OA Report 2025: What researchers, authors and editors need to know about the future of open access

Author: Deidre Hudson Reuss

Senior Marketing Manager

Open access continues to reshape the research landscape and Springer Nature’s fifth annual Open Access Report offers a snapshot of how far open access has come. The 2025 report highlights another year of significant growth, with more than half of Springer Nature’s primary research now published open access (OA), expanding opportunities for researchers to increase the reach, visibility and impact of their work. 

For researchers, authors, and editors, the report provides valuable insights into the publishing models, trends and technologies driving open research forward. These are the key takeaways:  

Open access reaches a new milestone  

The headline figure from this year’s report is that 53% of Springer Nature’s primary research output is now published open access, marking a major milestone in the ongoing transition towards more accessible research. In 2025 alone, more than 288,000 OA articles were published, representing a 20% increase on the previous year.  

This growth reflects a broader shift taking place across scholarly publishing. What was once considered an alternative publishing model has become a mainstream route for disseminating research, helping ensure that findings are readily available to readers. 

For authors, this means increased opportunities to publish in leading OA journals across a wider range of disciplines, while institutions and funders continue to strengthen support for open publishing models.

Transformative agreements continue to drive growth 

One of the report's clearest takeaways is the continued role of transformative agreements (TAs) in helping drive the transition to open access. 

Springer Nature supported the publication of more than 63,000 OA articles through transformative agreements in 2025, with OA publishing through these agreements growing by 12% year-on-year. Over the course of the year, Springer Nature signed 19 new and 17 renewed agreements, bringing the total to 101 agreements covering more than 4,400 institutions worldwide. 

The uptake continues to gather pace. More than half of all Springer Nature articles published through transformative agreements since their introduction have been published in the last three years, highlighting the growing momentum behind these models. 

For researchers, transformative agreements make it easier to publish open access by removing the need to arrange article processing charges separately. For institutions, they offer a practical way to support open research while maintaining access to subscription content. 

Greater visibility, reach and citations for authors  

One of the strongest arguments for publishing open access remains the potential for greater visibility and impact. 

The report reveals that authors publishing in Springer Nature's fully open access journals benefit from the highest usage among mixed-model and pure OA publishers, achieving an average of 7.6 citations per article, which is 21% higher than the previous year. 

Alongside this, usage metrics also continue to climb. Incredibly, Springer Nature recorded a 48% increase in OA journal article downloads and a 34% increase in OA book downloads compared with the previous year.  

These findings reinforce a trend that many researchers already recognise: when research is freely available, more people can discover and build on it. Whether the aim is to raise a researcher's profile, encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration or support real-world change, greater accessibility can make a meaningful difference. 

“Twenty-five years ago, BMC helped pioneer a publishing model that many saw as a niche alternative. Today, nearly half of all research published globally is available OA and more than half of Springer Nature’s primary research content is now published OA, reflecting the significant progress towards greater openness. 
While the transition is moving at different speeds across regions and disciplines, the evidence increasingly points to full (or gold) OA as the most complete and scalable way to make the trusted version of record immediately available for researchers to use, share and build on for the wider benefit of society.” 

                                                                                              Harsh Jegadeesan, Chief Publishing Officer                                  

Global access continues to expand 

Making research accessible to anyone, anywhere remains one of open access publishing's core goals, and the latest figures suggest progress is continuing. 

Springer Nature reported more than 3.1 billion downloads of OA content in 2025, an increase of 75% compared with the previous year, which equates to almost 100 downloads every second. 

Growth was particularly strong in lower-resourced regions with downloads of Springer Nature's OA content increasing by 48% across Low- and Middle-Income Countries, helping more researchers, educators and institutions access the latest findings and participate in the global exchange of knowledge more easily. 

For authors and editors, the numbers provide a clear reminder of the value of removing access barriers. The more accessible research is, the more likely it is to reach new audiences and generate wider engagement.

Open access is helping research influence policy more quickly 

Beyond academic citations, the report highlights the growing real-world influence of openly available research. 

According to the data, open access articles are cited in policy documents nearly a year earlier than non-OA research. This suggests that making research freely available can help move evidence into decision-making processes more quickly, giving policymakers faster access to relevant findings. 

For researchers working in areas like healthcare, climate science, education and public policy, that's particularly significant. Earlier engagement with policymakers can help research inform decisions sooner and potentially increase its real-world impact.

Continued investment in journals and books

The report also demonstrates ongoing investment in expanding publishing opportunities across disciplines. 

During 2025, Springer Nature launched 48 new open access journals and transitioned a further 14 journals to fully open access, while publishing 947 new OA books. This brought the total OA book catalogue to more than 4,000 titles, up from just 160 eleven years ago. 

For authors, this growing portfolio means more opportunities to find the right home for their research. For editors, it reflects the continued growth of open access across both journals and books, creating new ways to support researchers and their communities. 

Trust and transparency remain central priorities

While growth remains a major theme, the report also addresses an increasingly important challenge: maintaining trust in scholarly publishing during a period of rapid technological change. 

As artificial intelligence increases both the volume and complexity of research, ensuring the integrity, reproducibility and transparency of published work becomes even more critical. The report points to continued investment in editorial processes, publishing technology and quality assurance measures designed to support research integrity. 

For editors and authors alike, this emphasis reflects a broader industry conversation about balancing innovation with rigorous research practices. Open access alone is not enough; ensuring that openly available research is reliable, transparent and reproducible is equally important.

Looking ahead

Five years after the publication of the first Open Access Report, our latest findings paint a picture of a publishing landscape that continues to move steadily towards openness. More articles are being published OA, transformative agreements are supporting a growing number of institutions worldwide, and researchers are seeing greater visibility, readership and impact from their work.  

For researchers, authors and editors, the message is clear: open access is no longer a niche option. It has become the standard route for sharing knowledge, increasing research impact and extending access to scholarly outputs around the world. The combination of accessibility, trust and technological innovation will remain crucial to ensuring that research can be discovered, used and built upon for the benefit of society.

Explore the OA Report 2025

Related content:

• How gold open access helps researchers expand their global impact
• Building the infrastructure for open science: A conversation with Carole Goble
• Open for impact: What China’s OA growth shows about the future of global research 
• Navigating open access article processing charges: A guide for researchers

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