Open access is meant to make research free to read. For many authors, though, one barrier replaces another: readers pay nothing, but the author is asked to pay a publication fee. Diamond open access removes that second barrier too. In a diamond journal, readers and authors both pay nothing, because someone else covers the cost of publishing.
This guide explains how diamond open access works, how it differs from other models, how to find legitimate titles, and how to submit safely. New to open access? Start with our guide to open access publishing explained.
Diamond open access means the published article is free for anyone to read immediately, and the author is not charged a fee to publish it. There is no paywall and no article processing charge. The journal still carries out editorial work and peer review; only the funding differs.
Think of it as community-supported publishing: funding outside the individual article, from a university, library, society, funder, or a combination of these, pays for the editorial office and platform.
Gold open access also makes the article free to read immediately, but usually by charging the author a fee. Green open access is different: the author deposits a manuscript version, often the accepted version, in a repository, while the published version may stay paywalled for a time. Hybrid publishing sits inside a subscription journal, where individual articles are made open access, usually for a fee.
Diamond is the only model here where free reading and free publishing go together by design, so ask both questions separately: who pays, and who can read? The comparison table later in this guide sets the models side by side.
Diamond journals are funded in several ways, usually stated openly: a university may run one as part of its mission to share research, a library may support one because open publishing serves its readers, and a society may fund one from membership income or grants.
Because the journal does not depend on per-article fees, its income does not rise when it accepts more papers, removing one pressure that can distort editorial decisions. A healthy diamond journal is usually transparent about who funds it; if a journal claims to be free but never explains who pays, investigate that silence.
The most reliable starting point is the Directory of Open Access Journals, known as DOAJ. Search it by subject: its records show whether a journal charges fees. A journal listed as charging no fees is a strong candidate, but only a starting point; always confirm on the journal's own website, as policies can change.
Ask colleagues, supervisors, and librarians which no-fee journals they publish in and read; libraries often maintain subject lists, and societies may publish diamond titles. At Global Academic Publishers, the Global Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences is in its launch phase, and its ISSN and DOI are still in application. Our guide on how to publish a research paper explains how to build a shortlist around scope and audience.
Before submitting, work through the journal's website as an editor would: confirm your paper fits its aims and scope, look for a named editorial board with verifiable affiliations and a peer review policy, and confirm on the charges page, in writing, that no author fee applies to your article type.
Also check its ethics and licensing pages, contact details, and publisher information. A genuine journal has a stable website and a real publisher or institution behind it. If basic information is missing, or claims cannot be checked independently, pause and look elsewhere. Our guide on how to avoid predatory journals walks through these checks in full.
Preparation is the same careful work as for any peer-reviewed journal, because the review standard does not change when the fee disappears. Read the author guidelines twice, before writing and before submitting, noting structure, limits, abstract format, reference style, and figure requirements.
Write for the journal's readers: a specific, searchable title; an abstract stating the question, method, main result, and conclusion; methods detailed enough to judge and repeat; limitations stated honestly; and every citation in the reference list.
Submit only through the route the journal states on its own website, and keep your confirmation and manuscript reference number. Complete every field carefully: article type, author order, funding, conflicts of interest, and ethics statements are far easier to correct at submission than after publication.
Write a short cover letter stating what the paper is about, why it fits this journal, and that it is original and not under consideration elsewhere. After submission, expect screening, peer review, and possibly a revision request; reply point by point, stating what you changed and where.
Many fee-charging journals offer waivers, easily confused with diamond publishing. A waiver removes a fee that would otherwise be charged, usually for a particular author or article, and must be applied for and approved. Diamond open access means no author fee exists in the first place.
Waivers can still be valuable if the best-fitting journal charges a fee; our explainer on APC waivers in open access journals describes how they work. But a waiver is uncertain until granted and may cover only part of a fee, so if free publishing is essential, a diamond journal gives certainty a waiver cannot.
Dutch researchers can now publish free on Open Research Europe, the European Commission platform now hosted by CERN, with a budget of more than €16 million for 2026–2031. In this context, it is a practical no-fee route for eligible researchers: work is made openly available without a publication fee, supported by public funding rather than author charges.
This route is relevant if you are a Dutch researcher, or work in a setting covered by the platform's eligibility rules. Eligibility comes first: a no-fee route that does not cover your situation is not a route for your paper. Do not assume eligibility from a headline; check it on the platform's own site.
The practical steps are straightforward. First, check Open Research Europe's eligibility and article requirements on its own site and confirm your work fits them. Second, prepare your manuscript to its guidelines. Third, submit through Open Research Europe itself, using only the route it states. Finally, follow its review process as instructed, responding through the platform's own workflow.
The word free is also misused, and this is where most caution is needed. Some journals advertise free publication, then charge unexpected fees later or publish without genuine peer review. Others promise unusually fast publication or imitate a respected journal's name and website. A promise of guaranteed acceptance is a red flag in itself: no legitimate journal can promise acceptance before peer review.
Apply the earlier checks with extra care for a free claim. Verify the editorial board, publisher, and peer review policy independently, and be suspicious of unsolicited invitations, fees appearing only after acceptance, and a journal that cannot explain who funds it. A genuine diamond journal welcomes scrutiny; one that avoids it is telling you something important.
Most diamond journals publish under an open licence, commonly CC BY: anyone may read, share, adapt, and reuse your work, including commercially, provided they give appropriate credit to you. Reuse without attribution does not comply with the licence.
Before submitting, read the licence actually offered, because licences differ: some restrict commercial reuse or adaptation. Confirm your co-authors and any funder agree, and keep a copy of the article and its licence statement. If unsure, ask the editorial office before publication, when the answer can still change your choice.
Publication removes the paywall, but readers still need to find your article. Share the publisher's link through your institutional profile, your ORCID record, and professional networks, and make sure the link leads to the published version with its licence statement.
Sharing also helps the diamond model itself: diamond journals depend on visibility and community support rather than fee income, so every citation and honest recommendation strengthens them. See also our journals page and GAP Insights blog.
Free publishing is not a shortcut. It does not promise acceptance: peer review still applies, and papers are still rejected for scope, quality, or ethics. It does not promise speed: review depends on editors and reviewers giving time alongside other work. Nor does it remove the need for careful writing and honest reporting of limitations.
It also does not settle questions about standing on its own: reputation is built through the editorial board, review practice, and quality of what is published. Judge a diamond journal by the same signs as any journal: who edits it, who funds it, and how it reviews. Free is a funding model, not a quality mark.
Run through this checklist on the final version of your manuscript, and ask a colleague to check it independently if you can:
Several mistakes recur when authors search for free publishing, and all are avoidable. First, choosing a journal for its fee alone without checking scope, so the paper is rejected as out of scope. Second, trusting a free claim without verifying it on the charges page and against an independent directory. Third, submitting the same manuscript to two journals at once, which is not permitted.
Fourth, rushing the final check because no fee is at stake, so a manuscript with avoidable errors is returned before review. Fifth, ignoring the licence, then discovering after publication that its terms do not suit a funder or co-author. None needs more research to fix: they need time, a checklist, and a second reader.
| Model | Who pays | Reader access | Reuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond | Institution, library, society, or funder | Free immediately | Open licence, usually CC BY |
| Gold | Author, usually through a fee | Free immediately | Open licence, as stated by the journal |
| Green | No publication fee for deposit | Free through a repository version | Depends on the version and licence |
| Hybrid | Author, for an individual article | Free for that article only | Open licence for that article |
| Subscription | Reader or their institution | Paywalled unless licensed | Restricted unless otherwise permitted |
Submit your manuscript ← Back to GAP Insights
These authoritative external resources explain the directories, networks, and licences mentioned in this guide:
What is diamond open access?
Diamond open access means the article is free for readers to read and free for authors to publish in, because the journal is funded by an institution, library, society, or grant rather than by charges to authors or readers.
Is diamond open access really free for authors?
In a genuine diamond journal, the author does not pay an article processing charge. Always confirm this on the journal's own website before submitting, and check whether any other charges apply.
How is diamond open access different from a fee waiver?
A waiver removes a fee that would otherwise be charged, usually for a particular author or article, while diamond open access means no author fee exists in the first place. A waiver must be applied for and approved; diamond publishing does not depend on an individual waiver decision.
How can I find legitimate diamond open access journals?
Use the Directory of Open Access Journals, check the journal's own website for its funding, editorial board, and peer review policy, and verify any claims against the official source rather than trusting a badge or statement alone.
Does diamond open access mean my paper will be accepted?
No. Diamond journals still use peer review, and acceptance depends on scope, quality, originality, and ethics. No legitimate journal can promise acceptance before review.
Can I share my diamond open access article after publication?
Yes, in most cases. Diamond articles are usually published under an open licence such as CC BY, which allows sharing and reuse with proper credit to the author. Always check the licence stated on your own article.