Last Updated on July 16, 2026 by Dr. Bhagat
JOURNAL METRICS·Updated June 2026
Communications Biology Impact Factor 2025
Communications Biology Impact Factor 2025 is 5.8 (Q1, Biology, SCIE). Launched in 2018 by Nature Portfolio, this open-access journal has quickly established itself as a significant venue for biological research, publishing significant advances across all areas of the biological sciences with a commitment to rigorous peer review and broad accessibility.
NATURE PORTFOLIO OAThe Open-Access Expansion of the Nature Brand
Communications Biology represents Nature Portfolio’s strategic expansion into the gold open-access space for biological research. Unlike Nature Communications, which spans all natural sciences, Communications Biology focuses specifically on the biological sciences, accepting significant advances across areas as diverse as ecology, evolutionary biology, plant biology, neuroscience, and molecular biology. The 2025 Impact Factor of 5.8, achieved just seven years after launch, demonstrates that the journal has successfully carved out a distinct identity in the crowded open-access landscape.
The Q1 ranking in Biology confirms that Communications Biology competes favorably with longer-established journals in the category. Its CiteScore of 8.2, drawn from the four-year Scopus window, exceeds the two-year Impact Factor, suggesting that papers published here accumulate citations steadily over time. The SJR of 1.994, while more modest than flagship Nature journals, still places Communications Biology in the upper tier of biology publications by prestige-weighted citation impact.
EDITORIAL MODELSignificance Plus Soundness
Communications Biology operates on a “significance plus soundness” editorial model. Unlike Scientific Reports, which reviews for technical soundness alone, Communications Biology evaluates whether a paper represents a significant advance in its field. This selectivity, combined with the Nature brand, gives the journal a perceived quality advantage over purely soundness-based open-access alternatives. The estimated acceptance rate of 35-40% reflects this dual criterion.
The journal publishes approximately 1,600-2,000 articles annually, a volume that allows broad coverage of biological subdisciplines while maintaining editorial oversight. All articles are gold open access, published under Creative Commons licenses, and deposited in PubMed Central.
METRICS TABLEComplete Communications Biology Data
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Impact Factor (2025) | 5.8 | JCR 2025; Q1 Biology |
| CiteScore | 8.2 | Scopus 2025 |
| SJR | 1.994 | SCImago 2025 |
| h-index | 109 | Lifetime |
| ISSN | 2399-3642 | Springer Nature |
| Publisher | Springer Nature | Nature Portfolio |
| Established | 2018 | 7 years |
| Category | Biology | JCR Q1 |
| Chief Editor | Christina Karlsson Rosenthal, PhD | In-house PhD editors |
| Access Model | Gold Open Access | CC licenses |
| APC | ~$3,090 USD | Verify at nature.com |
Key Takeaways
- 2025 IF: 5.8 (Q1 Biology) — strong achievement for a 7-year-old open-access journal.
- “Significance plus soundness” editorial model offers a middle path between elite selectivity and pure soundness review.
- APC of ~$3,090 is significantly lower than other Nature Portfolio journals.
- Published by Nature Portfolio with in-house PhD editors overseeing peer review.
- Indexed in SCIE, Scopus, PubMed, DOAJ, and all major databases.
FREQUENTLY ASKEDFAQs
What is the Communications Biology IF for 2025?
5.8, Q1 in Biology.
How does it compare to Scientific Reports?
Communications Biology (IF 5.8) evaluates significance + soundness with ~35-40% acceptance. Scientific Reports (IF 4.9) reviews soundness only with ~57% acceptance. Comm Bio is more selective.
Is Communications Biology a Nature journal?
It is published by Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) and shares the editorial infrastructure, but it is distinct from Nature or Nature Communications.
What is the APC?
Approximately $3,090 USD for research articles. Verify current rates at nature.com/commsbio before submitting.
What scope does it cover?
All areas of biological sciences including ecology, evolution, plant biology, neuroscience, molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, and structural biology.
