Locked accounts by default
Newly registered users remain disabled until an administrator reviews and accepts them. Unapproved accounts cannot log in or use journal workflows.
Take Control of Your OJS User Base
Open Journal Systems installations are frequent targets for automated scripts that create fake accounts at scale. These registrations clutter the user database, consume editorial time, and can create a serious security and reputation problem for your journal.
Manual User Activation for OJS 3.3 intercepts the registration workflow without changing the familiar registration experience. Every new account is created in a locked (disabled) state and remains unable to log in or perform actions until an administrator explicitly approves it.
This gives editors a deliberate approval point: legitimate researchers can be admitted quickly, while suspicious registrations can be removed and reported to the wider Spam Sentinel network.
Key Features
Dedicated Pending Users page
A clean page is added directly below Users & Roles in the OJS backend. It lists pending users with their names, usernames, and email addresses.
Fast bulk processing
Select individual users or use Select All to approve genuine researchers or mark unwanted accounts as Spam in just a few actions.
Spam Sentinel integration
Confirmed spam accounts can be deleted and submitted to the global Spam Sentinel network, helping protect other academic publishing systems from the same bots.
A Safer Registration Workflow
The plugin keeps the decision with your editorial team. New registrations are held in a pending state, administrators review the available identity and contact details, and each account is then accepted or rejected in bulk. This turns an open registration endpoint into a controlled, practical workflow for journals of any size.
Official license pricing and related services
Regional pricing (Serbia & region — EUR)
Serbia is invoiced in the RSD equivalent at the NBS middle exchange rate, while the region can be invoiced in EUR. SEF e-Invoices and Treasury Administration payments are supported.
| Package | License capacity (activation pool) | Model A: Perpetual / one-time | Maintenance & updates · Year 2+ | Model B: Annual subscription | Key inclusions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1 instance (1 journal) | €140 | €45 / year | €80 / year | Locked accounts on registration, Pending Users dashboard, individual and bulk approval, and Spam Sentinel network reporting. |
| Standard | Up to 10 instances | €350 | €110 / year | €190 / year | All Starter features for up to 10 active journals on one or more servers/domains. |
| Pro | Up to 20 instances | €590 | €180 / year | €320 / year | For faculties with many journals that need centralized registration control. |
| Campus | Up to 40 instances | €890 | €260 / year | €490 / year | For larger faculty groups and university publishing centres. |
| University / Enterprise | Up to 300 instances (fair-use unlimited) | €1,350 | €390 / year | €750 / year | University-wide license for up to 300 active journals. |
International pricing (Global market — USD)
Payment is available through Stripe (cards), PayPal, or international SWIFT bank transfer.
| Tier | License scope (activation pool) | Option A: Perpetual / one-time | Maintenance · Year 2+ | Option B: Annual subscription | Key inclusions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Journal | 1 instance | $180 | $60 / year | $99 / year | Locked accounts on signup, dedicated Pending Users panel, bulk approval/rejection, and Spam Sentinel API sync. |
| Standard | Up to 10 instances | $450 | $140 / year | $240 / year | Full pending-user workflow for up to 10 journals across any servers/domains. |
| Pro | Up to 20 instances | $750 | $230 / year | $410 / year | For active multi-journal publishers and academic societies. |
| Campus | Up to 40 instances | $1,150 | $340 / year | $620 / year | Campus-wide deployment for university press operations. |
| Enterprise / University | Up to 300 instances | $1,750 | $500 / year | $950 / year | Institutional master license for up to 300 journals with priority support. |
Installation and technical-service add-ons
The plugin is technically lightweight, so installation and onboarding are quick and straightforward.
Level 1: Self-Service
Included (€0 / $0)
Download archive, detailed installation guide, license-key entry, and independent activation.
Level 2: Standard assisted installation
+ €40 · Global: $50
For 1–10 instances: plugin installation, registration-form interception check, notification testing, and Spam Sentinel API connection testing.
Level 3: Campus / Enterprise configuration
+ €120 · Global: $160
For up to 40 or 300 instances: bulk activation on all journals, administrator-permission setup, and stability testing.
Short editorial briefing
+ €60 · Global: $80
Up to 45 minutes remote: Pending Users dashboard, rapid spam-identification criteria, bulk actions, and error handling. Includes a recording.
Maintenance and annual updates (SLA)
For perpetual-license users from Year 2 and annual-license users (included in the subscription), the SLA includes:
- OJS 3.3 hook stability: preserved registration-form interception with every minor OJS 3.3 LTS update.
- Up-to-date Spam Sentinel integration: maintained API communication with the central server for sharing recognized spammers.
- Registration compatibility: adaptations for changes to the OJS user database or additional registration-form fields.
- A 50% discount on the OJS 3.4 / 3.5 upgrade, or a free version for active annual subscribers.
- Incident resolution and technical assistance within 24 business hours.
Activation Pool & anti-abuse licensing
1 license = 1 activated journal
A license is consumed when the plugin is activated in the settings of a specific journal.
Multi-domain & multi-server allocation
A package of 10, 20, 40, or 300 licenses may be allocated on one server or across different domains and servers. For example, a university can assign licenses to separate faculty servers.
Anti-abuse protection
The key is permanently assigned to the activated journal. Malicious rotation or repeated movement of the key between sites to bypass the active-license quota results in key suspension.