The effectiveness of bismuth ion and tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as deposit-enhancing additives of zinc electrode has been investigated by means of current–time technique, potentiodynamic polarization and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results showed that the dendritic growth of zinc in alkaline zincate solution was inhibited by the addition of Bi3+ and TBAB, respectively. However, at a higher cathodic overpotential TBAB produced little effective suppression on zinc dendrites. Obvious synergistic effect of Bi3+ and TBAB on the dendrite inhibition of zinc electrode was also found.