In short: Scopus (Elsevier) and Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate) are separate citation databases. They select journals differently, publish different metrics and keep separate quartile lists. A journal can be in one, both or neither. For authors, the practical question is not which database is "better" but which one your university, funder or employer names, and whether your target journal is covered there today. If you only need the meaning of labels such as SCI, SCIE and ESCI, read our SCI vs SCIE vs ESCI vs Scopus glossary.
By On Time Publication Editorial Team ยท Last updated 3 November 2026
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The table summarises what each database says about itself on its official pages. Figures change, so treat counts as indicative and check the source pages listed at the end of this guide.
| Question | Scopus | Web of Science Core Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Elsevier | Clarivate |
| Who selects titles | An independent Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB) | Clarivate's in-house editors, who Clarivate says have no affiliation to publishers or research institutes |
| What it covers | Journals, book series, conference proceedings and trade publications from more than 7,000 publishers | More than 22,000 journals indexed cover to cover, plus separate conference and book indexes |
| Main journal metrics | CiteScore, SJR (SCImago Journal Rank) and SNIP | Journal Impact Factor (JIF) and Journal Citation Indicator (JCI) in Journal Citation Reports |
| Quartiles usually quoted | SJR quartiles (SCImago) or CiteScore percentiles | JIF or JCI quartiles within Web of Science categories |
| Free public check | Scopus Sources page and the downloadable source title list | Master Journal List |
| When a title drops out | Discontinued: new content stops; content already indexed normally stays | On Hold during re-evaluation; if removed, new content is not indexed or backfilled |
Elsevier describes Scopus as a curated database of serial titles from more than 7,000 publishers, covering journals, book series, conference proceedings and trade publications across a broad range of disciplines, and updated daily. Clarivate describes Web of Science Core Collection as more than 22,000 peer-reviewed journals indexed cover to cover, organised into editions: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Arts & Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), plus conference proceedings and book citation indexes.
Raw size is a weak guide for authors. Both databases count different things, and neither number tells you whether a particular journal in your field is covered. What matters is whether your shortlisted journal is listed, for which years, and in which edition. Medical authors may also need to check MEDLINE status, which is a separate question covered in PubMed-indexed journals.
Scopus. Elsevier says a title must first meet technical criteria: peer-reviewed content with a publicly available description of the peer review process, regular publication with an ISSN registered with the ISSN International Centre, English-language titles and abstracts, and a publicly available publication ethics and malpractice statement. The CSAB then reviews journal policy, content, the journal's standing (including citations in Scopus and the standing of its editors), publishing regularity and online availability.
Web of Science. Clarivate evaluates journals against 28 criteria: 24 quality criteria and 4 impact criteria. Clarivate says all newly submitted journals are evaluated on quality first and, if they pass, are added to ESCI. Journals that also meet the impact criteria, where citation activity is the main indicator, can be placed in SCIE, SSCI or AHCI. Clarivate also says journals can move between editions in both directions. The practical difference between ESCI and the other editions is explained in our ESCI and SSCI journal guide.
In both systems, only the database decides. A journal's own website, an email invitation or an agent cannot make a journal "indexed". Authors cannot submit individual papers for indexing; papers are indexed because the journal that publishes them is covered.
The two databases use different journal metrics, so do not compare numbers across them.
Clarivate released Journal Citation Reports 2026 on 17 June 2026, with metrics for 22,643 journals across 254 categories, based on 2025 data. Scopus metrics can be checked free on the Scopus Sources page. For a step-by-step walkthrough of finding each value, see how to check impact factor and quartile.
Quartiles are the most common source of confusion. "Q1" means nothing until you know which list it comes from. A journal can be Q1 by SJR in one category and Q2 by JIF in another, because the lists use different data, formulas and categories. If your rule asks for Q1 or Q2, confirm whether it means SJR, JIF or JCI, and which year. Our Q1 and Q2 journal selection guide covers shortlisting for competitive quartiles.
We cannot tell you what your institution requires, and we do not summarise any university's rules here. Promotion, scholarship and graduation rules in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Jordan differ between institutions and change over time. Many name Scopus, Web of Science or both, and some add a quartile, a specific edition or a year. The wording matters, so before you choose a journal, ask for the current written rule and check:
If you are publishing from the Gulf, our guide to publishing in Scopus from Saudi Arabia walks through the full process. Regional support pages: Saudi Arabia and GCC, UAE and Jordan.
Our guide to checking Scopus and Web of Science indexing shows each step in detail, and how to spot predatory journals covers the warning signs.
Many established journals are covered by both Scopus and Web of Science, which can make them a safer choice when a rule accepts either database or when you may need the paper for more than one purpose. Even so, each database decides coverage separately, start years can differ, and a journal can leave one database while staying in the other. Check each database separately and record what you found. When rules are strict, a journal that appears in both and sits in the required quartile in the list your rule names is usually the least risky target, but fit with the journal's scope still matters most; a strong index does not help a paper that falls outside the journal's aims, as our desk rejection guide explains.
Scopus. Elsevier re-evaluates titles flagged for publication concerns or outlier performance. If the CSAB decides to discontinue a title, new content stops being added. Elsevier says content already indexed normally remains in Scopus, and is removed only in exceptional cases of proven severe unethical practice. Discontinued titles are listed in the source title list.
Web of Science. Clarivate says acceptance into Web of Science is not permanent. If valid concerns arise, a journal is re-evaluated and an On Hold notice appears in the Master Journal List; new content is not indexed during that time. If the journal still meets the criteria, missing content is indexed. If it is removed from coverage, it disappears from the Master Journal List, is shown as an Editorial De-listing in the monthly changes file, and its content is not backfilled. In the most serious cases, Clarivate says previously published content may be removed.
The lesson for authors: check indexing close to submission, not from an old list, and avoid journals that are On Hold. If you are weighing journal fees as well, see Scopus publication fees and APCs.
On Time Publication is an online service based in the UK, trusted by 500+ researchers. We support authors with editing and journal targeting; we do not write papers and we never promise acceptance.
Independence: On Time Publication is not affiliated with Elsevier/Scopus, Clarivate/Web of Science, SCImago or any journal, publisher or university. We have no office in the GCC or Jordan. Indexing, metrics and acceptance decisions belong to the databases and journals.
We checked these sources on 3 November 2026:
Scopus is an abstract and citation database owned by Elsevier, and its titles are selected by an independent Content Selection and Advisory Board. Web of Science Core Collection is owned by Clarivate, and its journals are selected by Clarivate's in-house editors against 28 published criteria. They use different metrics: CiteScore, SJR and SNIP for Scopus titles; the Journal Impact Factor and Journal Citation Indicator for Web of Science journals.
Neither is better in general. The right target is the one your university, funder or employer names in its written rule. If the rule accepts either, choose the journal that best fits your paper and verify it in the database the rule names.
Rules differ between universities, colleges and even committees, and they change. Many name Scopus, Web of Science or both, and some add a quartile. We do not speak for any institution, so ask for the current written rule and check which database, edition and quartile list it names.
Yes. The Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) is part of Web of Science Core Collection. ESCI journals meet Clarivate's quality criteria, and Clarivate says they receive a Journal Impact Factor. Some rules ask specifically for SCIE or SSCI, so check whether ESCI counts for your purpose.
No. The Journal Impact Factor is a Clarivate metric published in Journal Citation Reports for journals in Web of Science Core Collection. A journal indexed only in Scopus can have a CiteScore, SJR and SNIP, but not a Journal Impact Factor.
Not necessarily. SJR quartiles come from SCImago rankings of Scopus data, while JIF and JCI quartiles come from Clarivate rankings within Web of Science categories. Categories and formulas differ, so the same journal can sit in different quartiles in each, or in different quartiles in different categories.
Yes. Many journals are covered by both, but each database makes its own decision and can change it. Check the journal separately in each database, and check that coverage is current.
Search the ISSN on the Scopus Sources page or in the Scopus source title list for Scopus, and in the Clarivate Master Journal List for Web of Science. Do not rely on a badge on the journal website.
Elsevier says that content already indexed stays in Scopus, except in exceptional cases of proven severe unethical practice. Discontinuation stops new content from being added. If your rule depends on indexing at the time of publication, ask how your institution treats this.
Clarivate places an On Hold notice when a journal is being re-evaluated after concerns about its content. New content is not indexed during the re-evaluation. If the journal stays covered, missing content is indexed; if it is removed from coverage, the content is not backfilled.
Individual papers are indexed when the journal that publishes them is covered. Clarivate accepts journal submissions only from publishers, and Scopus accepts suggestions for serial titles, which its board evaluates. You cannot pay or apply to have a single paper indexed.
Yes. Our journal selection service gives a shortlist of 3 journals matched to your paper and your rule, and we check each one in the official database on the day we prepare the list. You choose the journal, and the journal decides on acceptance.
Not sure whether your rule needs Scopus or Web of Science? Send us your manuscript and the rule you must meet, and we will explain in a free assessment how we can help.
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