We study molecular beam epitaxial growth on the unusual (110) surface of GaAs substrates as prerequisite for cleaved edge overgrown structures. We present the first systematic comparison of the quality of two dimensional electron systems on simultaneously overgrown (110) GaAs monitor wafers with ex situ as well as in situ cleaved (110) facets. Our study confirms that characterization of the monitor wafer is a valid benchmark for the magnetotransport characteristics of structures grown on cleaved facets. We show that deviating results can be traced back to (110) substrates of lower quality. We also demonstrate that the roughness of the in situ cleaved facets is decisive for the quality of the induced electron gas. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.