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Beallslist vs Doaj

Beallslist lands on Depends, and Doaj lands on Worth it.

Doaj

doaj.org

Worth it
Confidence: Medium

Free, community-funded index that is the de facto whitelist for legitimate open-access journals . researchers, librarians and funders should use it.

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Beallslist versus Doaj
CompareBeallslistDoaj
VerdictDependsWorth it
Best forResearchers choosing where to submitResearchers vetting open-access journals
Who it's not forAnyone needing updated, evidence-backed verdictsBuyers wanting a purchasable SaaS tool with support SLAs
PrivacyNo known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.⁹No public vulnerabilities found for DOAJ itself; a 2025 XSS CVE affects a third-party WordPress export plugin, not.
Support qualityAnonymous maintainer, no support or appeal path.No support quality evidence in sources
Public sentimentAcademics treat the list as a useful but imperfect and contested first-pass screening tool.⁴Researchers and librarians treat DOAJ as the free go-to whitelist for legitimate open-access journals, while some debate whether it carries the same weight as Scopus.14
Biggest gotchaNo support channel and no appeal process for wrongly listed journals.⁶Fake journals claim DOAJ indexing; always verify on itself, not the journal's site12

Pick Beallslist when

  • Researchers choosing where to submit
  • Librarians vetting unfamiliar journals
  • Authors screening solicitation emails

When Beallslist is not a fit

  • Anyone needing updated, evidence-backed verdicts
  • Institutions needing defensible, appeal-ready checks
  • Developers wanting an API or database integration
  • Buyers of paid, reviewed blacklists like Cabell's

Pick Doaj when

  • Researchers vetting open-access journals
  • Librarians curating trusted OA collections
  • Funders checking OA compliance
  • OA publishers building credibility

When Doaj is not a fit

  • Buyers wanting a purchasable SaaS tool with support SLAs
  • Authors needing impact factors or citation metrics
  • Committees requiring Scopus/Web of Science prestige
  • Journals wanting quick, guaranteed indexing

Sources

  1. Standalone Journalsbeallslist.net
    official
  2. Criteria for determining predatory publishersbeallslist.us
    official
  3. Why did Beall's List go dark?retractionwatch.com
    news
  4. Predatory journals: Perception, impact and use of Beall's listpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    review
  5. Beall's List and Cabell's Blacklist: A Comparisonresearchgate.net
    review
  6. Fake online resources blackmailing publishers with black listsresearchgate.net
    review
  7. Is Beall's List credible?researchgate.net
    review
  8. Beall-listed Frontiers empire strikes backforbetterscience.com
    news
  9. Product security pagebeallslist.net
    official
  10. DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journalsdoaj.org
    official
  11. DOAJ Application Guide for OJS Journals - PKP Docsdocs.pkp.sfu.ca
    official
  12. Some journals say they are indexed in DOAJ but they are notblog.doaj.org
    official
  13. DOAJ supporter modelsdoaj.org
    official
  14. A Review of the Directory of Open Access Journalsdcdm.doody.com
    review
  15. Are Scopus and DOAJ indexed journals credible . Reddit r/academiareddit.com
    review
  16. DOAJ, a real whitelist?researchgate.net
    review