GO Markets review: Australia's MT4 pioneer, two decades on
GO Markets is one of Australia's longest-operating retail forex brokers, credible and safe, with pricing that has drifted to mid-pack. GO Markets Pty Ltd (ASIC AFSL 254963) was incorporated in Melbourne in 2006 and was among the first Australian brokers to bring MetaTrader 4 to retail clients; two decades of continuous ASIC-regulated operation is a genuine trust signal. The modern offering spans MT4, MT5 and cTrader with a spread-only Standard account and a raw GO Plus+ account (spreads from 0.0 pips plus commission of around AUD 3.00 per side). The honest verdict: everything works, nothing leads. Fusion Markets is cheaper, Pepperstone adds TradingView and the stronger execution record at the same tier. Rating: 4.2 out of 5.
Key facts at a glance
The headline parameters Australian retail traders should know.
Is GO Markets safe? Regulation check
GO Markets Pty Ltd holds ASIC AFSL 254963 and has operated from Melbourne since incorporation in 2006, which makes it one of the longest continuously operating retail forex brokers in the country and, notably, one of the first to bring MetaTrader 4 to Australian retail clients. In a category where brokers appear and disappear on a two-to-three-year cycle, surviving the 2008 financial crisis, the 2015 Swiss franc event, and the 2021 ASIC product-intervention reset without incident is a genuine trust signal that newer brands cannot buy.
The standard ASIC protections apply: segregated client funds, negative balance protection on retail accounts, the 30:1 leverage cap on major pairs, and AFCA dispute access. Verification takes a minute on the ASIC register; the process is in the ASIC-regulated brokers guide, whose AFSL lookup table includes GO Markets.
Accounts, spreads and commission
Two retail account types:
- Standard: spread-only, EUR/USD from around 1.0 pip, no commission. The simple option for infrequent traders.
- GO Plus+: the raw account, with spreads from 0.0 pips plus a commission of around AUD 3.00 per side per standard lot. This is the account any active trader should evaluate.
At roughly AUD 3.00 per side, GO Plus+ lands in the same cost tier as FP Markets Raw and slightly under Pepperstone Razor (AUD 3.50), while remaining above Fusion Markets' AUD 2.25, the cheapest commission in the ASIC set on our monthly spread tracker. The AUD denomination of both pricing and support is a small but real convenience for local traders. As with every broker, verify live spreads in your own trading window rather than relying on published minimums.
Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader
GO Markets carries a broader platform stack than most mid-tier ASIC brokers: MetaTrader 4 (its historical foundation), MetaTrader 5, cTrader, a browser WebTrader, and mobile apps. Expert advisors run without restriction on MetaTrader, and cTrader Automate covers C#-based algorithmic strategies, which makes the broker a legitimate venue for automated trading. The cTrader support specifically distinguishes it from MetaTrader-only competitors like TMGM, and matters for scalping-oriented traders who want depth-of-market execution.
The one modern gap is native TradingView order placement, which remains Pepperstone's differentiator among ASIC brokers. The full platform decision framework is in the best trading platforms comparison.
Deposits, withdrawals and AU rails
As a Melbourne operation with AUD base-currency accounts, GO Markets supports local Australian funding rails with same-day crediting in normal conditions and withdrawals through the same channels, avoiding the conversion-fee layer that USD-based offshore brokers impose on Australians. Standard hygiene applies: fund from an account in your own name and test a small withdrawal early.
GO Markets ratings breakdown
Pros and cons
Who GO Markets is for
GO Markets suits a trader who weights operating history heavily, wants MetaTrader or cTrader with full automation support, and is satisfied at the standard raw-pricing tier without needing the absolute cheapest commission or a TradingView-native workflow. Two decades of clean ASIC operation is a real differentiator for the trust-first trader, and nothing in the offering is weak.
The equally honest framing: "nothing weak, nothing leading" is precisely why it rates 4.2 rather than higher. Each dimension a trader might optimise for, cost, platforms, execution, education, has a stronger specialist in the ranked field.
Alternatives worth considering
For the same Melbourne ECN profile with a wider ceiling, Pepperstone adds TradingView and the stronger execution record at a similar cost. For pure commission, Fusion Markets is the cheapest in the ASIC set at AUD 2.25 per side. For simplicity-first traders, Plus500 pairs the cleanest proprietary platform with an LSE-listed parent, and AvaTrade leads for education-first beginners. The complete ranking is in the best forex brokers Australia pillar.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. GO Markets Pty Ltd holds ASIC AFSL 254963 and has operated continuously from Melbourne since 2006, one of the longest unbroken records among Australian retail forex brokers - it was among the first to offer MetaTrader 4 to Australian retail clients. ASIC regulation brings segregated client funds, negative balance protection on retail accounts, the 30:1 leverage cap on majors, and AFCA dispute access. Longevity through the 2008 crisis, the 2015 CHF event, and the 2021 regulatory reset is a meaningful survivorship signal in a category where brokers regularly disappear.
Two account types. The Standard account is spread-only with EUR/USD from around 1.0 pip and no commission. The GO Plus+ account is the raw option: spreads from 0.0 pips plus a commission of around AUD 3.00 per side per standard lot, putting its all-in cost in the same tier as FP Markets and slightly under Pepperstone's AUD 3.50, but above Fusion Markets' AUD 2.25, the cheapest in the ASIC set on our monthly spread tracker. For active trading the GO Plus+ account is the one to evaluate.
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader and a WebTrader, plus mobile apps - a genuinely broader stack than most mid-tier ASIC brokers, and the cTrader support matters for execution-focused traders who want depth of market. The gap is native TradingView order placement, which among ASIC brokers remains Pepperstone's differentiator. Expert advisors are fully supported on MetaTrader, and cTrader Automate covers C#-based algorithmic strategies.
GO Markets sits in the low-minimum tier; the practical floor for sensible trading remains capital-driven rather than broker-driven, around AUD 500 to 1,000 for forex with 1 percent risk per trade. Deposits support Australian rails with AUD base currency, avoiding conversion fees for local traders.
The two Melbourne brokers are closer than most pairings: both ASIC-regulated, both raw-spread ECN-style offerings, both with multiple platforms. Pepperstone wins on the platform ceiling (native TradingView execution GO Markets lacks), documented execution quality, and global scale; GO Markets counters with a slightly cheaper commission (around AUD 3.00 vs 3.50 per side) and the longer Australian corporate history. For most active traders Pepperstone remains the stronger pick; for a MetaTrader-plus-cTrader trader optimising commission, GO Markets is a credible alternative.
Both are Melbourne ASIC brokers with raw-spread accounts, and Fusion wins on the number that matters most to active traders: AUD 2.25 per side versus GO Markets' roughly AUD 3.00, about AUD 1.50 saved per round turn. GO Markets counters with cTrader (Fusion also offers it), a longer operating history (2006 vs 2017), and a broader WebTrader offering. For pure cost the answer is Fusion; the case for GO Markets is the two-decade track record at a still-competitive price.
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