Galvanizing is what you see on a metal bucket, you can see the zinc crystals, and the surface is not suitable for wear. Zinc acts as a sacrificial anode, protecting the base metal. It is possible to get much nicer finishes with proper processing, many panels in cars are galvanized.
Phosphatizing yields a more attractive finish, which may be suitable as a wear surface. Parkerizing and gun blueing are two examples of phosphatizing. It is generallly considered a surface conversion coating in that the chemical process permeates into the surface. Most of the modern processes include other components such as manganese and/or nickel. This type of finish usually relies on oil on the surface to enhance corrosion resistance.