Author listing requirements for publishing BioRender figures

This article provides a guide for users on how to properly publish figures created in BioRender, covering licensing requirements, author listing rules, and step-by-step instructions to ensure compliance with publishing standards. 

BioRender licensing requirements:

To publish any figure created in BioRender, users must adhere to the following:

• Exporting with a paid subscription: Only figures exported from BioRender with an active paid subscription can be used for publication.
• Generating a publication license: Each figure must be accompanied by a unique Publication License, generated through BioRender. This license includes a specific URL for citation purposes.

Listing requirements based on user type:

Specific cases

• Academic Individual (Student, Postdoc) or Industry Individual License Users: You may publish figures if you have an active subscription and are listed as the first, co-first, co-senior, or last author in the publication.
• Academic Lab, Institutional, Industry Team, or Enterprise License Users: Author listing is not required to publish figures.

Common scenarios

Scenario: Academic or Industry Individual Plan – contribution to another researcher’s paper

Situation: You create a BioRender figure for a colleague’s paper or project in which you are not a lead or senior author. You are listed as a middle author (e.g., third or fourth author).

Clarification: Since you only have an Industry Individual or Academic Individual Plan, the figure cannot be published in the paper unless you are listed as the first, co-first, co-senior, or last author. 

Please note: This also applies to publishing under Student and Postdoc Plans.

Scenario: Academic Lab or Industry Team Plan – collaborating with an external partner or researcher

Situation: Your group has an Academic Lab or Industry Team Plan, and you create a BioRender figure for a joint paper led by a colleague from a different lab, institution, or field.

Clarification: Since you are covered under an Academic Lab or Industry Team Plan, there is no requirement for you to be listed as an author in the publication. You can contribute BioRender figures freely, regardless of your authorship position.

Scenario: Institutional or Enterprise Plan – internal and external research use

Situation: Your institution has an Institutional or Enterprise license for BioRender. You generate figures for multiple research groups and other members.

Clarification: Since your institution holds a broad license, there are no authorship restrictions. You can create and share figures without being listed as an author, whether the research is internal or collaborative.

Scenario: A researcher moves labs and wants to reuse figures

Situation: You created figures under your previous lab’s Academic Lab Plan but you’ve since moved to a new institution and want to use those figures in your current research.

Clarification: Since your previous lab had an Academic Lab Plan, you do not have to be listed as an author for the figure to be used in the paper. You can freely use these figures in any research publication, even if you are not an author. 

How to share illustrations among authors

If multiple authors need access to a figure:

• Ensure each user has the appropriate license based on their role (e.g., lead author vs. contributing author).
• Share figures directly via BioRender’s collaboration features to maintain access rights and ensure compliance with publication standards (Share your BioRender illustrations with collaborators).

Troubleshooting common issues

If you encounter issues during the publishing process, consider these tips:

• Figure export issues: Make sure you have an active subscription before attempting to export.
• Missing publication license: Ensure you generate a Publication License through BioRender before submitting to a journal.

Related articles

• Where can I use my illustrations?
• Citing BioRender 
• Publishing in Open-access journals 
• Publishing in Closed-access journals

What's next

To continue enhancing your publishing experience, consider:

• Exploring BioRender’s citation tools to streamline the inclusion of figures in your publications.
• Reviewing BioRender’s collaboration and sharing features for seamless teamwork on research projects.
• Familiarizing yourself with BioRender’s compliance guidelines for different journals and publication types.

Need Help?

If you need further assistance, our support team is here to help:

• Email Support: support@biorender.com
• Live Chat: Available by clicking on the "Help" bubble in the app on bottom right-hand corner.