What is the Front. Microbiol. JIF?

The JIF is 4.5 (2024 JCR). See the full year-by-year trend and category ranking in our Frontiers in Microbiology JIF analysis.

What is the acceptance rate of Frontiers in Microbiology?

Manusights currently treats ~40-50% as an estimate for Frontiers in Microbiology, not an official journal-published rate. One common reason papers fail is microorganism characterization without functional significance or application.

How long does Front. Microbiol. take to review?

Frontiers in Microbiology typically takes ~90-120 days median, but timing varies by editor, field, and reviewer availability. Expect an editorial screen first, then manuscript preparation, then peer review.

How much does it cost to publish in Frontiers in Microbiology?

Frontiers in Microbiology applies a publication fee, and the current page-level figure we track is ~$1,500-2,000. Reconfirm the official pricing page before budgeting because publisher fees can change.

Is Frontiers in Microbiology peer reviewed?

Yes, Frontiers in Microbiology is fully peer reviewed. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by 2-3 microbiology experts assess novelty, characterization rigor, mechanistic plausibility, and significance. First decision 90-120 days..

All Journal Guides

Journal Guide

Publishing in Frontiers in Microbiology: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide

Q: Is Frontiers in Microbiology a good journal?

Frontiers in Microbiology is a strong target if present microorganism or finding advancing understanding. It is a weaker fit if characterizing microorganism genetics or metabolism alone insufficient.

Microorganisms advancing health, industry, and environmental science

Should you submit here?

Submit if present microorganism or finding advancing understanding. Be careful if characterizing microorganism genetics or metabolism alone insufficient.

IF 4.5 · ~40-50% accepted · ~90-120 days median

Best fit if

Present microorganism or finding advancing understanding

Not ideal if

Characterizing microorganism genetics or metabolism alone insufficient

Also compare

RNA

4.5

Impact Factor (2024)

~40-50%

Acceptance Rate

~90-120 days median

Time to First Decision

Submission guide

Frontiers in Microbiology Submission Guide: Steps, Timeline & What Editors Want

Practical Frontiers in Microbiology submission guide: what the journal screens for, where papers fail, and how to prepare a stronger mechanistic.

Journal assessment

Is Frontiers in Microbiology a Good Journal? OA Visibility vs Selectivity

Frontiers in Microbiology is a broad OA microbiology journal with IF 4.5. Here's when it fits, the Frontiers perception issue, and how it compares to mBio, AEM, and ISME Journal.

Desk rejection

How to Avoid Desk Rejection at Frontiers in Microbiology

How to avoid desk rejection at Frontiers in Microbiology: microbial function, biological consequence, and real-world validation.

What Front. Microbiol. Publishes

Frontiers in Microbiology published by Frontiers is an open-access journal covering all aspects of microbiology. With JIF 4.5 and broad Q2 coverage, FiM emphasizes microbial diversity, function, and applications. The journal publishes research on bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and parasites with relevance to health, industry, or environment. Critically: FiM values research with clear biological or applied relevance. Pure microbial characterization without functional insight is less competitive. The journal seeks papers showing how microorganisms affect health or enable applications.

Bacterial physiology and genetics: growth, metabolism, gene expression
Microbial pathogenesis: virulence, host-pathogen interaction, infection
Antibiotic resistance: mechanisms, epidemiology, solutions
Environmental microbiology: biogeochemical cycling, ecosystem function
Industrial microbiology: fermentation, biomanufacturing, biotechnology
Probiotics and microbiota: gut health, microbiota composition and function
Virology: viral structure, replication, immune evasion, vaccination
Fungal biology: pathogenesis, antifungal resistance, biotechnology

Editor Insight

“Frontiers in Microbiology publishes microbiology advancing health and applications. We seek novel microorganisms or mechanisms with clear biological significance. The best papers combine molecular characterization with functional validation and practical relevance.”

What Front. Microbiol. Editors Look For

Novel microorganism or mechanism with clear biological or applied significance

Present microorganism or finding advancing understanding. New pathogen mechanism? Novel probiotic with health benefit? Antibiotic resistance solution? Show clear relevance to health or applications.

Complete microorganism characterization combining molecular and functional methods

Integrate genomic/genetic analysis with phenotypic characterization and functional validation. Molecular data plus functional experiments more impactful than either alone.

Mechanistic understanding of microorganism-host or microorganism-environment interaction

Explain how microorganism affects host or environment. What mechanisms drive pathogenesis, probiotic benefit, or environmental function? Mechanism stronger than observation alone.

In vivo or environmental validation, not just in vitro culture

Test microorganisms in relevant contexts: animal models for pathogens/probiotics, environmental samples for ecosystem microbes. Real context proves practical significance.

Application potential or translational pathway clearly articulated

Connect microbiology findings to practical applications: new antibiotics, probiotic therapies, environmental remediation, industrial production. Application focus increases impact.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Front. Microbiol.'s editorial review:

Microorganism characterization without functional significance or application

Characterizing microorganism genetics or metabolism alone insufficient. FiM expects biological or applied relevance. How does microorganism matter for health, environment, or industry?

In vitro culture experiments without in vivo or environmental validation

Lab culture results often don't translate to real contexts. In vivo or environmental validation proves practical relevance. Real-world testing essential.

Genome sequencing without functional analysis or phenotypic characterization

Genomic data requires functional interpretation. Show how genes affect phenotype and function. Genomics plus phenotypics more valuable than either alone.

Pathogenesis or probiotic claims without rigorous mechanistic evidence

Mechanistic claims require experimental support. Show molecular mechanisms with genetic or biochemical evidence. Proposed mechanisms must be tested.

Antibiotic resistance documentation without understanding mechanisms or solutions

Resistance discovery is common. Mechanistic understanding or novel therapeutic approach required for competitive papers. Pure documentation has limited impact.

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against Front. Microbiol.'s criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

Run Free Readiness Scan →

Insider Tips from Front. Microbiol. Authors

Antibiotic resistance and novel antimicrobial strategies highly competitive

Research on resistance mechanisms, resistance solutions, or novel antimicrobial approaches addresses urgent clinical need.

Gut microbiota and health increasingly prominent

Research on microbiota composition/function affecting health (obesity, metabolism, immunity, mental health) increasingly competitive.

Quorum sensing and bacterial communication valued

Understanding bacterial communication and biofilm formation mechanisms has applications for both infection and biotechnology.

CRISPR and genetic engineering in microorganisms trending

Papers using CRISPR or other genetic tools for functional studies or strain improvement increasingly competitive.

Environmental and climate-related microbiology gaining attention

Microbial roles in nutrient cycling, carbon cycling, or environmental remediation increasingly valued.

The Front. Microbiol. Submission Process

Manuscript preparation

Prep

5,000-8,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include microorganism source/isolation, characterization (genetic, phenotypic, functional), mechanism studies, in vivo/environmental validation, and application discussion. Supporting: additional characterization data, methods detail, supplementary analysis.

Submission via Frontiers system

Day 0

Submit at https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/. Required: manuscript emphasizing microorganism novelty and significance, figures showing characterization and mechanism, cover letter highlighting biological/applied impact.

Editorial assessment

1-2 weeks

Editor assesses microorganism novelty and biological significance. Papers lacking clear significance or functional validation face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection ~20-30%.

Peer review

90-120 days

2-3 microbiology experts assess novelty, characterization rigor, mechanistic plausibility, and significance. First decision 90-120 days.

Revision and publication

Revision: 4-8 weeks

Revisions often request additional functional or mechanistic data. Publication 2-4 weeks after acceptance.

Front. Microbiol. by the Numbers

2024 Impact Factor	4.0
5-Year Impact Factor	4.2
Acceptance rate	~40-50%
Desk rejection rate	~20-30%
Median first decision	~105 days
Open access APC	~$1,500-2,000
Publisher	Frontiers
Founded	2010

Before you submit

Front. Microbiol. accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

Start with the Free Readiness Scan. Unlock the Full AI Diagnostic for $29. If you need deeper scientific feedback, choose Expert Review. The full report is calibrated to Front. Microbiol..

Run Free Readiness Scan See a sample report

Article Types

Research Article

5,000-8,000 words

Microbiology research with characterization and mechanism

Review

7,000-12,000 words

Microbiology topic review

Mini Review

3,000-4,000 words

Focused microbiology topic review

Landmark Front. Microbiol. Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

Antibiotic resistance mechanisms (various) - clinical relevance
Gut microbiota composition studies (2000s+) - health implications
CRISPR applications in bacteria (2010s+) - genetic engineering
Quorum sensing discovery (1980s+) - bacterial communication
Probiotic mechanisms (1990s+) - health benefits of specific strains

Preparing a Front. Microbiol. Submission?

Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Front. Microbiol. and know exactly what editors look for.

Run Free Readiness Scan

Need expert depth? See Expert Review Options

NDA-protected

Confidential

Primary Fields

Bacterial PathogenesisAntibiotic ResistanceGut MicrobiotaEnvironmental MicrobiologyViral BiologyProbiotics

More Guides for This Journal

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Manuscript Rejected?

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Reviewer Response Help

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Reference library

Compare Front. Microbiol. with the broader publishing context

This journal guide is the best starting point for Front. Microbiol.. The reference library covers the surrounding questions authors usually ask next: whether the package is ready, what drives desk rejection, how neighboring journals compare, and what the submission constraints look like across the field.

Open the reference library →

Checklist system / operational asset

Elite Submission Checklist

A flagship pre-submission checklist that turns journal-fit, desk-reject, and package-quality lessons into one operational final-pass audit.

Flagship report / decision support

Desk Rejection Report

A canonical desk-rejection report that organizes the most common editorial failure modes, what they look like, and how to prevent them.

Dataset / reference hub

Journal Intelligence Dataset

A canonical journal dataset that combines selectivity posture, review timing, submission requirements, and Manusights fit signals in one citeable reference asset.

Dataset / reference guide

Peer Review Timelines by Journal

Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.