On 16 February 2026, the Royal Society confirmed that its eight subscription journals will publish all research as open access throughout 2026 under the Subscribe to Open (S2O) model. Libraries worldwide renewed their support, meeting the required threshold and enabling the flip without authors paying article processing charges.

What Subscribe to Open means for publishers and readers

Subscribe to Open converts subscription journals to open access one year at a time. Institutions continue paying their existing subscription fees. If enough libraries participate, the entire year’s content becomes freely readable and authors publish without fees. The Royal Society’s announcement marks the first full-year success for its hybrid titles after years of planning that began in 2025.

The eight journals now fully open access

The journals covered are Biology Letters, Interface Focus, Journal of the Royal Society Interface, Notes and Records, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A and B, and Proceedings of the Royal Society A and B. Two existing fully open access titles, Open Biology and Royal Society Open Science, remain outside the S2O programme.

Immediate benefits for researchers worldwide

Authors submitting to these journals in 2026 gain immediate open access publication at no cost. Readers anywhere can access peer-reviewed articles without paywalls, accelerating discovery and citation potential. The model aligns with funder mandates from bodies requiring immediate open access.

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Libraries drive the transition

Institutional subscribers played the decisive role. By maintaining subscriptions, libraries triggered the open access threshold. Multi-year agreements are now being discussed to secure the model beyond 2026, offering predictability for both publishers and institutions.

Broader context in the open access landscape

The Royal Society’s move builds on two decades of progress that began with the launch of its first open access journal. Read & Publish agreements complemented S2O, creating a hybrid pathway that has now matured into full open access for the subscription portfolio.

Equity and global research access

Researchers in low- and middle-income countries benefit directly from barrier-free reading and publishing. The model reduces reliance on article processing charges that can disadvantage authors without grant funding, supporting more inclusive participation in scholarly communication.

Sustainability considerations

Publishers and librarians note that S2O provides a cost-effective route compared with pure gold open access models. Continued library participation remains essential; the Royal Society has signalled that future years will depend on sustained support.

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Implications for academic careers and publishing choices

Early-career researchers and PhD candidates now have expanded options for publishing in high-impact titles without fee barriers. University administrators evaluating publishing agreements can point to the Royal Society’s success as evidence that collective library action can deliver open access at scale.

Future outlook for 2027 and beyond

The Royal Society expects to continue the S2O programme in subsequent years provided subscription thresholds are met. Discussions around multi-year commitments aim to embed the model as a long-term solution for sustainable open access.