Low APC Finance Journals (2026)

High Article Processing Charges (APCs) are a barrier to open access publication for many finance researchers, particularly those self-funding, in lower-income institutions, or in early career stages without large research grants. Low APC finance journals from Keith Publications offer transparent, competitive publication costs that make open access finance research publication genuinely accessible to all qualified researchers.

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What to Look for When Choosing a Journal

Before submitting your research, evaluate journals on these key criteria:

Transparent APC with no hidden or surprise fees after acceptance
Waiver programme for eligible researchers from developing economies
Competitive APC relative to comparable finance peer-reviewed journals
No submission or review fee charged before peer review decision
Flexible payment options for institutional and individual authors
Value proposition: quality open access finance publication at accessible cost

Recommended Journals — Cluster 7: Finance, Accounting & Economics

All journals below are published by Keith Publications — open access, peer-reviewed, and indexed for global discoverability.

Journal of Financial Economics and Management (JFEM)
Financial economics, corporate finance, investment management, financial markets, monetary policy, and the economics of financial systems and institutions.

Review: 2–3 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Financial Economics Corporate Finance Investment Management Financial Markets

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Journal of Accounting and Financial Reporting (JAFR)
Financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, corporate governance, financial reporting standards, and the intersection of accounting with regulation and public policy.

Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Financial Accounting Auditing Corporate Governance Financial Reporting

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International Journal of Banking and Financial Services (IJBFS)
Banking systems, financial services regulation, fintech, digital banking, risk management, financial inclusion, and the stability of global financial institutions.

Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Banking Systems Financial Services Fintech Risk Management

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Economics and Social Policy Research Journal (ESPRJ)
Applied economics, development economics, fiscal and monetary policy, social policy evaluation, labour economics, and the economics of welfare, health, and education.

Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Applied Economics Development Economics Fiscal Policy Social Policy

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Fast Publication: All Keith Publications journals complete initial review within 2–5 business days and full peer review within 2–4 weeks. Articles are published online within 5–10 days of acceptance — making us one of the fastest open access publishers in finance, accounting, and economics.

Understanding Article Processing Charges in Finance Journals

Article Processing Charges (APCs) fund the editorial, peer review management, and production costs of open access finance and economics publication. Keith Publications offers competitive, transparent APCs with no hidden fees — the cost stated at submission is the cost on acceptance. For finance and economics researchers from lower-income economies, waiver and discount programmes are available — ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent qualified accounting researchers, banking scholars, financial economists, and development economists from publishing their work in indexed, peer-reviewed open access journals.

Maximising Value From Your Finance Research Publication Investment

When evaluating the cost of publishing in a finance or economics journal, consider the full value: an indexed, open access, CrossRef-DOI-assigned article that appears in Google Scholar, is permanently preserved, and freely accessible to policymakers, bankers, regulators, and researchers worldwide represents a substantial return on the publication investment. Keith Publications APCs cover double-blind peer review, professional production, CrossRef DOI registration, Google Scholar indexing, open access hosting, and long-term digital preservation — providing complete finance publication services for a transparent, affordable one-time charge.

Tips to Maximise Your Acceptance Chances

Align your topic with the journal's scope — confirm your research fits the journal's finance, accounting, or economics focus area.
Establish clear research questions — finance and economics editors expect precise, testable hypotheses or well-defined research questions.
Address endogeneity and identification — be explicit about your causal identification strategy and its limitations.
Use appropriate data and methodology — match your econometric or quantitative methods to your research question and data structure.
Follow formatting guidelines exactly — non-compliant manuscripts are often desk-rejected without review.
State practical and policy implications — explain how your findings inform investors, regulators, policymakers, or practitioners.
Ensure robust robustness checks — include alternative specifications, subsample analyses, and placebo tests to strengthen your empirical claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the APC for Keith Publications finance journals?

Current APC rates for Keith Publications Cluster 7 journals are published transparently on the Keith Publications website. Rates are competitive relative to the market and reflect actual editorial, production, and hosting costs with no hidden fees.

Are APC waivers available for finance researchers?

Yes. Keith Publications offers APC waivers and discounts for eligible researchers from lower-income economies. Researchers unable to afford the APC should contact the editorial team before submitting to discuss their eligibility.

Can research grants cover finance journal APCs?

Yes. Most research funding bodies allow APC costs to be included in grant budgets. Check your specific funder's policy on open access publication costs before submitting your grant application.

Is there a difference between low APC and low quality in finance journals?

No. Keith Publications low APC reflects efficient editorial operations — not reduced quality. The same rigorous double-blind peer review applies to all submissions regardless of APC level.

Related Research Guides

Explore other research journal guides in the Finance, Accounting & Economics cluster: