Estimating transformative agreement impact on hybrid open access: A comparative large-scale study using Scopus, Web of Science and open metadata

Abstract:  This study compares open metadata from hoaddata, an openly available dataset based on Crossref, OpenAlex and the cOAlition S Journal Checker Tool, with proprietary bibliometric databases Scopus and Web of Science to estimate the impact of transformative agreements on hybrid open access publishing. Analysing over 13,000 hybrid journals between 2019-2023, the research found substantial growth in open access due to these agreements, although most articles remain paywalled. The results were consistent across all three data sources, showing strong correlations in country-level metrics despite differences in journal coverage and metadata availability. By 2023, transformative agreements enabled the majority of open access in hybrid journals, with particularly high adoption in European countries. The analysis revealed strong alignment between first and corresponding authorship when measuring agreement uptake by publisher and country. This comparative approach supports the use of open metadata for large-scale hybrid open access studies, while using multiple data sources together provides a more robust understanding of hybrid open access adoption than any single database can offer, overcoming individual limitations in coverage and metadata quality.