Last Updated on August 14, 2026 by Dr. Bhagat
Nature’s 2025 Journal Impact Factor is 56.1, according to the Journal Citation Reports data released in 2026. The journal is listed in the Multidisciplinary Sciences category, indexed in SCIE, and placed in Q1. This page combines the current JCR figure with Nature’s official journal metrics, publishing options and editorial guidance.
2026 data update
Journal Impact Factor year: 2025 · JCR release year: 2026 · Current JIF: 56.1 · Quartile: Q1
Nature journal metrics at a glance
| Metric | Current value |
|---|---|
| 2025 Journal Impact Factor | 56.1 |
| 5-year Journal Impact Factor | 56.7 |
| JCR category | Multidisciplinary Sciences |
| JCR quartile | Q1 |
| Web of Science edition | Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) |
| SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) | 19.713 |
| Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP) | 10.607 |
| Median submission to first editorial decision | 8 days |
| Median submission to acceptance | 321 days |
| Publishing model | Subscription or gold open access |
| Print ISSN | 0028-0836 |
| Online ISSN | 1476-4687 |
Sources: the JIF, category, quartile and index are from the supplied 2026 JCR dataset. The other current metrics and speed figures are published on Nature’s official journal metrics page.
About Nature
Nature is a weekly, international journal that publishes research across the natural sciences and related fields. Its first issue appeared on 4 November 1869. The journal is part of Nature Portfolio, which is owned by Springer Nature.
Nature is selective about both scientific importance and breadth. Its official criteria say that research Articles should report original work, be of outstanding scientific importance, and reach a conclusion of interest to an interdisciplinary readership. This broad-readership requirement is important: a technically sound paper may still be unsuitable if its main contribution is relevant only to a narrow specialist audience.
What is Nature’s Impact Factor in 2025?
Nature’s Journal Impact Factor for 2025 is 56.1. The 2025 metric appears in the 2026 edition of Journal Citation Reports, so “2025 Impact Factor” and “JCR 2026” refer to the same release cycle, not two different Impact Factors.
The Journal Impact Factor is calculated from citations in the JCR year to eligible content published during the preceding two years, divided by the number of citable items published in those two years. It is useful for understanding citation activity at journal level, but it should not be treated as the quality score of every article or author. Nature itself advises readers to consider multiple measures because a small number of highly cited papers can have a large effect on a journal-level average.
Is Nature a Q1 journal?
Yes. In the supplied 2026 JCR data, Nature is a Q1 journal in Multidisciplinary Sciences. Q1 means that a journal falls within the highest quartile of journals in its category under the relevant JCR ranking method.
Nature has the highest 2025 JIF among the Multidisciplinary Sciences titles in the supplied dataset. Category matters when interpreting this result: JIF patterns vary between disciplines, so a cross-category comparison should not be used as a simple verdict on journal quality.
Is Nature SCI or SCIE indexed?
Nature is covered by the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) in the Web of Science Core Collection. People often use “SCI indexed” informally when referring to this coverage, but SCIE is the precise edition shown in the supplied JCR data.
Nature Impact Factor trend, 2017–2025
| Impact Factor year | Impact Factor | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 41.577 | — |
| 2018 | 43.070 | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 42.778 | −0.7% |
| 2020 | 49.962 | +16.8% |
| 2021 | 69.80 | +39.7% |
| 2022 | 64.8 | −7.2% |
| 2023 | 50.5 | −22.1% |
| 2024 | 48.5 | −4.0% |
| 2025 | 56.1 | +15.7% |
The series rose sharply in 2020 and 2021, then declined for three consecutive years before increasing from 48.5 in 2024 to 56.1 in 2025. That latest change is an increase of approximately 15.7%. The table describes the numerical trend only; it does not assign a cause to individual annual movements.
Nature compared with selected journals
| Journal | 2025 JIF | JCR category shown | Quartile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nature | 56.1 | Multidisciplinary Sciences | Q1 |
| Science | 47.3 | Multidisciplinary Sciences | Q1 |
| Cell | 45.1 | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Cell Biology | Q1 |
| Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) | 9.5 | Multidisciplinary Sciences | Q1 |
These values come from the same supplied JCR dataset. They are included for orientation, not to declare which journal is “best.” Scope, audience, editorial fit, access model and article-level evidence should also guide a submission decision.
Related pages: Science Impact Factor, PNAS Impact Factor, Science Advances Impact Factor, and Nature Communications Impact Factor.
Nature acceptance rate and editorial screening
Nature’s current editorial-process page says that about 8% of submitted manuscripts are accepted and that most submissions are declined without external peer review. This is an approximate journal-level figure rather than a guarantee for any subject area or manuscript type.
At the initial stage, a Nature editor evaluates whether a manuscript should be sent to referees. The official guidance says that papers selected for peer review should appear novel and arresting, with both immediate and far-reaching implications. When external review is used, most papers are sent to two or three referees.
Nature review and decision time
Nature reports a median of 8 days from submission to the first editorial decision. This measure ends when the paper is either sent for peer review or rejected, so it should not be interpreted as the time required for a complete peer-review report.
The reported median from submission to acceptance is 321 days. That period includes peer review and may include time spent on author revisions. Actual timelines vary substantially with the manuscript, reviewer availability and the number of revision rounds.
Is Nature open access?
Nature is a hybrid journal, not a fully open-access journal. Authors of primary research Articles can choose either the traditional subscription route or gold open access. Under the subscription route, readers generally need institutional or individual access. Under gold open access, the final article is free to read under a Creative Commons licence after an APC is paid.
Nature publication fee (APC)
Nature’s official publishing-options page currently lists the gold open-access Article Processing Charge as £9,390 / US$12,850 / €10,850. The subscription route does not use this gold-OA APC. Prices, taxes, institutional agreements and funding arrangements can change, so authors should verify the amount on the official page before making a budget decision.
Non-primary content such as Reviews, Comments and News & Views is not eligible for Nature’s gold open-access option and follows the subscription route, according to the journal’s guidance.
Who should consider submitting to Nature?
Nature may be appropriate when a study presents original research of exceptional scientific importance and its conclusion matters beyond a single specialist community. The journal specifically looks for work that can interest an interdisciplinary readership.
A more specialised journal may be a better fit when the contribution is important primarily within one subfield, when the advance is incremental, or when the paper needs extensive specialist context before its significance becomes clear. Journal fit is not determined by Impact Factor alone.
Practical checks before submission
- Explain the main advance and why it matters outside the immediate subfield.
- Check the latest Nature formatting guide and policies instead of relying on old word or figure limits.
- Use the cover letter, which is optional, to explain the importance and fit without repeating the abstract.
- Disclose related manuscripts and relevant conflicts as required.
- Confirm whether subscription publishing or gold open access meets the funder’s requirements.
Publisher, ISSN and editorial model
| Journal title | Nature |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Nature Portfolio, part of Springer Nature |
| Frequency | Weekly |
| Print ISSN | 0028-0836 |
| Online ISSN | 1476-4687 |
| Editor-in-Chief | Magdalena Skipper |
Nature’s publication decisions are made by professional editors. Its official editorial-process page states that the journal does not use an external editorial board of senior scientists. Referees advise on technical soundness and significance, while editors make the final publication decision and judge the paper’s likely interest to a broad readership.
How to interpret Nature’s Impact Factor responsibly
A JIF of 56.1 indicates very high citation activity at journal level, but it does not mean that every Nature paper will receive 56.1 citations. Citation distributions are uneven, research fields cite at different rates, and the two-year window favours some kinds of work over others.
For journal selection or research assessment, consider the journal’s scope and editorial standards alongside article-level citations, transparent peer-review information, data and methods quality, licensing, costs and the needs of the intended audience.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nature’s Impact Factor for 2025?
Nature’s 2025 Journal Impact Factor is 56.1 in the 2026 JCR release.
Why is it called the 2025 Impact Factor if it was released in 2026?
The metric is labelled by its citation year. Journal Citation Reports publishes that result in the following year’s release cycle.
Is Nature a Q1 journal?
Yes. The supplied 2026 JCR data places Nature in Q1 in Multidisciplinary Sciences.
Is Nature indexed in SCIE?
Yes. The dataset lists Nature in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE).
What is Nature’s five-year Impact Factor?
Nature’s official metrics page reports a 2025 five-year Journal Impact Factor of 56.7.
What is Nature’s acceptance rate?
Nature’s official editorial-process page says that about 8% of submitted manuscripts are accepted.
How long does Nature take to make a decision?
The journal reports a median of 8 days to the first editorial decision and 321 days from submission to acceptance. The first figure includes both decisions to send a paper for review and decisions to decline it.
Is Nature fully open access?
No. Nature uses a hybrid model: primary research authors can choose subscription publishing or gold open access.
What is Nature’s open-access APC?
The official page currently lists £9,390, US$12,850 or €10,850 for gold open access. Authors should recheck the price before submission.
What are Nature’s ISSNs?
The print ISSN is 0028-0836 and the online ISSN is 1476-4687.
Sources and data notes
- Nature: official journal metrics
- Nature: editorial criteria and processes
- Nature: publishing options and current APC
- Nature: initial-submission guidance
- Clarivate Journal Citation Reports
Data checked: 8 August 2026. The current JIF, JCR category, index, quartile and comparison figures were checked against the supplied 2026 JCR workbook. Operational metrics and fees were checked against Nature’s official pages. Fees and editorial metrics can change; readers should confirm them with the journal before submitting.
