PLOS ONE vs Scientific Reports

PLOS ONE and Scientific Reports are the two largest open-access multidisciplinary journals. Both accept technically sound research regardless of novelty or impact. Both charge APCs. Both have acceptance rates far higher than selective journals. But they are not the same journal, and the choice between them actually matters for visibility, cost, and timeline.

The real difference isn't prestige. It's reach, cost, and the editorial bar. PLOS ONE is older, smaller, more selective. Scientific Reports is newer, much larger, and accepts almost anything methodologically acceptable. For your specific paper, one will be a much smarter choice.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Volume and Visibility: The Hidden Trade-off

PLOS ONE publishes roughly 4,000–5,000 papers per year. Scientific Reports publishes 25,000+. At scale, volume fundamentally changes visibility. When you publish in PLOS ONE, your paper sits among manageable noise. Readers searching for your topic will find you.Scientific Reports operates at 68 papers daily. Individual papers get buried. Citation accumulation is 3–5x lower, not because the work is worse, but because visibility is lower. This matters for career progression. If visibility is the goal, PLOS ONE's smaller footprint is an advantage. If you just need an indexed publication, Scientific Reports' speed wins.

Cost vs Timeline

PLOS ONE costs $1,895. Scientific Reports costs $2,490. That's $595—meaningful for tight budgets. Timeline favors Scientific Reports: 4–6 weeks vs 60–90 days for PLOS ONE. If speed matters and budget allows, Scientific Reports wins.

The Acceptance Rate Paradox

PLOS ONE accepts ~31%. Scientific Reports accepts ~57%. PLOS ONE rejects for: (1) methodology flaws, (2) scope misalignment, (3) ethics concerns. Scientific Reports asks only: is methodology sound? A methodologically perfect but incredibly niche paper might fail PLOS ONE (scope concerns) but clear Scientific Reports easily. For niche, incremental, specialty work: Scientific Reports. For broader-scope, ethics-sensitive work: PLOS ONE.

Citation Patterns

PLOS ONE papers average 8–12 citations after 5 years. Scientific Reports average 3–5. The difference reflects visibility and journal focus. Smaller journal = more discoverable papers. If long-term citation impact matters, PLOS ONE has the advantage.