Applied Sciences APC and Open Access: MDPI Pricing, Volume, and How It Stacks Up

MDPI runs a distinctive operation. Understanding how it works helps contextualize the APC and what you're paying for.

Volume and speed: Applied Sciences publishes over 30,000 articles per year. That's roughly 3x the output of Scientific Reports and 6x PLOS ONE. First editorial decisions typically arrive within 2-3 weeks, and the full peer review process often wraps up in 4-6 weeks. This speed is a genuine differentiator for researchers who can't afford to wait 6-12 months at traditional journals.

Special Issues: A significant portion of Applied Sciences content appears in Special Issues, which are themed collections organized by Guest Editors. MDPI actively recruits Guest Editors and invites submissions. Some researchers find Special Issues useful for targeted peer review within their niche. Others see them as a potential quality concern. Either way, there's no extra charge for Special Issue submissions.

Scope: Applied Sciences covers essentially everything in applied natural sciences and engineering, from materials science to computer science to civil engineering to food technology. The scope is deliberately broad, similar to Scientific Reports but skewed toward engineering and applied fields.

Peer review: Standard single-blind peer review with at least two reviewers. MDPI also offers an optional open review feature where reviewer reports are published alongside the paper.

MDPI doesn't offer Read & Publish agreements in the way Elsevier, Springer Nature, or Wiley do. Instead, it has its own discount programs.

Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP): Over 500 institutions worldwide participate. Members receive a 10% discount on APCs across all MDPI journals, including Applied Sciences. That brings the effective cost down to about CHF 2,160 (~$2,340).

No national consortia deals. Unlike Elsevier or Wiley, MDPI hasn't signed transformative agreements with national library consortia. This means there's no path to fully covered APCs through institutional deals. The 10% IOAP discount is the ceiling for institutional savings.

Library Recommendation Program: MDPI offers additional discounts when your institution's library formally recommends the journal. This stacks with IOAP in some cases.

Check whether your institution participates in IOAP on MDPI's institutional partnerships page.

Automatic waivers: Full APC waivers for corresponding authors from low-income countries, based on MDPI's internal classification (broadly aligned with Research4Life categories).

Partial discounts: Authors from lower-middle-income countries receive reduced APCs.

Hardship waivers: Available on request. MDPI states that financial limitations shouldn't prevent publication of quality research.

Reviewer/editor discounts: Active MDPI editors and reviewers sometimes receive APC discount vouchers.

Early career researcher discounts: MDPI occasionally runs promotional discount campaigns. These aren't guaranteed and vary by quarter.

Applied Sciences is fully Plan S compliant. All articles are published gold OA with CC BY, so there's no embargo period and no need for green OA workarounds.

• Currency risk: CHF pricing means USD costs shift with exchange rates. The Swiss Franc has historically appreciated against the dollar, which gradually pushes costs up for US-based authors.
• No institutional full-coverage path. Unlike Elsevier or Wiley journals where your institution might fully cover the APC, MDPI's maximum institutional discount is 10%. You'll likely pay out of pocket or from grant funds.
• Special Issue quality variance. While there's no extra charge for Special Issues, the quality of peer review can vary depending on the Guest Editor. Stick to Special Issues organized by researchers you know or whose work you respect.
• Reputation considerations. MDPI's high-volume model attracts criticism in some academic circles. In certain fields (particularly in Europe), MDPI journals are viewed with skepticism. In others (particularly in Asia and engineering), they're mainstream. Know your community's norms.

Applied Sciences is a good fit when:

1. You need fast, indexed, OA publication in applied engineering or natural sciences
2. Your work is technically sound but not high enough impact for field-specific selective journals
3. Speed matters (first decisions in 2-3 weeks)
4. Your budget is limited and you can't afford $4,000+ Elsevier or Wiley APCs
5. Your funder mandates immediate gold OA

Think carefully if:

1. Your community looks down on MDPI (ask your advisor or senior colleagues)
2. IEEE Access could work and is cheaper ($1,850)
3. The specific subfield journal (Sensors, Materials, Energies) is a better scope fit
4. You're applying for jobs or grants where journal prestige matters more than output speed

Applied Sciences fills a specific niche: affordable, fast, broad-scope OA publication for applied research. It won't win prestige contests with Nature or Science, and it doesn't need to. For researchers who need to get solid work published and accessible quickly, it's a reliable, indexed venue with predictable costs.

The biggest risk isn't the money (it's one of the cheaper options). It's the reputational question. Before submitting, ask whether your department and field view MDPI favorably. If the answer is yes, or if it doesn't matter for your career stage, Applied Sciences is a strong practical choice.

Before you submit, make sure your manuscript meets the journal's standards for technical soundness and reproducibility. Run a free readiness scan to catch issues before they reach reviewers.