Variation in popularity among scientific journals: The Journal Popularity Score (JPS)

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Abstract
This paper introduces the Journal Popularity Score (JPS), a usage-based indicator of journal popularity derived from visits to journal pages on the SciRev.org website. Whereas citation-based indicators measure journal status through references to published work, the JPS captures researchers' interest in journals as possible publication outlets. Using SciRev traffic data for 2020-2025, after removing documented and likely bot traffic, we examine how journal visits vary by discipline, citation-based prestige, open access status, publisher type, and region of visiting researchers. The results show that journal popularity is highly unevenly distributed and differs strongly across disciplines. It is positively related to citation-based indicators, but only moderately, indicating that popularity cannot be reduced to citation-based impact alone. Subscription journals still receive the largest share of visits, while open access journals account for almost 30 percent, with notable regional differences. Publisher patterns further show the strong position of large commercial publishers, learned-society journals, and established open access publishers. The JPS therefore adds a new perspective to journal evaluation by capturing researchers’ active interest in journals as possible publication outlets.