Open access academic papers receive a larger readership than paywalled papers.
Is it true that open access academic papers receive a larger readership than paywalled papers?
Partly. Evidence regarding whether open access academic papers receive a larger readership or higher citation impact is mixed across different disciplines. While multiple large-scale studies report a clear open-access advantage in metrics such as readership, attention scores, and citations, other studies in specific fields like neurotechnology or biological and physical sciences find contrary results or a negative correlation between open access and citation impact.
Verdict: CONTESTED · 4 sources for, 2 against · Last checked
Papers [0, 8, 10, 11] provide direct empirical evidence supporting the claim that open access papers achieve higher attention, readership, and citation metrics in fields such as medicine, orthopaedics, and medical education. Conversely, papers [2, 6] present empirical evidence where toll-access or closed-access papers outperformed open-access papers in citations within biological, physical, and neurotechnology sciences. Because there is direct contradictory evidence within the retrieved literature, the balance verdict is CONTESTED.
The evidence we hold leans leans supported
How this was weighed
official record 3x · fact-check 2x · hedged 1x · crowd & reference 1x
- An examination of the effect of open versus paywalled access · peer-reviewed · supports · weight 1.3 · 2018
- The Open Versus Closed Access Publication Advantage in Ortho · peer-reviewed · supports · weight 1 · 2026
- Is it worth publishing Open Access? - the scientific impact · peer-reviewed · supports · weight 1 · 2026
- Authorship, titles and open access as drivers of citation pe · peer-reviewed · supports · weight 1 · 2026
- Citation pattern of open access and toll-based research arti · peer-reviewed · refutes · weight 1.05 · 2023
- Does Research Funding, Open Access Availability, and Collabo · peer-reviewed · refutes · weight 1.05 · 2024
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Black, C. S., Lehane, D. J., Burns, C., & O'donnell, B. (2018). An examination of the effect of open versus paywalled access publication on the disseminative impact and citation count of publications in intensive care medicine and anesthesia. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2018.05.008
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Wani, Z. A. & Shah, T. (2023). Citation pattern of open access and toll-based research articles in the field of biological and physical sciences: a comparative study. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1108/oir-01-2021-0029
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SK, K., D, N., S, S., NK, K., & AM, I. (2026). The Open Versus Closed Access Publication Advantage in Orthopaedic Surgery.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.5435/jaaos-d-25-00915
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H, F. (2026). Is it worth publishing Open Access? - the scientific impact of Open Access publications in the field of medical education.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2026.2652722
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F, M., R, V., F, R., J, E., P, K., M, B., F, O., & N, M. (2026). Authorship, titles and open access as drivers of citation performance in orthopaedics: a scientometric analysis.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10195-026-00911-z
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Ali, A., Nazim, M., Qaiser, S., & Malik, R. (2024). Does Research Funding, Open Access Availability, and Collaboration in Research Influence Citation Impact? An Analysis of Neurotechnology Research. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1080/15424065.2024.2350377
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