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2 years ago in Publication Charges By Adithi

What is the difference between an APC in a fully open access journal and a "hybrid" OA charge?

I'm submitting to a traditional subscription journal that offers an "open access option" for a fee. Is this the same as an APC in a journal like PLOS ONE? Why are hybrid charges often criticized?

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By Vishnu Answered 1 month ago

The key difference is the journal's business model. A full OA journal (e.g., PLOS ONE) uses APCs as its primary revenue source to make all content free. A hybrid journal is a subscription journal that charges an extra, often higher, APC to make one article free, while the rest remains behind a paywall. This is widely criticized as "double-dipping": the publisher collects subscription fees from libraries and APC fees from authors for the same journal, maximizing profit without transitioning to full OA. Many funders (like those in Plan S) now refuse to pay hybrid APCs unless the journal is part of a "transformative agreement" moving toward full OA. For you, hybrid APCs are often more expensive and offer less value. Prefer full OA journals or use the Green OA route (self-archiving) instead of paying a hybrid fee.

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