Our comparison of Dashlane versus 1Password pits two of the most popular password managers against each other to establish whether either is the best option for individual users, family groups, and businesses when compared to other vault-based password managers.
As individuals, families, and businesses become more aware of online threats, the market for online security products is growing rapidly. Password managers are among a number of security products being widely adopted, and this segment of the market is expected to more than double in size by 2026.
Out of all the different types of password manager, vault-based solutions are proving to be the most popular due to their cross-platform functionality and advanced security capabilities. We have chosen to compare Dashlane versus 1Password in this article because they often feature highly in top password manager lists.
However, customers of both Dashlane and 1Password have recently expressed dissatisfaction with the two password managers. Dashlane´s web-first app has been described as “glitchy as hell”, while the replacement of 1Password´s software licensing model with a subscription-based model has alienated long-time customers.
It is also important to note that some recent changes have made neither Dashlane nor 1Password suitable password managers for businesses operating in regulated industries. For example, Dashlane´s web-first app no longer supports automatic log-off, while multiple security vulnerabilities have been identified in the 1Password password manager in the last few years.
While there are workarounds for some of the issues, and bug bounties to more quickly resolve security vulnerabilities, one of the selling points of vault-based password managers is convenience. If users have to manually log out of their password managers, or constantly keep an eye out for security patches, some of that convenience is lost. Furthermore, neither password compares well against some of their market rivals.
Free, Premium, and Family Plans
Dashlane offers a feature-limited free plan option which allows users to save up to 50 passwords on one device. The free plan supports basic two-step login, limited sharing, and password health checks, but you cannot access your vault via the web – which could be inconvenient if you lose your device or access to your device. 1Password discontinued its free plan some years ago.
Dashlane did used to offer two subscription plans for individuals – an Essentials plan and a Premium Plan. The cheaper Essentials plan (2 devices, web access, and better secure sharing) is no longer available to new customers; and – rather surreptitiously – the Premium plan has increased in price from $39.99 per year (November 2021) to $59.99 per year, or $71.88 per year if you pay monthly.
By comparison, 1Password has reduced its price of its Premium plan – but only for the first year. New customers now pay $18.00 when they sign up for an account, but the price increases to $35.88 when the subscription is due for renewal. If you are willing to forgo automatic dark web scanning for manual health checks, Bitwarden´s $10 per year Premium plan is a far better option.
With regards to Family plans, the major difference between the two password managers is that Dashlane´s plan is for up to six family members, while the 1Password Family plan is for up to five family members – although additional members can be added for $1 per user per year. As with the Premium plans, Dashlane has recently increased the price of its Family plan, while 1Password is offering a reduced subscription for the first year ($30.00, increasing to $59.88 on renewal).
Teams and Business Plans
It is often the case that Teams plans are extensions of Family plans, and that Business Plans are fully featured plans suitable for enterprise-scale deployments. That´s not the case with Dashlane – who offers an exceptionally good Teams plan – nor with 1Password, who offers a “Starter” Teams plan for up to ten users with a fixed price per plan per month rather than per user/per year.
Before leaping into either Team plan, businesses need to do their homework about contacting customer service for help on topics such as deployment or configuration. If you look at non-invited reviews on sites such as Trustpilot, you will find plenty of reviewers commenting on “terrible customer service” (Dashlane) and “customer support would be bad if there were any” (1Password).
However, if you are confident about being able to navigate the provider´s Help pages for support, the Dashlane Teams plan looks as good as any other on the market. The two Business plans look virtually identical except that 1Password includes 20 feature-limited guest accounts at no additional cost and 5GB of secure storage per user. The option also exists for large organizations to negotiate a better deal.
Compared to what else is available for businesses customers in the password manager market, Dashlane stacks up fairly well. There are cheaper options (i.e., Password Boss), more stable options (i.e., Bitwarden), and more sophisticated options (i.e., LogMeOnce Identity); but, in the context of our comparison of Dashlane versus 1Password there is only one winner – Dashlane.
Dashlane versus 1Password Conclusion
At the time of compiling this Dashlane versus 1Password comparison, it is difficult to recommend either password manager. Dashlane customers continue to experience issues with the web-first app (which replaced the desktop apps for iOS and Windows), while the frequency of 1Password security vulnerabilities negates the purpose of implementing a password manager in the first place.
Individuals, families, and businesses looking to implement a password manager – or change providers from their existing password manager – should look at multiple options before deciding which is best for their requirements, taking advantage of free trials wherever possible to evaluate the ease of deployment, configuration, and use.
The features and prices in this comparison of Dashlane versus 1Password are correct at the time of publication, but are subject to change