Vitamin D. I had soft and thin nails for a lifetime, and began supplementing vitamin D in the darker months for general health. In a very short time, my nails became sturdier and thicker. Years later, my nails remain much harder than they were for years. before. I recommended this to dozens of people and many noticed a similar benefit.
Optimizing vitamin D has other health benefits. Of course, vitamin D supplementation is free in the months with more sunlight. A helpful resource for information is http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/. (It's a non-profit educational site.) I have no ties to the site or any of its sponsors. I am not a fistful of vitamins person, but checking vitamin D levels and supplementing if needed makes sense.