Nature Microbiology: review time and acceptance speed
ISSN 2058-5276 · Nature Portfolio · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Half of the articles Nature Microbiology accepted in 2025 were accepted within 279 days of submission (n = 223); the middle half took 205–386 days.
Accepted articles only · dates deposited by the publisher in PubMed · data as of Sep 15, 2026
How long does Nature Microbiology take to accept a paper?
| Year | Articles (n) | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Accepted <14 days | Have a revised date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 223 | 205 | 279 | 386 | 523 | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2024 | 222 | 222 | 286 | 355 | 461 | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2023 | 178 | 194 | 252 | 343 | — | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2022 | 175 | 157 | 214 | 301 | — | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2021 | 114 | 136 | 216 | 307 | — | 0.0% | 0% |
| 2020 | 133 | 129 | 182 | 322 | — | 0.8% | 0% |
- 2026: not shown yet — a year is reported once late-indexed articles have arrived (at least 180 days after it ends).
Distribution in 2025
Show as a table
| Days | Articles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–29 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 30–59 | 1 | 0.4% |
| 60–89 | 9 | 4.0% |
| 90–119 | 6 | 2.7% |
| 120–149 | 10 | 4.5% |
| 150–179 | 14 | 6.3% |
| 180–209 | 18 | 8.1% |
| 210–239 | 22 | 9.9% |
| 240–269 | 21 | 9.4% |
| 270–299 | 25 | 11.2% |
| 300–329 | 18 | 8.1% |
| 330–359 | 14 | 6.3% |
| 360+ | 65 | 29.1% |
From acceptance to online publication
After acceptance, half of the 2025 articles appeared online within 42 days (middle half 36–49 days, n = 224).
From submission to online publication, the median was 322 days (middle half 250–428 days, n = 223).
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
Hybrid (subscription journal with an open-access option). Listed APC: about $12,690 (as reported by OpenAlex).
Institutions reported paying a median of about $11,712 per article (2023–2025, 7 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 DOAJ | No |
|---|---|
| Articles indexed for MEDLINE in 2025 | Yes |
| Retractions | 0 retracted articles among 1,115 added to PubMed in 2021–2025 (0.00 per 1,000), per the Retraction Watch Database. |
| Accepted within 14 days of submission | 0.0% of 2025 articles |
| Publication volume | 301 articles added to PubMed in 2025 (+7% vs 2024). |
Topics and scope
- Gut microbiota and health (12% of indexed topics)
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions (10% of indexed topics)
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology (9% of indexed topics)
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology (8% of indexed topics)
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies (7% of indexed topics)
- Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria (4% of indexed topics)
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 Nature Microbiology, 279 days.
| Paid APC median | DOAJ | MEDLINE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MicrobiologyOpen | 160 (2025, n = 178) | $3,720 | — | Yes | Yes |
| Current Opinion in Microbiology | 71 (2025, n = 69) | ≈$3,800 | — | No | Yes |
| Trends in Microbiology | 54 (2025, n = 166) | ≈$7,030 | — | No | Yes |
| Frontiers in Microbiology | 68 (2025, n = 3,157) | ≈$3,850 | $3,230 (308 payments) | Yes | No |
| FEMS Microbiology Reviews | 133 (2025, n = 66) | ≈$3,371 | $3,171 (5 payments) | Yes | Yes |
| Microorganisms | 37 (2025, n = 2,856) | ≈$3,300 | $2,464 (178 payments) | Yes | No |
| mLife | 158 (2025, n = 56) | $2,500 | — | Yes | No |
| Microbiome | 188 (2025, n = 278) | $5,190 | $3,990 (42 payments) | Yes | Yes |
| Cell Host & Microbe | 96 (2025, n = 201) | ≈$10,400 | $8,975 (6 payments) | No | Yes |
No journals match these filters.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Nature Microbiology take to accept a paper?
Half of the articles Nature Microbiology accepted in 2025 were accepted within 279 days of submission (n = 223); the middle half took 205–386 days. Based on dates in PubMed for accepted articles only.
How long after acceptance are Nature Microbiology articles published online?
Half of the articles accepted in 2025 appeared online within 42 days of acceptance (n = 224).
Does Nature Microbiology charge an article processing charge (APC)?
Listed APC: about $12,690 (as reported by OpenAlex).
Sources and method
Journal identity: ISSN-L 2058-5276; NLM ID 101674869; OpenAlex record. Speed figures use 223 articles accepted in 2025 with valid dates; excluded records for that year: over 4 years 1.
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.
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.