A softener’s price depends mostly on how you buy it. Online brands ship the system to your door, and you install it or hire a plumber. Dealer brands send someone to test your water, quote a price for your home, install the system and service it. The same capacity can cost twice as much one way as the other, and the two prices include different things.
What softeners sell for
These are the sellers’ own prices for salt-based whole-house softeners, softener only, read on November 4, 2026. Most of these stores show the price as a sale against a higher list price, and those sales come and go. Follow the links for today’s price.
Salt-based softener prices
Sellers’ own prices, read Nov 2026
- SoftPro · ECO city water softener$967 to $1,447
32,000 to 64,000 grains
- US Water Systems · Flexx-HD metered softener$1,180 to $1,575
10 to 20 gallons per minute
- SoftPro · Elite Smart HE city softener$1,367 to $1,587
32,000 to 64,000 grains
- US Water Systems · Matrixx smart metered softener$1,467 to $1,775
10 to 20 gallons per minute
- SpringWell · Salt-based softener system$1,607 to $2,678
by house size
- Culligan · Softener, bought through a local dealer$1,999 to $5,999
- Waterdrop · WHR01 softener$2,499 to $3,499
32,000 to 64,000 grains (larger sizes out of stock)
The 6 online lines we read start between $967 and $2,499. Kinetico, RainSoft and EcoWater don’t publish prices; they quote after a home visit. Culligan also rents softeners, starting as low as $9.95/mo.
| Brand | Price | System | Store link |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoftPro | $967 to $1,447on sale | ECO city water softener32,000 to 64,000 grains | Check price |
| US Water Systems | $1,180 to $1,575on sale | Flexx-HD metered softener10 to 20 gallons per minute | Check price |
| SoftPro | $1,367 to $1,587on sale | Elite Smart HE city softener32,000 to 64,000 grains | Check price |
| US Water Systems | $1,467 to $1,775on sale | Matrixx smart metered softener10 to 20 gallons per minute | Check price |
| SpringWell | $1,607 to $2,678on sale | Salt-based softener systemby house size | Check price |
| Waterdrop | $2,499 to $3,499 | WHR01 softener32,000 to 64,000 grains (larger sizes out of stock) | Check price |
| Culligan | $1,999 to $5,999brand’s stated range | Softener, bought through a local dealer | Brand’s site |
Prices as each seller listed them on November 4, 2026; "on sale" means a discount from a higher list price. We may earn a commission from these links.
How much size changes the price
Doubling the capacity doesn’t double the price. In the stores we read, SoftPro’s ECO city softener goes from $967 at 32,000 grains to $1,447 at 64,000, and Waterdrop’s from $2,499 to $3,499 (its larger sizes were out of stock when we read). A softener that’s too small for your water and household just regenerates more often. Our sizing calculator gives the capacity for your water and household, which is the number to hold every price and quote to.
Online or dealer: what the price includes
Online brands ship the system to you. You pick the size, you or a plumber install it, and you handle the salt and upkeep.
Local dealers test your water at home, quote an installed price, install the system and offer service plans or rentals.
Neither is the right answer for everyone. A dealer’s quote bundles installation and service; an online price doesn’t. The fair comparison is the online price plus installation against the dealer’s installed price, for the same grain capacity. Our installation cost guide covers what installing one involves and what each brand says about doing it yourself.
Salt-free conditioners
A salt-free conditioner doesn’t remove calcium and magnesium. It’s designed to keep them from forming scale, so your water tests just as hard afterward. Brands sell them to people who want no salt, no drain line and no added sodium. Every brand we read that sells both lists its salt-free system higher than its cheapest salt-based softener:
| Brand | Price | System | Store link |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoftPro | $1,299on sale | Elite salt-free conditioner | Check price |
| Kind Water | $1,353 | Whole house salt-free softener | Check price |
| US Water Systems | $1,547 to $2,184on sale | GreenWave salt-free conditioner10 to 20 gallons per minute | Check price |
| SpringWell | $1,785 to $2,321on sale | Salt-free conditionerby house size | Check price |
Prices as each seller listed them on November 4, 2026; "on sale" means a discount from a higher list price. We may earn a commission from these links.
Running costs
- Salt. A softener uses salt each time it regenerates, more in harder water and bigger households. Potassium chloride works in place of salt and costs more.
- Sodium in your water. Softening adds about 8 mg of sodium per liter for each grain per gallon removed, according to University of Nebraska Extension. People on low-sodium diets often keep one unsoftened tap for drinking. Our research page has the numbers.
- Resin and parts. The resin beads last years. Dealers sell service plans; online brands sell replacement parts.
Whole-house filters, for comparison
A whole-house filter isn’t a softener. It removes sediment and chlorine or chloramine, not hardness. Many homes pair the two.
Whole-house filter prices
Sellers’ own prices, read Nov 2026
- Waterdrop · Whole-house cartridge filter systems$116 to $530
10 systems
- iSpring · WGB31BC 3-stage whole house cartridge system$295
- Kind Water · Whole house water filter$976
- US Water Systems · Bodyguard whole house filter$1,095 to $1,595
10 to 20 gallons per minute
- SoftPro · Chlorine+ whole house carbon filter$1,097
- SpringWell · Whole house water filter system$1,160 to $2,142
by house size
- Culligan · Whole-house filter, bought through a local dealer$1,999 to $5,399
| Brand | Price | System | Store link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterdrop | $116 to $530 | Whole-house cartridge filter systems10 systems | Check price |
| iSpring | $295 | WGB31BC 3-stage whole house cartridge system | Check price |
| Kind Water | $976on sale | Whole house water filter | Check price |
| US Water Systems | $1,095 to $1,595on sale | Bodyguard whole house filter10 to 20 gallons per minute | Check price |
| SoftPro | $1,097on sale | Chlorine+ whole house carbon filter | Check price |
| SpringWell | $1,160 to $2,142on sale | Whole house water filter systemby house size | Check price |
| Culligan | $1,999 to $5,399brand’s stated range | Whole-house filter, bought through a local dealer | Brand’s site |
Prices as each seller listed them on November 4, 2026; "on sale" means a discount from a higher list price. We may earn a commission from these links.
Some brands sell the two together:
| Brand | Price | System | Store link |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpringWell | $2,231 to $4,284on sale | Filter plus salt-based softenerby house size | Check price |
| Kind Water | $2,706on sale | City water salt-based softener and filter combo | Check price |
Prices as each seller listed them on November 4, 2026; "on sale" means a discount from a higher list price. We may earn a commission from these links.
We may earn a commission from these links.
Questions
How much is a water softener?
Online stores list salt-based whole-house softeners from $967 to $3,499 depending on brand and size, and Culligan says dealer-sold softeners typically cost $1,999 to $5,999. These are the sellers’ own prices, read November 4, 2026.
Why do dealer softeners cost more?
A dealer’s price usually bundles an in-home water test, installation and service, and it’s quoted for each home. An online price is the equipment shipped to your door. Compare the online price plus installation against the dealer’s installed price, for the same capacity.
Does a bigger softener cost much more?
Doubling the capacity doesn’t double the price. In the stores we read, SoftPro’s ECO city softener goes from $967 at 32,000 grains to $1,447 at 64,000 (sale prices), and Waterdrop’s from $2,499 to $3,499. Buying the size your water and household need matters more than buying the cheapest one.
Can I rent a water softener?
Yes, through dealers. Culligan advertises softener rentals starting as low as $9.95 a month; terms vary by dealer.
Is a salt-free softener cheaper?
No. In the stores we read, salt-free conditioners start at $1,299 and salt-based softeners at $967, and every brand that sells both lists its salt-free system above its cheapest salt-based softener. Salt-free systems don’t remove hardness; they’re designed to reduce scale, and they need no salt or drain.