XSci, a preprint platform that launched in September, is paying researchers to review papers submitted by other scientists. The platform compensates reviewers $200 if they provide feedback within five days of accepting a review task, or $100 if they submit feedback between five and ten days.
Authors fund the reviews by paying XSci $399 per round of review, or $249 if they choose to make their review report public. The platform does not publish a journal.
Shumiao Ouyang, founder of XSci, says the system allows authors to receive comments quickly while compensating reviewers for their time and effort. The Delaware-incorporated company has received around $500,000 from private investors and is seeking additional funding.
The move has reignited debate about whether peer reviewers should be paid.