Computer Science and Information Systems (ComSIS) is an open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal founded in Serbia. Based on our experience in managing ComSIS, in this paper we analyze the impact of the open-access publication model on the success of journals from developing and transition countries (DTCs). We discuss alternatives for financial sustainability, the importance of coverage in citation databases through observed effects on citation and article submission patterns, and the challenges that potential success can bring with respect to the increased volume of submitted articles, plagiarism, and the perception of the journal. Our experiences suggest that: (1) open access and financial sustainability can coexist in a DTC, (2) coverage in WoS is the single most determining factor for the success of an up-and-coming journal, (3) domestic and international perception a journal from a DTC, newly covered in WoS, can lead to an increased volume of low-quality and even plagiarized submissions, placing additional strain on the editorial staff. We hope that the findings and arguments presented in this paper will assist current and potential journal editors and publishers, especially from developing countries, in finding suitable models for ensuring the success of their respective journals.