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Education & Research
Unpaywall
Unpaywall logo
Education & Research

Unpaywall

Unpaywall is an open database and service that helps researchers, librarians, and institutions legally access scholarly articles by finding free, legal open-access versions of paywalled research papers. Developed by OurResearch (formerly Impactstory), it harvests content from thousands of open-access repositories worldwide, including institutional repositories, subject repositories like arXiv and PubMed Central, and publisher-hosted open-access journals. The service operates primarily through a browser extension that automatically detects when a user is viewing a paywalled article and searches for a freely available version, displaying a green 'open' tab if found. Unpaywall also provides a comprehensive API and dataset used by libraries, universities, and discovery platforms to integrate open-access linking into their systems. Its database contains over 50 million open-access articles, making it one of the largest open-access discovery tools available. The tool addresses the problem of expensive journal subscriptions by leveraging the growing open-access movement to increase research accessibility without violating copyright laws.

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πŸ“Š At a Glance

Pricing
Freemium
Reviews
No reviews
Traffic
β‰ˆ500K visits/month (public web traffic estimate, 2024)
Engagement
0πŸ”₯
0πŸ‘οΈ
Categories
Education & Research
Academic Research

Key Features

Browser Extension

A lightweight browser add-on that automatically detects paywalled research articles and searches for open-access versions, displaying a green tab when found.

Comprehensive Open-Access Database

A massive database harvesting content from thousands of open-access sources including institutional repositories, subject repositories, and publisher-hosted OA journals.

REST API

A programmatic interface allowing developers and institutions to integrate open-access discovery into their own systems, tools, and workflows.

Dataset Snapshot

A complete snapshot of the Unpaywall database available for download, containing metadata for all articles including open-access status and links.

Smart Matching Algorithm

Advanced matching technology that identifies when different versions of the same article are available across multiple repositories and publishers.

Institutional Integration

Tools and support for integrating Unpaywall into library systems, discovery platforms, and institutional research infrastructure.

Pricing

Free

$0
  • βœ“Browser extension with unlimited use
  • βœ“Basic API access with rate limits (100,000 requests/month)
  • βœ“Access to open-access link discovery
  • βœ“Non-commercial use only
  • βœ“Standard data updates

Sustainer

$250/month
  • βœ“Higher API rate limits (1,000,000 requests/month)
  • βœ“Commercial use allowed
  • βœ“Priority support
  • βœ“Early access to new features
  • βœ“Sustains development of open scholarly infrastructure

Enterprise/Custom

contact sales
  • βœ“Custom API rate limits and SLAs
  • βœ“Dedicated support
  • βœ“Custom data integrations
  • βœ“White-label options
  • βœ“Bulk data access
  • βœ“Institutional deployment options

Traffic & Awareness

Monthly Visits
β‰ˆ500K visits/month (public web traffic estimate, 2024)
Global Rank
##125,423 global rank by traffic, Similarweb estimate
Bounce Rate
β‰ˆ45% (Similarweb estimate, 2024)
Avg. Duration
β‰ˆ00:03:15 per visit, Similarweb estimate, 2024

Use Cases

1

Individual Researcher Access

Researchers and students use the Unpaywall browser extension to bypass paywalls when accessing articles from home or institutions with limited subscriptions. When encountering a paywalled article on publisher sites, the extension automatically searches for legal open-access versions, saving time and expanding access to needed literature. This is particularly valuable for independent researchers, those at smaller institutions, or anyone working outside their institutional network.

2

Library Resource Enhancement

Academic libraries integrate Unpaywall into their discovery systems and link resolvers to provide patrons with open-access alternatives to subscription-only content. This extends the effective collection of the library without additional subscription costs. Libraries use the API to enhance their catalogs with open-access indicators and links, improving user experience and increasing successful access rates.

3

Open-Access Policy Compliance

Research institutions and funders use Unpaywall data to monitor compliance with open-access mandates and policies. By analyzing their researchers' publications in the Unpaywall database, institutions can track open-access rates, identify non-compliant publications, and make data-driven decisions about repository deposits and publisher negotiations. This supports institutional open-access strategies and reporting requirements.

4

Bibliometric Research

Scholars studying scholarly communication use the Unpaywall dataset for large-scale analysis of open-access trends, patterns, and impacts. Researchers download the complete dataset snapshot to analyze geographic, disciplinary, and temporal trends in open-access adoption. This supports evidence-based research on the effects of open access on citation rates, research dissemination, and equity in knowledge access.

5

Publisher and Platform Integration

Academic publishers, preprint servers, and research platforms integrate Unpaywall's API to show open-access status and links within their own interfaces. This enhances user experience by providing immediate access alternatives and supports transparency about article availability. Platforms like Dimensions, Crossref, and others use Unpaywall data to enrich their metadata and provide value-added services to users.

6

Systematic Review Support

Researchers conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses use Unpaywall to ensure comprehensive access to literature without being limited by institutional subscriptions. The tool helps identify open-access versions of included studies, facilitating data extraction and analysis. This is particularly valuable for large review teams with diverse institutional affiliations or for reviews including historical literature.

How to Use

  1. Step 1: Visit the Unpaywall website at https://unpaywall.org and navigate to the 'Products' section to explore available options including the browser extension, API, and datasets.
  2. Step 2: For individual use, install the Unpaywall browser extension from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons store. The extension is free and requires minimal permissions.
  3. Step 3: While browsing research articles on publisher websites like Elsevier, Springer, or Wiley, the extension automatically activates when it detects a paywalled article.
  4. Step 4: If Unpaywall finds a legal open-access version, a green tab labeled 'Open' appears on the right side of your browser window. Click this tab to be redirected to the free version.
  5. Step 5: For institutional or programmatic use, register for an API key through the Unpaywall website to access their REST API for integrating open-access discovery into library systems, discovery platforms, or research tools.
  6. Step 6: Use the API to query articles by DOI, PMID, or other identifiers, receiving structured JSON responses indicating open-access availability and links.
  7. Step 7: For large-scale analysis, consider accessing the Unpaywall dataset snapshot, which contains metadata for all articles in their database, available for download and research purposes.
  8. Step 8: Integrate Unpaywall into existing research workflows through their various integration options, including library link resolvers, institutional repositories, and research information systems.

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At a Glance

Pricing Model
Freemium
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