BIO-PROTOCOL: review time and acceptance speed

ISSN 2331-8325 · American Academy of Arts and Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Half of the articles BIO-PROTOCOL accepted in 2025 were accepted within 64 days of submission (n = 375); the middle half took 53–81 days.

Submission → acceptance (2025)
64 days median
middle half 53–81 · n = 375
Acceptance → online
36 days median
middle half 31–40 · n = 375
Change since 2023
Faster than 2023: the median fell from 116 to 64 days (90% CI -58 to -46 days).
Open access · fees
Open access (DOAJ) · $1,200

Accepted articles only · dates deposited by the publisher in PubMed · data as of Sep 15, 2026

Plan submissions to a deadline — free

How long does BIO-PROTOCOL take to accept a paper?

days045901351802020: middle half 76–138 days1022020n=3642021: middle half 70–131 days1002021n=3802022: middle half 28–105 days762022n=2462023: middle half 87–147 days1162023n=3052024: middle half 69–111 days852024n=2582025: middle half 53–81 days642025n=375
Line = median; shaded box = middle half of articles (25th–75th percentile). Year of acceptance.
Days from submission to acceptance, by year of acceptance
YearArticles (n)25th pctMedian75th pct90th pctAccepted <14 daysHave a revised date
20253755364811030.0%100%
202425869851111540.0%100%
2023305871161471870.0%100%
2022246287610513622.8%62%
2021380701001311621.8%96%
2020364761021381770.0%93%

Distribution in 2025

0–29 days: 0% (1 articles)030–59 days: 40% (151 articles)3060–89 days: 43% (162 articles)6090–119 days: 10% (39 articles)90120–149 days: 3% (11 articles)120150–179 days: 1% (5 articles)150180–209 days: 1% (2 articles)180210–239 days: 1% (2 articles)210240–269 days: 1% (2 articles)240270–299 days: 0% (0 articles)270300–329 days: 0% (0 articles)300330–359 days: 0% (0 articles)330360+ days: 0% (0 articles)360+days from submission to acceptance (30-day bins)
Show as a table
DaysArticlesShare
0–2910.3%
30–5915140.3%
60–8916243.2%
90–1193910.4%
120–149112.9%
150–17951.3%
180–20920.5%
210–23920.5%
240–26920.5%
270–29900.0%
300–32900.0%
330–35900.0%
360+00.0%

From acceptance to online publication

After acceptance, half of the 2025 articles appeared online within 36 days (middle half 31–40 days, n = 375).

From submission to online publication, the median was 100 days (middle half 88–119 days, n = 375).

Read these numbers carefully

  • These times describe articles the journal accepted. Rejected manuscripts never appear in public data, so they cannot tell you how long a rejection takes.
  • Dates are the ones the publisher deposited with PubMed. Some publishers record the date a revised manuscript arrived as the submission date, which makes review look faster.
  • Invited articles and special issues can move faster than regular submissions.

Open access status and publishing fees

Open access (listed in DOAJ). Listed APC: $1,200 (DOAJ).

Institutions reported paying a median of about $1,230 per article (2023–2025, 15 reported payments in OpenAPC; converted from euros at yearly ECB average rates).

Many journals waive or reduce fees for authors from eligible countries or institutions with publishing agreements — check with the journal and your library.

Integrity and indexing signals

Facts from public records, shown without judgement. See the methodology for why each can be worth a closer look.

Listed in DOAJYes (DOAJ record)
Articles indexed for MEDLINE in 2025None found (the journal may be in PubMed through PubMed Central instead)
Retractions1 retracted article among 1,921 added to PubMed in 2021–2025 (0.52 per 1,000), per the Retraction Watch Database.
Accepted within 14 days of submission0.0% of 2025 articles
Publication volume399 articles added to PubMed in 2025 (+82% vs 2024).

Topics and scope

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology journalsMolecular Biology journals

Similar journals — faster or cheaper, side by side

Journals publishing on the most similar topics (OpenAlex), ordered by similarity. Only 2025 figures are compared with the 2025 median of BIO-PROTOCOL, 64 days.

Paid APC medianDOAJMEDLINE
Obstetrics & Gynecology Science135 (2025, n = 56)No fee (DOAJ)YesNo
Journal of Medical Ultrasonics76 (2025, n = 81)≈$4,190NoYes
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine86 (2025, n = 86)$500YesYes
Journal of Occupational Health116 (2025, n = 65)$1,250YesYes
Journal of Intensive Care71 (2025, n = 63)$2,665YesNo
Juntendō Igaku/Juntendo igaku30 (2025, n = 63)≈$716YesNo
Journal of Orthopaedic Science139 (2025, n = 150)≈$3,000NoYes

Frequently asked questions

How long does BIO-PROTOCOL take to accept a paper?

Half of the articles BIO-PROTOCOL accepted in 2025 were accepted within 64 days of submission (n = 375); the middle half took 53–81 days. Based on dates in PubMed for accepted articles only.

How long after acceptance are BIO-PROTOCOL articles published online?

Half of the articles accepted in 2025 appeared online within 36 days of acceptance (n = 375).

Does BIO-PROTOCOL charge an article processing charge (APC)?

Listed APC: $1,200 (DOAJ).

Sources and method

Journal identity: ISSN-L 2331-8325; NLM ID 101635102; OpenAlex record. Speed figures use 375 articles accepted in 2025 with valid dates; excluded records for that year: none.

Spotted a problem with this journal's data, or are you the publisher? Report a correction or email rafiq@gradsummit.com. Verified errors are corrected within five business days.

Get the free Journal Submission Go/No-Go Checklist

The pre-submission checks from Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: journal fit, formatting, cover letter and reviewer suggestions. We’ll email you the download link.

One email with your download, then occasional research tips. One-click unsubscribe, anytime. We never sell your data.

Get Write and Publish a Scientific Paper

Data sources. Submission, acceptance and publication dates: Courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (PubMed, entries through Sep 15, 2026). NLM does not endorse Journal Clock, and these figures may not reflect the most current PubMed data. Journal fees and open-access listing: DOAJ (CC0, retrieved Sep 16, 2026). Fees paid by institutions: OpenAPC (Open Database License, retrieved Sep 16, 2026). Retractions: Retraction Watch Database via Crossref (retrieved Sep 16, 2026). Journal identifiers and topics: OpenAlex (CC0). Currency conversion: ECB reference rates (Sep 15, 2026). How these numbers are calculated · For organisations.