Copper has been electrodeposited on copper (FCC) and mild steel (BCC) substrates from acidic sulphate bath with and without cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide at 0.25, 2, 6 and 9 V. It is found that the surface morphology varies with the change in overpotential, but not with the change in substrate. On the contrary, the crystal shape is found to be independent of the applied overpotential, but varies with the bath chemistry or choice of substrate. © 2017 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the Institute.