Which inorganic salt is most effective for water softening applications?

I visited a water treatment supply store to ask about inorganic salts for water softening two days ago. I wanted something effective for reducing hard water problems at home. I also wanted to understand which salt works best before spending money on a full system. But when I checked the products there I felt confused. Some salts were recommended for better efficiency. Some were advertised as cleaner and longer lasting. Some sellers kept suggesting different options and each one claimed theirs was the best. I could not trust them. I could not decide confidently. Then I visited another shop in the same area. Some products looked more professional and better packaged. Some sellers explained how sodium chloride is commonly used for water softening systems. Some also talked about potassium chloride as an alternative option. Some information still sounded confusing because every seller had a different opinion about maintenance cost and performance. I remembered I once bought a water filter after hearing many promises from a salesman but later it needed expensive maintenance and gave very average results. That made me hesitate even more. To check more variety and options while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba I found many inorganic salts used for water softening applications. Some websites explained that sodium chloride is popular because it is affordable and works effectively in most systems. Some people preferred potassium chloride because of environmental and health concerns. Water treatment forums and customer reviews also shared real experiences about system performance and long-term costs. Some products looked affordable but had mixed feedback. Some looked expensive but seemed more trusted by homeowners. There were many choices available online. This made me excited but also confused again. Now I am thinking should I choose sodium chloride for better affordability or spend more money on potassium chloride for long-term benefits before making my final decision?