Coercivity and retentivity of soft iron compared to steel is respectively 

Coercivity is the intensity of the applied magnetic field required to reduce the magnetization of a given material to zero. In other words to coerce the material to surrender its magnetism. Retentivity is the capacity of an object to retain magnetism after the action of the magnetizing force has ceased. Soft iron has low coercivity and high retentivity compared to steel.