•Electrodeposited multilayered gradient coatings were successfully deposited with distinct and uniform layer thickness and subjected to physical and mechanical characterization.•Flow strength of multilayered Co-Sn gradient coating is higher than that of sole Co or Sn coating.•After compression, coating structure exhibit four distinctive layers instead of starting seven, due to elemental inter-mixing of intermediate thin layers as a stress accommodating mechanism. Compositionally modulated multilayer (CMM) Co-Sn coating were successfully deposited with the help of electrodeposition on copper substrate. The coating microstructure was homogeneous, nanostructured in nature with smooth and distinct interfaces as confirmed by SEM and TEM investigation. In this study, micro-mechanical properties of such CMM Co-Sn coatings has been investigated by means of micro-pillar compression. Micro-mechanical properties of electrodeposited monolithic sole Co and sole Sn coatings was also investigated for comparison purpose. CMM Co-Sn coating shows high flow strength of about 330 MPa, which is about 1.2 and 5 times higher than that of sole Co and sole Sn coating, respectively. Such enhanced mechanical properties are the result of intermixing of several thin Co-Sn layers to form a single broad layer to accommodate deformation of material and to minimize system’s energy as evident by detail transmission electron microscopy investigation on deformed micro-pillars.