conclusion: If you are not in a hurry and want to be published for free, this option is worth considering, but requires patience.
"Sharagy"
"Sharagy" — fully commercial magazines with a low threshold for entry. Often created solely for profit or purchased by private companies.
Advantages:
- Low standards—they may accept articles without review;
- Very fast publication — sometimes in less than 10 days.
Disadvantages:
- There is a high risk that the article will not be indexed;
- Potential loss of reputation within the scientific community;
- Even if the article is indexed, there is a real risk of deindexation.
Publication contribution: 400–800$
Conclusion: risky option. Suitable only for those who "play at your own risk."
Conclusions:
What do you need to know about publication deadlines in Scopus journals (Q1–Q4)?
1. The higher the quartile, the longer, more expensive, and more complicated it is.
Publication in Q1–Q2 can take from 6 to 24 months. This is a complex process with high requirements for the scientific level, methodology, and novelty of the research.
2. Q3–Q4 is a more affordable option, but also has its own nuances.
Submitting an article is easier, publication fees are lower, but there are risks of slow review, loss of the article, or subjective selection.
3. Free magazines = long wait.
Such magazines are not a "freebie," but a long game. Free means low motivation among editors and overloaded with applications.
4. "Sharagy" - fast, cheap, but dangerous.
This is almost always a risk. Indexing may not happen, or the journal may be deindexed — and you will lose money, time, and reputation.
5. There is no perfect universal solution.
It all depends on your goal: fast, high-quality, prestigious, or inexpensive—you always have to choose one or find a balance.
