ACS Catalysis APC and Open Access: ACS Pricing, Institutional Deals, and Catalysis Journal Alternatives
ACS Catalysis charges $4,500 for CC BY open access. Hybrid model, Read & Publish deals, member discounts, and comparison with catalysis journal alternatives.
Readiness scan
APC budgeted? See what ACS Catalysis reviewers are likely to push back on.
The fee is one decision. Getting through review is the harder one. Run the Free Readiness Scan with ACS Catalysis as your target to see desk-rejection risk, likely reviewer concerns, and journal fit.
Quick answer: ACS Catalysis charges $4,500 for gold open access under CC BY ($4,000 under CC BY-NC-ND), with a $250 discount for ACS Premium Package members.
It's a hybrid journal published by the American Chemical Society, so the subscription track is free. The OA fee is at the high end of chemistry journals, but ACS Read & Publish agreements and membership discounts can reduce or eliminate the cost.
What ACS Catalysis charges
Component | Details |
|---|---|
Gold OA APC, CC BY 4.0 | $4,500 |
Gold OA APC, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | $4,000 |
Open access after a 12-month embargo | $2,500 (CC BY) or $2,000 (CC BY-NC-ND) |
Discounts | $250 for ACS Premium Package members and $250 for authors at institutions subscribing to ACS All Publications (can be combined) |
Subscription-track | $0 |
Color figures | Color reproduction of graphics is provided at no additional cost to the author |
ACS Catalysis launched in 2011 and has grown rapidly to become one of the premier catalysis journals worldwide. Its impact factor sits around 13, placing it well above most catalysis-specific titles and on par with top general chemistry journals. The journal publishes roughly 2,000 articles per year across all forms of catalysis.
The $4,500 CC BY rate for ACS Catalysis is higher than Journal of Catalysis and Green Chemistry in the comparison below. Institutional agreements, the $250 Premium Package discount and the 12-month embargo route (which takes $2,000 off) can reduce what you pay.
If the cost looks workable, the harder question is whether your paper will clear desk review. A ACS Catalysis desk-rejection risk check takes about 2 to 3 minutes before you commit to these fees.
ACS membership discounts
ACS lists two $250 discounts on hybrid-journal APCs:
Membership level | APC discount |
|---|---|
ACS Premium Package member | $250 off listed APC |
Author at an institution subscribing to ACS All Publications | $250 off listed APC (can be combined with the member discount) |
Everyone else | Full listed price ($4,500 CC BY, $4,000 CC BY-NC-ND) |
The member discount is $250 and applies to ACS Premium Package members, so compare the cost of that membership with the saving before joining only for the discount.
The subscription track: publish for free
ACS Catalysis is hybrid. Two paths:
- Subscription track (default): Your article appears on ACS Publications behind the paywall. Readers access it through institutional subscriptions. You pay $0.
- Open access track (optional): Your article is immediately free to read. You pay the APC.
ACS Read & Publish agreements
ACS says more than 2,000 institutions worldwide have an open access agreement with ACS Publications. Examples ACS describes:
Region / Institution | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
United States | Institution-specific | ACS says over 70% of U.S.-based ACS authors are covered by institutional open access agreements |
UK | Read and publish agreement | ACS says over 94% of UK authors can publish open access, in most cases at no cost to them |
Brazil | Five-year agreement | ACS says it gives faculty and students across Brazil centrally funded open access publishing |
France | Select institutions | ACS says researchers at select institutions can choose zero-embargo green open access in hybrid journals at no cost to them |
Other regions | Institution-specific | Use the ACS lookup tool to check your institution |
Coverage is institution-specific, so check whether your own institution has an agreement before you assume the APC is covered.
If your institution has an Elsevier agreement but no ACS agreement, Journal of Catalysis (Elsevier) or Applied Catalysis B (Elsevier) can be cheaper in practice, since their listed APCs are similar or lower.
Check your library's ACS agreement page. ACS provides a lookup tool on its website where you can check if your institution has an active agreement that covers ACS Catalysis.
How ACS Catalysis compares on cost
Journal | APC (USD) | Model | IF (2025) | Publisher | Institutional Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACS Catalysis | $4,500 | Hybrid | ~13 | ACS | ACS institutional agreements |
Journal of Catalysis | $4,150 | Hybrid | ~6 | Elsevier | Elsevier R&P (broad) |
Applied Catalysis B: Environmental | ~$4,200 | Hybrid | ~19.7 | Elsevier | Elsevier R&P (broad) |
Nature Catalysis | ~$11,390 | Hybrid | ~48.3 | Springer Nature | Springer Compact |
Green Chemistry | ~$3,100 | Hybrid | ~10.6 | RSC | RSC Read & Publish |
This comparison reveals the interesting economics of catalysis publishing.
Journal of Catalysis from Elsevier is the oldest catalysis journal (founded 1962) and the most direct competitor. Its APC ($4,150 in Elsevier's price list) is about $350 cheaper than ACS Catalysis ($4,500). More importantly, Elsevier's R&P network is far more extensive. If your institution has an Elsevier deal, JCat OA is free. JCat's IF (~6.5) is lower, but it carries enormous historical prestige in heterogeneous catalysis.
Applied Catalysis B: Environmental is a remarkable value proposition. It charges the same ~$4,200 as Journal of Catalysis but has an IF around 22, almost double ACS Catalysis. If your catalysis work has an environmental angle (photocatalysis for water treatment, catalytic emission control, CO2 conversion), Applied Catalysis B offers higher impact at a lower APC, with better institutional coverage.
Nature Catalysis is the ultra-premium option at ~$11,390 for OA. With IF ~45, it's in a different league. The APC is steep, but Springer Compact agreements cover many institutions. For genuinely top-tier catalysis results, Nature Catalysis delivers unmatched visibility.
Green Chemistry from RSC charges ~$3,100, about $1,400 less than ACS Catalysis. Its IF (~9.2) is close to ACS Catalysis. RSC R&P agreements are strong in the UK and growing elsewhere. For catalysis work with a sustainability angle, Green Chemistry is significantly cheaper.
What ACS Catalysis reviewers expect
ACS Catalysis has carved out a specific identity in the catalysis landscape:
Mechanistic depth. The journal favors papers that go beyond "new catalyst, good performance." Reviewers expect detailed mechanistic studies, whether through kinetics, spectroscopy, DFT calculations, or isotope labeling experiments. Pure screening studies with no mechanistic insight rarely make it through review.
Broad catalysis coverage. Unlike Journal of Catalysis (strongest in heterogeneous catalysis) or ACS Chemical Biology (biocatalysis), ACS Catalysis covers the full spectrum: heterogeneous, homogeneous, bio, electro, and photocatalysis. This breadth is a strength for interdisciplinary work.
High selectivity. With IF ~13 and roughly 2,000 papers per year, the journal is highly selective. Reviewers are experienced catalysis researchers who look for clear advances over existing catalysts.
Letter format. ACS Catalysis publishes both full Articles and shorter Letters, which are restricted to 2000 words or the equivalent. The author guidelines say special efforts are made to expedite the reviewing and the publication of Letters.
Readiness check
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Funder mandate compliance
ACS route | What ACS says it provides | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Institutional agreement | Open access at no personal cost when the submitting corresponding author's institution has an agreement | Covered by the agreement |
Gold open access | Final article free to read immediately; the accepted manuscript or version of record can be posted in any repository; ACS deposits the article in PubMed Central and Europe PMC | APC ($4,500 CC BY or $4,000 CC BY-NC-ND) |
Zero-embargo green open access | Author retains copyright and can post the accepted manuscript right away | Flat $2,500 article development charge |
Green open access after 12 months | Accepted manuscript deposited in an institutional or funder repository no sooner than 12 months after publication | No fee |
ACS offers a choice of CC BY or CC BY-NC-ND, and CC BY-NC-ND is $500 cheaper in hybrid journals. Select CC BY if your funder requires it. ACS notes that it is the author's sole responsibility to understand and abide by their funders' requirements, so check the terms of your grant before choosing a route.
Hidden costs and practical details
- Color figures carry no additional cost to the author: the author guidelines say color reproduction of graphics is provided at no additional cost.
- Supporting Information files for publication are made available free of charge to readers.
- Reprints are available to order.
- Preprint policy. ACS Catalysis accepts posting of the original submitted manuscript to a preprint server, but the preprint must be noted in the cover letter, and revised versions may not be posted while the manuscript is under consideration.
The practical decision
- ACS member at an institution with an ACS R&P deal? Choose OA. It may be fully covered, and the Premium Package discount takes $250 off the APC.
- Institution has Elsevier but not ACS deal? Journal of Catalysis or Applied Catalysis B may be effectively free for OA through Elsevier R&P. Consider these unless ACS Catalysis' higher IF is specifically needed.
- Budget is limited? The subscription track is free. Green Chemistry (RSC, ~$3,100) is a strong, cheaper OA alternative with a similar IF.
- Work is exceptional? Nature Catalysis (IF ~48.3) is worth the effort if your results justify it, and Springer Compact deals may cover the APC.
- Environmental catalysis focus? Applied Catalysis B (IF ~22, ~$4,200, Elsevier R&P) offers higher impact at a lower price.
Before submitting, make sure your mechanistic data, control experiments, and catalytic performance benchmarks meet ACS Catalysis' standards. Incomplete mechanistic stories are the most common reason for rejection. ACS Catalysis submission readiness check to check your manuscript before submission.
For more on impact factors and what they mean for your submission strategy, see our detailed guide.
Should you submit if the APC is covered?
Submit if ACS Catalysis is already a strong journal-fit choice and the APC route solves a real access, funder, or institutional requirement. APC coverage should make a good submission easier to publish, not make a weak-fit submission look better.
Think twice if the only reason to choose ACS Catalysis is that the fee is covered. The common mistake is treating APC coverage as a proxy for editorial fit. Editors still screen the manuscript for scope, evidence strength, and audience value before the payment question matters.
Frequently asked questions
ACS lists the open access article publishing charge for hybrid journals such as ACS Catalysis at $4,500 under CC BY and $4,000 under CC BY-NC-ND. ACS Premium Package members and authors at institutions subscribing to the ACS All Publications package each get a $250 discount, and the two can be combined. There is no charge for publishing in a hybrid journal if an open access option is not chosen.
Often. ACS says more than 2,000 institutions worldwide have an open access agreement with ACS Publications, and where an agreement includes hybrid journals the institution should cover up to 100% of immediate open access charges when the article is accepted. Coverage depends on the institution, so use the ACS lookup tool or check with your library.
ACS Catalysis ($4,500 OA under CC BY, IF ~13, ACS) and Journal of Catalysis ($4,150 OA, IF ~6.5, Elsevier) are the two leading catalysis journals. Journal of Catalysis is cheaper for OA and has broader Elsevier R&P coverage. ACS Catalysis has a higher IF but a more expensive APC.
Yes. ACS Catalysis is hybrid, so the subscription track is completely free. Your article gets the same peer review, DOI, and Web of Science indexing. Open access is optional and only costs money if you choose it.
ACS Catalysis covers heterogeneous catalysis, homogeneous catalysis, biocatalysis, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and computational catalysis. It spans the full range from fundamental mechanistic studies to applied catalyst development.
Sources
- ACS Catalysis - Author Guidelines
- ACS Catalysis - Journal Homepage
- ACS Open Science: OA pricing tables
- Clarivate Journal Citation Reports (2026 release for the 2025 Journal Impact Factor)
Free guide
The list price is rarely the price you pay.
Waivers, funder agreements and institutional deals move it, and the deadline for most of them is submission, after which there is no appeal. Every figure in the guide was read off the publisher or funder page that sets it, on the date shown, and each one is linked at the end.
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Same journal, next question
- ACS Catalysis Submission Guide: Scope, Format & Tips (2026)
- Is ACS Catalysis a Good Journal? What Catalysis Researchers Need to Know
- ACS Catalysis Impact Factor 2026: 13.6, Q1, Rank 22/191
- ACS Catalysis Acceptance Rate: What Authors Can Use
- Major Revision at ACS Catalysis: What It Means, Next Steps
- ACS Catalysis Review Time: What Authors Can Actually Expect