CAS major category
Biology SCI Journals
The Biology major category of the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition) holds 1,183 journals. This page ranks them by impact factor and gives each one's CAS zone, review time, APC and open-access status (as of October 2026). Largest minor categories: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (220), Plant Sciences (195), Zoology (152), Cell Biology (142), Genetics & Heredity (120), Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology (120), Microbiology (93), Biology (80).
Biology SCI Journals by impact factor
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
ISSN 1471-0072 · Springer Nature · ENGLANDCell Biology
IF 117.97CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: 6–12 weeksSubscription120 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Reviews Microbiology
ISSN 1740-1526 · Springer Nature · ENGLANDMicrobiology
IF 104.79CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: 6–12 weeksSubscription129 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Reviews Genetics
ISSN 1471-0056 · Springer Nature · ENGLANDGenetics & Heredity
IF 51.32CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: 6–12 weeksSubscription115 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Cell
ISSN 0092-8674 · Cell Press · UNITED STATESBiochemistry & Molecular Biology
IF 44.85CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 303 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 11,400Hybrid OA512 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →iMeta
ISSN 2770-5986 · Wiley · AustraliaBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Biotechnology
IF 44.4CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 51 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 4,960Gold OA123 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus · DOAJ
View journal profile →Nature Biotechnology
ISSN 1087-0156 · Springer Nature · UNITED STATESBiotechnology & Applied Microbiology
IF 43.77CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 254 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 12,690Hybrid OA437 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Cell Metabolism
ISSN 1550-4131 · Cell Press · UNITED STATESEndocrinology & Metabolism
IF 36.75CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 164 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 10,400Hybrid OA199 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Molecular Plant
ISSN 1674-2052 · Cell Press · PEOPLES R CHINABiochemistry & Molecular Biology
IF 32.69CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 144 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 5,000Gold OA227 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Cell Research
ISSN 1001-0602 · Springer Nature · PEOPLES R CHINACell Biology
IF 31.44CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 171 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 5,190Hybrid OA149 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Methods
ISSN 1548-7091 · Springer Nature · UNITED STATESBiochemical Research Methods
IF 27.97CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 365 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 12,690Hybrid OA433 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Fungal Diversity
ISSN 1560-2745 · Springer Netherlands · PEOPLES R CHINAMycology
IF 26.77CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: about 6 monthsAPC about USD 3,490Hybrid OA21 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Annual Review of Plant Biology
ISSN 1543-5008 · Annual Reviews Inc. · UNITED STATESPlant Sciences
IF 26.35CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopSubscription23 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Genetics
ISSN 1061-4036 · Springer Nature · UNITED STATESGenetics & Heredity
IF 25.44CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 395 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 12,690Hybrid OA437 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Trends in Cell Biology
ISSN 0962-8924 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLANDCell Biology
IF 24.94CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 98 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 7,030Hybrid OA126 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Annual Review of Biochemistry
ISSN 0066-4154 · Annual Reviews Inc. · UNITED STATESBiochemistry & Molecular Biology
IF 24.8CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopSubscription22 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Cell Biology
ISSN 1465-7392 · Springer Nature · ENGLANDCell Biology
IF 22.84CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 290 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 12,690Hybrid OA273 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Lancet Microbe
ISSN 2666-5247 · Elsevier · United KingdomMultiple
IF 21.09CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 172 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 8,570Gold OA245 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus · DOAJ
View journal profile →Trends in Plant Science
ISSN 1360-1385 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLANDPlant Sciences
IF 20.51CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 96 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 7,030Hybrid OA214 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Mycosphere
ISSN 2077-7000 · Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology · PEOPLES R CHINAMYCOLOGY
IF 19.79CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: about 4 weeksAPC charged, amount not publishedGold OA43 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus · DOAJJournal site: submissions paused
View journal profile →Autophagy
ISSN 1554-8627 · Landes Bioscience · UNITED STATESCell Biology
IF 18.77CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 203 days to acceptanceHybrid OA243 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Microbiology
ISSN 2058-5276 · Springer Nature · UNITED STATESImmunology and Microbiology-Microbiology
IF 18.61CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 287 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 12,690Hybrid OA345 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Trends in Microbiology
ISSN 0966-842X · Elsevier Ltd · UNITED STATESBiochemistry & Molecular Biology
IF 18.55CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 70 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 7,030Hybrid OA193 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Nature Protocols
ISSN 1754-2189 · Springer Nature · ENGLANDBiochemical Research Methods
IF 18.37CAS Zone 2 · Biology · TopReview: median 255 days to acceptanceSubscription188 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Studies in Mycology
ISSN 0166-0616 · Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute · NETHERLANDSMycology
IF 18.28CAS Zone 1 · Biology · TopReview: median 133 days to acceptanceAPC about USD 1,430Gold OA18 articles/yrSCIE · Scopus
View journal profile →Biology journals: frequently asked questions
How many SCI journals are there in Biology?
As of October 2026, JournalCompass lists 1183 journals in the Biology major category of the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition): 111 in Zone 1, 189 in Zone 2, 252 in Zone 3 and 586 in Zone 4, 139 of them Top journals. By database: SCIE 977, SSCI 2, A&HCI 0 and ESCI 188 (a journal can be indexed in more than one).
Which Biology journals are in CAS Zone 1?
By impact factor, the Zone 1 journals in Biology include Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (impact factor 117.97), Nature Reviews Microbiology (impact factor 104.79), Nature Reviews Genetics (impact factor 51.32), Cell (impact factor 44.85), iMeta (impact factor 44.4), 111 in all; see the full list of Zone 1 Biology journals.
Which Biology journals have fast peer review?
Across the 1102 Biology journals with review-time data, the median review time is about 14.4 weeks. Among Zone 1–2 journals, fast ones include Physics of Life Reviews (about 1.4 weeks, community reports), Animal Behaviour (about 3 weeks, community reports), Mycosphere (about 4 weeks, community reports), ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING (about 4.5 weeks, community reports), Biology-Basel (about 5 weeks, article statistics). Review times come first from article statistics (the median from submission to acceptance over the last 24 months), then from publisher figures and community reports; a single manuscript can take much longer or shorter.
Which Biology journals charge no APC?
74 journals in Biology charge authors no article processing charge (APC); those with the highest impact factors include Stress Biology (impact factor 6.4), EXCLI Journal (impact factor 5.95), Applied and Environmental Microbiology (impact factor 4.07), Journal of Bacteriology (impact factor 3.78), Journal of Cotton Research (impact factor 3.6); see the list of Biology journals with no APC. Subscription journals usually charge no APC but may charge for colour figures or extra pages; check the journal's website before submitting.
Further reading: How to read journal rankings · How to read review times and acceptance rates · Find journals from your abstract