Guaranteed Journal Publication: Is It Real or a Scam?
August 2, 2025
How to Publish Your Thesis as a Book
August 2, 2025
Publishing your dissertation can be one of the most significant milestones of your academic journey as it presents your research, elevates your profile, and builds credibility.
Two of the most popular academic publishers, i.e. Elsevier and MDPI, offer different strengths in terms of reputation, peer-review quality, publishing speed, and open-access policies.
This 2025 comparison helps you decide which option aligns best with your research and institutional or academic goals.
What to Look for When Choosing a Publisher
- Academic Credibility: Some institutions and committee members favour certain publishers for their prestige and reliability.
- Visibility & Reach: Effective publishers ensure your work is discoverable, indexed, and widely cited (and referenced).
- Speed vs Quality: Fast publication helps with deadlines; rigorous multi-round peer review supports credibility.
- Cost & Access Model: Fees vary, and access may be open-access or subscription-based.
Learn how to make your work more impactful via our Dissertation Publishing Services.
Elsevier – Reputation, Prestige & Rigorous Review
Elsevier manages thousands of high-impact journals, many indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). It maintains a strong reputation for high-quality, credibility, and structured peer-review processes.
Pros- Rigorous, multi-stage peer review
- Universally recognised among academic institutions
- Extensive indexing in Scopus, WoS, and PubMed
- Strong citation visibility and editorial credibility
- Open-access charges (APCs) can exceed £2,000 to £4,000
- Subscription model limits immediate global access
- Review and publication may take 4 to 6+ months
Need help targeting a Scopus-indexed journal? Read our detailed How to Publish in Scopus Journals Guide.
MDPI – Fast Publishing, Open Access & Large Portfolio
MDPI operates over 400 open-access journals and articles across diverse disciplines, including Applied Sciences, Sensors, and Sustainability. It is known for fast publication cycles and transparent submission workflows.
Pros- Publication typically within 4 to 8 weeks
- Fully open access and globally available immediately
- Many journals indexed in Scopus, WoS, and DOAJ
- Clear, transparent submission process
- Peer-review depth can vary between titles
- Some institutions remain cautious of MDPI’s consistency
- Mandatory APCs ranging from £800 to £2,500
Ensure your manuscript is high-quality and publication-ready using our Plagiarism Checker Tool and AI Plagiarism Checker.
Publishing Criteria: Elsevier vs MDPI
| Criteria | Elsevier | MDPI |
|---|---|---|
| Business Model | Hybrid (subscription + open access) | Fully open access (APC-funded) |
| Peer Review | In-depth and rigorous | Faster but sometimes questioned |
| Publishing Speed | 4 to 6 months + | Usually 4 to 8 weeks |
| APC Range | £2,000 to £4,000 (OA only) | £800 to £2,500 |
| Indexing | Scopus, WoS, PubMed | Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, PubMed |
| Institutional Acceptance | Widely recognised | Mixed; policy-dependent |
| Visibility | High citation potential | High download stats via OA |
MDPI Reputation & Peer-Review Transparency (2025)
MDPI’s reputation continues to evolve. Many of its journals are indexed in Scopus, WoS, and DOAJ, reflecting legitimate peer-review processes. However, quality can differ between titles.
Before submitting, review the editorial board, peer-review policy, recent issue quality, and indexing status of the specific journal.
Elsevier’s Competitors in Academic Publishing
Elsevier competes with major publishers such as Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, and SAGE. Each offers distinct editorial policies, acceptance rates, and open-access options.
Recent MDPI Updates (2023 – 2025)
In early 2023, MDPI editors, including contributors such as Katherine Bosworth, discussed improvements to editorial transparency and review timelines in official MDPI blogs.
These initiatives have since influenced MDPI’s overall reliability and perception within the academic community.
Final Verdict
Choose Elsevier if:
- You value prestige, institutional trust, and deep peer review
- Your university or funders prefer high-impact journals
- You’re prepared for a longer publication timeline
Choose MDPI if:
- You need rapid, open-access publication
- You want global visibility without paywalls
- You prefer faster review cycles and flexible feedback
