Journal decision profile

Natural Computing

Computer Science · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Natural Computing's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 1.2, ranking Q2 in Computational Theory and Mathematics. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

Springer Science+Business MediaNetherlandspISSN 1567-7818eISSN 1572-9796
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
1.2

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 1.91.

Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED

Not available — there are not enough recent PubMed records with both received and accepted dates.

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
$3,190

Journal-level estimate only. Verify current charges, taxes, waivers, discounts, and article-type fees with the journal.

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Does your manuscript fit Natural Computing?

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
1.22026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#166 / 2,455LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
i
Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
4%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
0.38MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
—NOT AVAILABLE
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
44 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share4%

7 of 175 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share0%

0 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI0.38×

Below field-year expectation

Source output rank#166

of 2,455 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 0.38, so its typical recent paper runs about 62% below its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

4% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

572016
712017
542018
532019
462020
512021
552022
332023
362024
502025

Recent work-type mix

175 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Article96%
Erratum2.3%
Book chapter1.1%
Editorial0.6%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and research coverage

OpenAlex topics show the research communities this journal serves.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
DNA and Biological Computing49
Cellular Automata and Applications24
Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithms Research22
semigroups and automata theory11
Advanced Multi-Objective Optimization Algorithms8
Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture5
Evolutionary Algorithms and Applications4
Modular Robots and Swarm Intelligence3
Algorithms and Data Compression2
Complexity and Algorithms in Graphs2
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-10-24. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 175 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
Molecular BiologyQ4
Computational Theory and MathematicsQ2
Artificial IntelligenceQ3

Is Natural Computing a good journal?

A solid Q2 journal by citation data

By citation data, Natural Computing is a solid journal: it is Q2 in Computational Theory and Mathematics, the second quarter of journals by score, and ranks #1,258 of 2,118 Computer Science journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 60%). Natural Computing's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 1.2. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,190 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Molecular Biology, Computational Theory and Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q2
Computational Theory and Mathematics
Rank in Computer Science
#1,258 of 2,118
Top 60%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
1.2
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Indicative APC
$3,190
OpenAlex, verify with the journal
Papers published in 2025
50
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the current article processing charge, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website; the OpenAlex figure is indicative.
  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q2
Subfield Quartile
B4
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#1,258
of 2,118 Computer Science field journals
#366
among Q2 Computer Science journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
2,547
H-Index
58
Fully Open Access
No
Recent OA Works
404
Subject Areas
Molecular BiologyComputational Theory and MathematicsArtificial Intelligence

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to Natural Computing

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies Natural Computing's papers in subfields including Molecular Biology, Computational Theory and Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    Natural Computing homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit online

    Use the submit link in Natural Computing's author guidelines; Springer Science+Business Media runs the submission site. Every author usually needs an ORCID iD, and the corresponding author needs an account on the submission site.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,190 USD. Check the current fee, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Natural Computing does not publish an acceptance rate.

Common questions about Natural Computing

Is Natural Computing a good journal?

By citation data, Natural Computing is a solid journal: it is Q2 in Computational Theory and Mathematics, the second quarter of journals by score, and ranks #1,258 of 2,118 Computer Science journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 60%). Natural Computing's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 1.2. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,190 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Molecular Biology, Computational Theory and Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is Natural Computing's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

Natural Computing's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 1.2, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of Natural Computing?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by Natural Computing or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. To judge selectivity, compare Natural Computing's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is Natural Computing in?

Natural Computing's best quartile is Q2. By OpenAlex subfield: Q4 in Molecular Biology; Q2 in Computational Theory and Mathematics; Q3 in Artificial Intelligence. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for Natural Computing will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How much does it cost to publish in Natural Computing?

OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $3,190 USD for Natural Computing. This journal-level estimate may exclude taxes, waivers, discounts, or article-type fees, so confirm the current charge on the journal's website.

Which journals are alternatives to Natural Computing?

Comparable journals include International Journal of Foundations of Computer Science, International Journal of Unconventional Computing, Journal of Cellular Automata, and Swarm and Evolutionary Computation. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to Natural Computing?

Submit online through the link in Natural Computing's author guidelines on the journal homepage. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter.

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