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Merrill Edge vs GO Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Merrill Edge

Merrill Edge

VS
GO Markets

GO Markets

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

ECN broker

Both STP and Market maker broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

2006

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3.5+ Million Clients

No information


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC, FINRA

CySEC, FSC, ASIC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Kiplinger 2023 Annual Broker Review, StockBrokers.com 2024 Annual Broker Review

Most Trusted Global Forex Broker, Asia 2024, Best Global Forex Broker, Asia 2024

Security Measures

SIPC

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

No


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

CDs, Fixed income

1000+ products including Share CFDs, Index CFDs, Treasury CFDs

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

No

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

No

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

Yes

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Merrill Edge MarketPro (proprietary), Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (web-based), Mobile app (Merrill Edge)

No

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Individual, Joint, Custodial, Trust, and Retirement (IRA), 529 plans

Go Plus account and standard account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$0

Leverage Available

No

20:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Depends on assets type

Commission (per account type)

$0

Plus account- $2.50 per side on FX standard lot, Standard account -$0

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to intermediate traders

Beginner to experienced traders


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America

Master card, Visa, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Transfer

Withdrawal Methods

ACH transfer, wire transfer, check deposit, transfers from Bank of America

Master card, Visa, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

Skrill, Neteller


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Investing Education, Retirement Planning, Market Insights, Webinars and Online Seminars, Investment Guides and Tools

Trading Education Online Courses, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars, Trading Guides and eBooks, Video Tutorials, GoMarkets Blog Market News and Analysis, Technical Analysis Reports


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission- $0 stock and ETFs, broker-assisted trade- $29.95 or $29.95 * + $0.65 per contract

Spread starts from 0.0 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

NA

Typical

Per Lot Fees

NA

Cryptocurrencies: $10 per lot, Spot Brent and Spot WTI: $15 per lot, FX and metals: $40 per lot, BTC: $50 per lot

Options Contract Fees

$0.65 per contact

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

No

500:1


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$25

Advisory Fees

0.85%

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

Varies for ADRs

Euro:€2.00 per side, Great British Pound: €2.00 per side, New Zealand Dollar: NZ$3.50 per side, United States Dollar: US$2.50 per side

Withdrawal Fee

Wire transfer fee-$25

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Pre-market trading: 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET, Regular trading hours: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET, After-hours trading: 4:01 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Monday 00:00 to Friday 24:00 (Platform time)


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/7

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 888.637.3343, Schedule an appointment

Call: +230 5869 0074, E-mail: [email protected], Go markets Quick support

Support Languages

2

18+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Level 7 Office 12, ICONEBENE, Lot B441, Rue de L'Institut, Ebene

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
Merrill Edge stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, GO Markets offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
Merrill Edge gets you trading faster thanks to its minimal entry barriers. In comparison, GO Markets account setup is slower but includes extra layers of financial screening and suitability assessments.
Merrill Edge excels in real-time trade execution with minimal latency, whereas GO Markets complements its execution with strong analytical modules and educational support within the platform.
Those seeking technical depth may prefer Merrill Edge, while GO Markets shines with intuitive design and streamlined features.