# Whole House Water Filter Cost Calculator — True 5-Year Cost | Home Water Filter Guide

> Compare the true cost of whole-house water filters: upfront price plus five years of replacement filters. See which system is actually cheapest to own.

- Source: https://homewaterfilterguide.com/tools/cost-calculator/
- Markdown version: https://homewaterfilterguide.com/tools/cost-calculator.md

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# The sticker price is not the price.
A $450 cartridge system with $126/yr filters costs more over five years than a $1,150 tank system with $35/yr upkeep. Drag the years slider to see the true cost.

Years of ownership 5 years

  True 5-year cost by system Upfront price plus five years of replacement filters. Estimates — verify current prices.

     Upfront
     5 yrs of filters

[WGB32B

       ~$1,050](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/ispring-wgb32b/)[Heavy Metal 3-Stage

       ~$1,248](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/express-water-heavy-metal/)[CF1

       ~$1,319](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/springwell-cf1/)[WGB32B-KDS

       ~$1,383](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/ispring-wgb32b-kds/)[Chlorine+ Fluoride

       ~$1,467](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/softpro-chlorine-fluoride/)[Rhino EQ-1000

       ~$1,599](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/aquasana-rhino-eq1000/)[E-1000

       ~$1,670](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/kind-e1000/)[PSE2000

       ~$2,899](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/pelican-pse2000/)[HealthShield

       ~$3,399](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/aquasana-healthshield/)[LCR

       ~$3,544](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/springwell-lcr/)

  The cheapest sticker price rarely wins. See the [cost calculator](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/tools/cost-calculator/) for the full math.

## What the numbers usually show
Tank systems (SpringWell, Aquasana Rhino, SoftPro) cost more upfront but their million-gallon media lasts a decade — upkeep is often under $50/year. Cartridge systems (iSpring, Express Water, APEC, Kind) start cheap but need $120–$220 in cartridges every year. Cross-over usually happens around year 3–4.
These are estimates from manufacturer filter pricing as of October 2026; your water quality changes cartridge life. Confirm replacement prices on Amazon before buying — they're linked from each [system review](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/filters/).
Ready to pick one? Use the [flow-rate sizer](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/tools/flow-sizer/) to find systems rated for your home, or read our [best whole-house water filters of 2026](https://homewaterfilterguide.com/posts/best-whole-house-water-filters-2026/) roundup.