The anti-corrosive Zn and Zn–Ni alloy coatings were electrodeposited on different copper substrates using an optimized sulphate electrolyte bath by conventional Hull cell method with glycine as an additive. The composition and surface morphology of the coatings were dependent on the current density. The co-deposition of Zn and Ni in Zn–Ni alloy showed anomalous behaviour, wherein, the deposition of less noble metal (Zn) was preferred over the more noble (Ni) metal. Anticorrosion properties of the coatings were experimented by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiodynamic polarization techniques in 3.5% NaCl medium. The Zn–Ni alloy exhibited 3 times better corrosion resistance than pure Zn coating under the same deposition conditions.