Listening to researchers is essential to how Frontiers develops its journals, platforms, and publishing experience.
We listen in more than one way. Each year we ask the global research community how they see Frontiers and the wider publishing landscape, we track those perceptions continuously through the year, and we gather direct feedback from authors, editors, and reviewers about their own experience with us.
So far in 2026, a record number of researchers have given us their views, from every region of the world and across every subject area, giving us our most comprehensive picture yet of how the research community sees and experiences Frontiers.
What our 2026 results show so far
Insights* from across our research community point to sustained confidence in Frontiers and strong perceptions of the publishing experience.
Trust in Frontiers has increased by seven percentage points since 2024, with 80% of researchers describing Frontiers as trustworthy
95% of researchers rate the quality of Frontiers articles positively
95% of authors report being satisfied with their publishing experience at Frontiers
Together, these findings reflect the strength of our relationships with researchers and the continued contribution of editors, reviewers and teams around the world.
Director of Customer Experience
“Trust is built through consistent positive experience. Whether a researcher is choosing a journal, receiving timely updates or asking for support, every interaction contributes to how they experience Frontiers.”
The 2026 publisher survey explores the qualities that matter most to researchers, including quality, trust, innovation, openness, and the overall publishing experience.
The 2026 results show Frontiers is:
recognized by 95% of respondents, making us the most well-known fully open access publisher in the world
ranked first among all major publishers for driving the transition to open and accessible science, selected by 73%
ranked first for improving publishing practices through innovation, selected by 70%
seen as having a positive impact on the world by 80% of researchers
These results reinforce Frontiers’ position as a leading fully open access publisher and reflect the role researchers see us playing in advancing open science.
Numbers provide an important measure of progress, but they only tell part of the story. Here’s what researchers have told us in their own words.
“I rated 10/10 because my experience as an editor at Frontiers has been consistently positive. I particularly appreciate the commitment to high editorial standards and constructive peer review." - Editor on Frontiers in Public Health, based in Europe
“I would highly recommend Frontiers because of their strong commitment to open access publishing. The platform ensures that published work is freely accessible, which significantly increases visibility.” - Researcher, Asia, Life Science
“I gave a score of 10 because our latest experience with Frontiers was extremely positive. The reviewers provided constructive criticism which significantly helped us to improve our article's quality." - Researcher, Europe, Humanities & Social Sciences
"The combination of substantive peer review and rapid open access publication is exactly what scientific communication should be." - Published author in Frontiers in Endocrinology North America
"Overall, Frontiers provides a reliable and professional publishing experience, making it a preferred choice for researchers like me.” - Researcher, Asia, Bioscience
“Frontiers has always been a highly reliable journal to publish at. It has an end-to-end pipeline that allows seamless management and tracking of the research.” - Researcher, North America, Physical Science and Engineering
These strong results are earned, not accidental, reflecting the consistent standards, expert judgment and continued investment of thousands of people whose decisions and interactions shape the publishing experience.
Trust develops throughout a researcher’s relationship with a publisher, from choosing a journal and submitting a manuscript to navigating peer review, receiving support and sharing the published article.
Frontiers actively uses feedback gathered throughout, and after publication, to identify recurring needs, improve support and make the publishing journey simpler to navigate.
Senior Customer Experience Owner
“When researchers share feedback, we don’t simply record it. Every conversation helps us understand where we can make the publishing experience clearer and more supportive.”
High-quality publishing is the output when editors, reviewers and peer review teams work together. Our editors make independent scientific decisions, reviewers provide specialist assessment and our in-house peer review teams support the process from submission to decision.
Head of Peer Review
“Editors bring the scientific expertise that drives every editorial decision. Our role is to support that expertise by helping identify the right reviewers, answering policy questions and keeping the review process moving.”
That combination of expert judgment, rigorous assessment and structured support helps ensure that every manuscript receives thorough and informed consideration.
Trust in an academic journal ultimately depends on whether its research is accurate, valid and credible. That requires research integrity to be embedded throughout the publishing process, not treated as a final check.
Frontiers’ three-pronged approach brings together dedicated research integrity specialists, independent expert editors and responsible technology.
Head of Research Integrity
“The strength of Frontiers' approach lies in how human expertise and technology work together. The unique part is the combination: the best people, the best technology and our editors’ scientific expertise all reinforcing one another.”
Much of this work begins before peer review. AIRA performs more than 40 automated checks on every manuscript, helping surface potential concerns while allowing editors and reviewers to focus on the science.
Technology supports the process, but does not replace human judgment. Every flagged case is reviewed by a research integrity specialist.
Research Integrity Specialist
“Technology helps us detect potential concerns at scale, but every decision is made by a person. AI helps us identify what needs attention, but it is our specialists who review the evidence, apply our standards and make the final judgment.”
Together, these safeguards support rigorous peer review, protect the scientific record and give researchers and readers confidence in the science they rely on.
The 2026 survey gives us a clearer picture of where Frontiers is delivering strongly and what researchers value most. Every response also helps shape what comes next.
We'll keep listening to the research community, investing in the people, platforms and processes behind these results, and improving the publishing experience at every stage.
Thank you to everyone who shared their perspective. Your feedback helps us strengthen Frontiers and continue building a more open, rigorous and effective research system.
Our surveys continue throughout the year, with further opportunities to share your experience during the publishing process.
Explore our progress and impact in our 2025 annual report*Sources:
Frontiers’ 2026 publisher survey, based on responses from 13,538 researchers worldwide.
Ongoing brand survey, based on responses from 33,360 researchers in 2026 YTD (1 Jan-29 Jul 2026)
Author post publication survey, based on responses from 5,993 researchers in 2026 YTD (1 Jan-29 Jul 2026)