Dashlane vs. 1Password: Compare Password Managers

Dashlane and 1Password are among the best password managers. These services are comparable in price, features, and compatibility, but each has a slight edge in specific areas.

Dashlane has a leg up with its always-free tier, which has most of the basic functionality needed for working on a single device. However, for multiple users or devices, you’ll need to upgrade to the Advanced plan, about the same cost as 1Password’s lowest-cost plan.

Which password manager should you get? Let this Dashlane vs. 1Password face-off help you decide.

By comparison, 1Password’s plans and pricing look cheap. While none of 1Password’s plans are free, the lowest tier of the plan is only $2.99 per month for the Personal Plan, with a Family plan costing the same amount as Dashlane’s individual premium plan. 1Password may not be free, but it’s still one of the best cheap password managers out there.

Dashlane is also available on many operating systems and browsers, but it works with slightly older versions than 1Password. For instance, you only need to be running Android Oreo versus Android Pie and iOS 15 rather than 15.5. If you use a Mac, though, run Monterey 12.0 or later.

One feature I like about Dashlane is that it’s even available through the Google Play store, so you can add it to devices such as Kindles and mobile phones. Since folks are doing more browsing on their e-readers, and these are often linked to other accounts — like your Amazon account — having password management and protection can be an asset.

Dashlane’s desktop interface is also simplistic but in a good way. It offers one of the cleanest and most visually appealing desktop interfaces of any password manager I’ve tested. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the browser extension, which I found to be quite congested.

While some people may appreciate having every feature packed into the extension, I prefer when password managers — like 1Password — offer more streamlined extensions.

As with its UX, Dashlane just misses the bar on form filling. Like most password managers, it provides seamless autofill capabilities with usernames and passwords, but when I tested other fields, such as payment and shipping information, it just didn’t measure up.

I came across multiple instances where it didn’t recognize certain fields. While this is often the form’s fault, for Dashlane to be a 5-star form filling experience, I’d like to see it offer custom fields — something 1Password already does.

Dashlane also offers dark web monitoring that sends real-time notifications if your information is detected on dangerous sites.

1Password’s options are the most you’d get from most password managers, but I’d like to see both Dashlane and 1Password offer biometric options. Dashlane only having authenticator apps without even text options felt limiting to me. But if your preferred 2FA method is authenticator apps, you’ll likely be happy with Dashlane’s offering.

Dashlane and 1Password are two of the best password managers on the market — neck-in-neck in terms of overall rating. 1Password pulls slightly ahead with higher-rated UX, form filling, and 2FA. But Dashlane scores points with its free tier and tighter security measures.

When deciding if you should get Dashlane or 1Password, it depends on what features are most important to you. While both password managers offer every feature most people could want, some features are stronger with one versus the other. That said, the difference can be quite minimal, meaning you likely won’t be disappointed in either password manager.

The biggest deciding factor may be cost: if you want an always-free password manager, choose Dashlane. However, if you need coverage over more devices (and don’t need a VPN) 1Password is the better choice. Before deciding, you can also test out any of 1Password’s plans for free with its 14-day free trial.

On the surface, all password managers essentially generate and store passwords. As I evaluated providers, I dug deeper, comparing software on what matters most, including price, platform compatibility, security, and other factors.

I signed up for a plan with each provider to test:

• Plan value: Most password managers offer various subscription plans from free to around $20 per month. While free plans may be sufficient for some, those that need more functionality may prefer paid plans. We included a wide array of free and paid password managers to find the one that works best for you.
• Platform compatibility: You likely access your online accounts from multiple devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, as well as through different web browsers. Your password manager should be compatible with various devices, operating systems and browsers, and sync seamlessly between them all.
• UX: This is how you interface with all the features and functions of your new password manager — if it’s bad, you’ll be less likely to use the service. While this is a highly subjective category and some will disagree, it’s important to provide an overview based on my experience.
• Form filling: A password manager doesn’t have to include form-filling, but it’s somewhat standard and the ease with which it performs that function can be the deciding factor in which password manager you ultimately choose.
• Security: Since a password manager is first and foremost a security tool, it should come with all of the most up-to-date standard security features. This includes the highest level of available encryption (256-bit AES with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512); 2FA, such as biometric logins or MFA, and a password generator.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA): Used all over the internet to protect your accounts, this is quickly becoming a standard security practice. 2FA is a great way to secure more sensitive accounts to ensure they’re not breached.

Learn more about our review methodology.