The newly dissemination says that cOAlition S has moved to close off the Journal Comparison Service (JCS) on April 30, 2025. One of the reasons is that there is very little participation from academic publishers: the low input threatens to undermine the goals of effectiveness and transparency that were intended for the JCS.

cOAlition S to Close Journal Comparison Service (JCS) by April 30, 2025

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A Tool Designed for Price Transparency

The Journal Comparison Service was launched in furtherance of the open access and cost transparency campaign of cOAlition S. Its objective is to furnish institutions, consortia, and funders with pertinent comparative pricing information and service standards about scholarly journals. Key stakeholders could thus weigh the value against the price of publishing services, creating a more equitable and transparent publishing environment.

Limited Participation Hampers Impact

While the research community and funding bodies have offered strong support to the JCS, the success of the project has depended mainly on the cooperation of publishers. Unfortunately, very few have volunteered to submit any data. Limited engagement has compromised the project’s purpose, leaving users with incomplete or inconsistent comparisons.

The decision to close the service has therefore been tough for cOAlition S. All platform activities will wind up by the end of April 2025.

Looking Ahead

However, the Journal Comparison Service is winding down, cOAlition S confirmed its ongoing commitment to open access, transparency, and fair publishing. The organization will further explore ways in which these principles can be promoted in partnership with stakeholders across the globe.

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Conclusion

The decision to discontinue the JCS emphasizes that there are still pressing problems in getting full transparency in scholarly publishing. It calls on a more participatory and accountable attitude by publishers toward enhancing an open and just academic environment

NOTE: With the discontinuation of JCS, Pubrica has made immense contributions toward the selection of the right journals, editing of manuscripts, and giving publishing guidance to researchers insomuch that the right journals can be easily found and publishing standards met.