After years of sloganeering, it’s interesting to see two trials of paid peer review coming on the heels of one another. The latest test of paying peer reviewers was run by the journal Biology Open (where I have published) using about 20 manuscripts.
Reviewers got paid somewhere around US$259-285 for doing a peer review that had to come back promptly. As in, within a week. And they did, with no apparently lapse in quality.
This looks promising, but some issues that are not caught in a small trial could emerge if payment becomes institutionalized.
Got to get back to prepping for class.
Update, 26 March 2025: The pseudonymous Overly Honest Editor on Bluesky writes (light edits):
I’m seeing £44k for 20 papers after discounting pay for refs. That is £2200 per paper, not far off from many mid-range journals APCs. Which to me translates to the usual: yes, we could pay peer reviewers, if people are willing to cash out 30% extra. And people aren’t willing.
Reference
Gorelick DA, Clark A. 2025. Fast & Fair peer review: a pilot study demonstrating feasibility of rapid, high-quality peer review in a biology journal. bioRxiv: 2025.03.18.644032.
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