2026 data, updated August 2026
PLOS Biology is the more cited journal: its 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.8 against 1.7 for eLife, about 4 times higher. eLife is Q3 and PLOS Biology is Q1 in their best subfields. PLOS reports a 11% acceptance rate for PLOS Biology; eLife does not publish one. eLife is the larger journal, with 5,267 papers in 2025 against 571 for PLOS Biology.
| Measure | eLife | PLOS Biology |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Journal Metrics Score | 1.7 | 6.8 |
| Best subfield quartile | Q3 | Q1 |
| Rank in field | #672 of 1,172 in Neuroscience | #58 of 1,172 in Neuroscience |
| Acceptance rate (publisher-reported) | Not published | 11% |
| Median days, submission to acceptance | No PubMed data | 214 days |
| Access model | Fully open access | Fully open access |
| Indicative APC (OpenAlex) | $2,500 | $5,500 |
| Papers published in 2025 | 5,267 | 571 |
| h-index (OpenAlex) | 323 | 391 |
| Publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd | Public Library of Science |
Bold marks the stronger figure where one direction is better. Journal Metrics Score is a two-year citation average; quartiles and field ranks are computed within OpenAlex subfields and site fields. Data source: OpenAlex (CC0). Submission-to-acceptance days come from PubMed received and accepted dates and include revisions. Acceptance rates appear only where the publisher publishes one. APCs are indicative OpenAlex values.
Fit with each journal's scope matters more than any single number. Read a few recent papers in your topic in both journals before deciding.
PLOS Biology is the more cited journal: its 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.8 against 1.7 for eLife, about 4 times higher. eLife is Q3 and PLOS Biology is Q1 in their best subfields. Which is better for your paper depends on its scope and how broad the result is; citation data measures the journals, not individual papers.
eLife does not publish an acceptance rate. PLOS reports 11% for PLOS Biology (2025). Without published rates for both, compare their field rank and scope instead.
eLife is fully open access, with an indicative APC of $2,500. PLOS Biology is fully open access, with an indicative APC of $5,500. Confirm current fees on each journal's website.