Dashlane Review 2024: Free, Fast, and Full of Features

We tested Dashlane and found a trusted, well-rounded product with plenty of features to securely store more than just passwords.

On top of the base features such as autofill and password sharing, we also liked playing around with the Secure Notes to store information like our passports, SSN, and more. The paid plan also has access to dark web monitoring and Dashlane’s VPN.

While we were disappointed that the free version only covers one device and 25 passwords, we think the premium version was sleek, seamless, and recommendable. We elaborated below to give you the full scope of our experience.

Dashlane review at a glance

Price	Free-$7.49/mo
Number of users	1-10
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari
Password sharing	Yes
Encryption	AES 256-bit
Password generator	Yes
Password strength report	Yes
Autofill	Yes
Digital legacy	No
Cloud storage	Yes — 1 GB

Our Dashlane experience

Overall we had a positive experience with Dashlane. It was easy to download and the tutorial at the beginning took us through everything we needed to operate the password manager on a new device.

We tested Dashlane on a Windows 11 PC with the Google Chrome browser. Because Google’s password manager isn’t safe, we figured Chrome would be a good platform to test on. Dashlane worked without issues.

Dashlane is user-friendly and its guides are written in plain language so you don’t have to worry about having technical expertise to use it. Each of the features was easy to use, and we found the user interface pleasant and helpful.

When we went to websites to test the password generator, it worked well.

Overall, we thought Dashlane lived up to our expectations and delivered a simple but powerful password management system.

How much does Dashlane cost?

Dashlane has three tiers: Free (for one device and 25 passwords), Premium for $4.99/mo (billed annually) (unlimited devices and passwords), or Family for $7.49/mo (billed annually) (premium accounts for up to 10 users).

Here's how the features for each plan breakdown:

Plan	Free	Premium	Family
Price	Free	$4.99/mo (billed annually)	$7.49/mo (billed annually)
Number of users	1	1	10
Number of devices	1	Unlimited	Unlimited
Number of passwords	25	Unlimited	Unlimited
Password vault
Autofill
Password generator
Two-factor authentication
Dark web monitoring
VPN
Details	View Plans	View Plans	View Plans

Although Dashlane does have a free product, its paid products come in at the higher end of password managers. It’s more expensive than 1Password and LastPass, which have premium individual plans for $2.99/mo (billed annually) and $3.00/mo (billed annually), respectively.

This isn’t unmanageable, but it’s worth noting that LastPass suffered at least two security breaches last year alone. 1Password, on the other hand, is considered one of the best password managers, so that makes Dashlane a solid middle-of-the-road product with a bit of a premium on the price tag.

Dashlane features

Dashlane isn’t shy about tooting its own horn. The password manager offers a host of features, and Dashlane is enthusiastic about its offerings. If you aren’t sure how password managers secure your data or why you should use one, look at what Dashlane provides. Until we can get passwordless authentication everywhere, a password manager is your best bet for keeping data organized and available.

Unlike many of its competitors, Dashlane offers almost all its core features with its free product. That means you can store your passwords, generate new ones, create IDs for autofill, and share passwords, all from a free product portal. The downside is that you can only do this on one device and for up to 25 passwords. If you need more coverage, you’ll need a paid plan.

Password sharing

From our testing, we found it was easy to share passwords and login details with other Dashlane users. All you need is to choose the password you want to share, and input the email address of the person you want to share it with.

You can also choose the level of access the recipient has to the password, which includes either only being able to use the password but not see it, or being able to see it and change it.

If the recipient doesn't have a Dashlane account yet, they'll have to make one. Fortunately, this feature is available on all plans, including the free plan.

Password generator

This is the one feature that stands above the competition because of how customizable it is on both the site and while creating a password.

Not only are you able to generate a new password on the website you’re visiting, Dashlane also allows you to customize the generated password depending on the rules for the site.

Autofill

This feature is part of the initial tutorial. You’re prompted to create your name card with some information and then shown a way to test it. Once in your dashboard, you can go into the Personal Info section and create as many of these name cards as you like.

Password strength report

The password health section gives a health score for all passwords in your Dashlane vault.

If Dashlane comes across a password that’s weak, has been compromised, or that you’ve reused, you’ll be alerted and prompted to change the password on the site. You can use Dashlane’s password generator to create a strong password that isn’t duplicated.

Bonus features

Dashlane has a few additional features you may find helpful. Some are included as standard and some come with paid tiers.

• Payments: Add your credit card to quickly pay bills and easily shop online.
• Secure Notes: Create a password-protected note.
• Cloud storage: Upload up to 1 GB in secure files and notes for easy access, including IDs, passports, SSN, and more.
• Dark Web Monitoring: Available with the Premium paid plan; this monitors up to five emails for leaks or stolen data.
• VPN: Dashlane partnered with Hotspot Shield to offer a virtual private network (VPN) for its Premium plan to protect your Wi-Fi. Hotspot Shield is an American company with a limited free plan. Check out our full Hotspot Shield review for more information.

Dashlane privacy policy

Dashlane does a dance around the topic of personal privacy. In the privacy policy, it’s mentioned that hashed personal data is shared in an effort to make sure current customers don’t see Dashlane ads.

Dashlane does state it shares personal data with “affiliates” but it’s not 100% clear what that means. As far as privacy policies go, this isn’t the most egregious we’ve ever seen but it’s not the best either. When you’re giving so much information to a service provider, it should be protected, and that protection should be clearly stated.

Dashlane third-party audits

Dashlane meets the ISO 27001 security certification, which means independent auditors verified that the company's security practices meet strict international guidelines.

Dashlane also participates in a bug bounty program to help identify potential vulnerabilities before bad actors can take advantage of them.

Is Dashlane safe to use?

Your data stored in Dashlane is encrypted, and the only decryption key is your master password. Because it doesn’t store your master password, Dashlane promises your data will stay encrypted in the event there is an attack.

To date, there are no known hacks of Dashlane. Because the service uses a zero-trust model, hacking into Dashlane may be more difficult for cybercriminals. By all accounts, this means Dashlane is safe to use.

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication, also known as 2FA, is a way to secure your accounts by requiring you to verify your account on a second device. Dashlane allows you to toggle this feature on and off in the security settings.

There’s also an option within the dashboard to add an authenticator to better secure your account. Even if you don’t update your privacy settings regularly, 2FA is a way to help strengthen your security.

Dashlane customer service

Dashlane’s customer service is extremely impersonal. There’s no phone number or phone support. There’s a help section on the main website as well as a link to the Help Center within the Dashlane main menu on the web app. Mostly it tries to lead you to help topics so you can troubleshoot items yourself.

If you absolutely must contact support, there’s a Contact us button at the top of the Help Center pages as well as a chatbot that can direct you to live chat support.

We reached out with an inane question about compatibility. Almost immediately, we received an email with our ticket number and a disclaimer that customer service is busier than usual and we won’t receive a response within 24 hours. We were then offered more links to the Help Center. It’s an underwhelming feature, to say the least.

Dashlane compatibility

Dashlane works on several browsers and has mobile apps for iPhone and Android. There’s no option for a desktop app on Windows or macOS, but you can use the web-based dashboard. Below is a breakdown of compatible browsers and mobile devices.

Dashlane browser extensions:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari

Mobile devices:

• Android
• iOS

Top alternatives

Curious how Dashlane compares to other password managers on the market? Here are three more top options:

Dashlane FAQs

Bottom line: Is Dashlane good?

Yes, Dashlane is a good product and probably one of the best password managers out there right now. Its free offerings are more than adequate for taking care of your password management needs. The additional features in paid tiers might not be necessary for everyone, but integrating Dashlane across your devices may be a good reason to choose a paid plan.

As far as performance and usability, we had no problems. Dashlane took us through a nice tutorial and then delivered on all the promises of its features. We were especially impressed by the password generator and the ability to customize passwords. The only lackluster aspects of Dashlane were support and the privacy policy, but neither of those were deal breakers.

With all the password management options on the market, Dashlane provides extensive service for little to no cost. If you’re shopping for a password manager, you may want to consider Dashlane. At the very least, it’s worth testing it out. We think you’ll be pleased.

If you're curious how Dashlane compares to the best password managers on the market, check out our in-depth comparison articles:

• Dashlane vs. NordPass
• Dashlane vs. 1Password
• Dashlane vs. LastPass
• Dashlane vs.  Apple Passwords