Abstract We previously fabricated soft magnetic Ni films via gel-plating using a glycine-based electrolyte, but the bath often yielded poor surface smoothness, degrading magnetic performance. To resolve this, citric acid and ammonium chloride were investigated as alternative complexing agents. Their effects on current efficiency, surface morphology, and magnetic properties were evaluated. The ammonium chloride bath exhibited higher current efficiency than the citric acid bath and produced smoother, crack-free Ni films compared to the glycine bath. The saturation magnetization of films from the ammonium chloride bath was approximately 50 emu/g, comparable to those from the glycine bath. Conversely, the citric acid bath reduced both current efficiency and saturation magnetization, likely due to non-magnetic components or defects from enhanced side reactions. Thus, ammonium chloride is a promising additive for improving the surface morphology of gel-electroplated Ni films while maintaining excellent current efficiency and magnetic properties.