Medical journals without publication fees can reduce barriers for clinicians, students, and researchers working without dedicated open-access funding. The best target is still defined by specialty and study design.
A clinical trial, systematic review, epidemiological study, case report, laboratory paper, and health-policy analysis may require entirely different journals even when they share a medical topic.
Quick answer: Medical journal selection must consider study design, population, specialty, reporting guidelines, ethics, and clinical relevance before quartile or cost.
Journal list and current catalog signals
The table presents 12 examples from 327 matching catalog records. SJR, H-index, and quartile refer to the linked SCImago data year in the catalog. Fees and policies must be verified on the official journal website.
| Journal | Quartile | SJR | H-index | Fee | Country | Pre-review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military Medical ResearchKeAi Communications Co., Ltd. | Q1 | 5.898 | 68 | No APCPublication fee | China | Pre-review |
| Journal of Sport and Health ScienceElsevier | Q1 | 3.715 | 87 | No APCPublication fee | Netherlands | Pre-review |
| EurosurveillanceEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control | Q1 | 2.81 | 143 | No APCPublication fee | Sweden | Pre-review |
| Journal of StrokeKorean Stroke Society | Q1 | 2.705 | 61 | No APCPublication fee | South Korea | Pre-review |
| eGastroenterologyBMJ Publishing Group | Q1 | 2.465 | 14 | No APCPublication fee | United Kingdom | Pre-review |
| Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical SciencesKeAi Communications Co., Ltd. | Q1 | 2.196 | 87 | No APCPublication fee | China | Pre-review |
| Emerging Infectious DiseasesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention | Q1 | 2.034 | 287 | No APCPublication fee | United States | Pre-review |
| Journal of Lipid and AtherosclerosisThe Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis | Q1 | 1.844 | 26 | No APCPublication fee | South Korea | Pre-review |
| Preventing Chronic DiseaseCenters for Disease Control and Prevention | Q1 | 1.824 | 108 | No APCPublication fee | United States | Pre-review |
| PsychoradiologyOxford University Press | Q1 | 1.804 | 15 | No APCPublication fee | United Kingdom | Pre-review |
| Japanese Dental Science ReviewElsevier | Q1 | 1.802 | 51 | No APCPublication fee | Netherlands | Pre-review |
| Life MedicineOxford University Press | Q1 | 1.754 | 16 | No APCPublication fee | United Kingdom | Pre-review |
Data note: This field filter is based on catalog subject labels. Researchers must confirm the journal’s exact clinical and methodological scope. Search the complete Journal Finder.
How to choose from this list
Match specialty and study design
Check whether the journal accepts the manuscript’s clinical field, population, method, and article type.
Follow reporting guidelines
Use the applicable CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, CARE, ARRIVE, or other discipline-specific checklist where required.
Prepare ethics and data statements
Make approvals, consent, registration, conflicts, funding, and data availability clear before submission.
Protect patient information
Remove identifying details and confirm image, consent, and privacy requirements.
Check the manuscript against the journal you selected
PapeReview evaluates clarity, methods, evidence, contribution, limitations, and journal-target fit before you enter the publisher submission system.
Frequently asked questions
Are all no-fee medical journals open access?
No. Check whether readers can access the final article and which publication route carries no fee.
Can case reports use the same shortlist as clinical trials?
Usually not. Article-type policies differ substantially, so verify that the journal explicitly accepts the manuscript type.
What should be reviewed before medical submission?
Prioritise reporting completeness, ethical statements, method transparency, statistical interpretation, limitations, and clinical relevance.
Sources and verification
PapeReview combines catalog fields from journal and publisher records with DOAJ and SCImagoJR-linked information. These services answer different questions: DOAJ focuses on open-access journal records, while SCImagoJR presents Scopus-based citation indicators. PapeReview adds filtering and a manuscript pre-review workflow but does not replace official publisher verification.