We present the total ozone retrieval algorithm GODFIT (GOME Direct-FITting). Applied to nadir backscattered measurements from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME), it is based on a direct-fitting approach by which spectral radiances simulated using the radiative transfer model LIDORT v3.3 (Linearized Discrete Ordinate Radiative Transfer) are adjusted to measurements in the 325-335 nm interval. Total O3 columns retrieved from GOME spectra have been compared not only to columns retrieved from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements using the TOMS v8.5 algorithm, but also to correlative ground-based measurements from the GAW/NDACC networks (Global Atmosphere Watch/Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change). We show that GODFIT produces a significant reduction of the GOME ground-based differences and some of the associated dependencies, compared with the GOME Data Processor (GDP) 4.1 product. Version 5 of GDP, based on the GODFIT algorithm, will be released in spring 2010.