A predatory publisher is an exploitative publishing company that exploits the need to publish but offers little in return for using their services.
The academic need to publish combined with the growth of Open Access journals has created an environment that is ripe for exploitation of authors. Some publishers are intentionally predatory, while others make mistakes for a variety of reasons, such as inexperience or mismanagement. While experiences with predatory publishers can differ, the goals of these groups are often the same: to make money from authors without adhering to established standards and best practices.