<p>Catalysts play a crucial role in advancing modern energy applications, significantly enhancing the efficiency and feasibility of various electrochemical processes such as water electrolysis for green hydrogen production, and improving the oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction to enhance the efficiency of aqueous metal-air batteries. In terms of the catalyst production, the synthesis of bifunctional catalysts toward oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions through easy and scalable routes is still challenging. In this work, a simple electrochemical deposition strategy was used to provide a uniform coating of cobalt and manganese mixed oxides directly on a stainless-steel current collector mesh. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed a defect-free porous flake-like morphology, while x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a tuneable stoichiometric composition of Co_xMnO₄ (x = 1.3–1.9) according to the electrochemical deposition time. With regards to the oxygen evolution reaction, the two catalysts exhibited very similar potentials, around 1.6&#xa0;V versus Reversible Hydrogen Electrode (η = 380–390 mV), to run a current of 10&#xa0;mA cm^− 2. On the other hand, for the oxygen reduction reaction the catalysts exhibited onset potential above 0.9&#xa0;V versus Reversible Hydrogen Electrode and half-wave potential between 0.81 –0.78&#xa0;V versus Reversible Hydrogen Electrode, approximately 40 mV more negative than Pt/C. In particular, overpotentials for the oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions were found to be affected by the overall cobalt content in the mixed metal oxiedes, with the best performance for the Co_1.3MnO₄ compared to Co_1.9MnO₄.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>