Kamso Oguejiofor-Abugu
Updated on: December 27, 2023
Short on time? Here’s the final verdict:
- 🥇 Dashlane — Winner in Basic Features, Advanced Features, Ease of Use & Setup, and Customer Support. Dashlane is highly secure, offers an extensive range of both basic and advanced features, is user-friendly, and provides excellent customer support.
Bitwarden and Dashlane are both secure and reliable password managers, and they each offer a variety of impressive features, including:
- 256-bit AES encryption.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Secure password sharing.
- Password auditing.
However, there are some key differences between the two. Dashlane provides additional features not found in Bitwarden, such as a VPN and dark web monitoring. Meanwhile, Bitwarden runs on open-source software and is often favored by tech-savvy users for its transparency and flexibility.
After several weeks of testing, I’ve chosen Dashlane as my top pick. It wasn’t an easy decision as both brands offer excellent security and overall performance that rank them among the best password managers in 2024. That said, I recommend reading my detailed comparison of the two products to help you decide which password manager is best for you.
Bitwarden vs. Dashlane — Quick Overview
Security & Data Privacy — Both Brands Provide Really Attractive Security Features
Bitwarden and Dashlane both provide fundamental security measures such as:
- Zero-knowledge protocols. Neither Bitwarden nor Dashlane employees can access your account or see your stored information.
- 256-bit AES encryption. All your data is secure behind this robust end-to-end encryption.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds an extra layer of login security with a second form of verification, which can include biometric scanning, temporary one-time passwords (TOTP), or USB security keys.
These features ensure that your data is 100% secure. What’s more, neither Bitwarden nor Dashlane has ever been involved in a data breach or privacy leak, and I particularly like that Bitwarden is open-source. Nevertheless, there are some differences in the security features of these two brands.
Dashlane offers 2FA as an additional level of login security, but I was disappointed to find that it only offers authentication via biometrics or with a TOTP authenticator app. On the plus side, it provides backup codes when you enable 2FA for the first time in case you lose the device with the authenticator app on it. Bitwarden, on the other hand, provides various 2FA options, including TOTP apps, email, and USB security keys like YubiKey. But it doesn’t offer backup codes.
Both support passkeys, but Dashlane has implemented them better. Passkeys provide a passwordless experience when logging into websites. This makes the authentication process faster and more secure and eliminates the need for you to remember complex passwords. Dashlane was one of the first password managers to add passkey support and, unlike Bitwarden, it lets you use passkeys on mobile apps and browser extensions alike.
That said, I like that Bitwarden allows you to store your data locally (self-hosting). This is a nice addition for security-conscious and tech-savvy users who are worried about their data being compromised in Bitwarden’s cloud servers.
Neither Bitwarden nor Dashlane offers traditional account recovery options like SMS or email-based resets. Both rely on biometrics enabled on the mobile app if you forget your master password. Additionally, Dashlane provides an account recovery key option. With this 28-character key, users can regain access to their Dashlane account without data loss should they forget their master password. It’s a helpful feature that enhances Dashlane’s recovery options.
Finally, both Bitwarden and Dashlane have undergone multiple security audits, including SOC2 certification. However, Bitwarden has more certifications than Dashlane, including SOC2 Type II, SOC3, BSI C5, and many more.
Winner (Security & Data Privacy): It’s a Tie!
Both Bitwarden and Dashlane have great security features, so it’s quite difficult to pick a winner. They both use 256-bit AES encryption and zero-knowledge technology, and neither company has ever fallen victim to a data breach. Dashlane provides passkey support for phones and desktops, and its backup codes are a great addition to its 2FA feature. That said, Bitwarden’s open-source development is very attractive, and it has more 2FA options than Dashlane. Plus, it has undergone more security audits than Dashlane.
Basic Features — Dashlane’s Basic Features Are Better
Bitwarden and Dashlane both offer excellent basic password management features, which include:
- Unlimited password storage.
- Multi-device synchronization.
- Password generator.
- Auto-save and auto-fill.
- Secure data storage.
- Secure password sharing.
Both Bitwarden and Dashlane can create strong passwords. Bitwarden lets you generate passwords of up to 128 characters, and it also lets you create passphrases like boy-sheep-leg-down. Meanwhile, Dashlane doesn’t generate passphrases, and the highest password length it can generate is 40 characters. So Bitwarden is more flexible when it comes to making passwords, but I really like how both password managers allow you to view the history of your generated passwords.
I’m a big fan of Dashlane’s auto-save and auto-fill functionalities. I particularly like the zero-click login option, which auto-fills password details for saved sites once they load. When I tested it out, it worked perfectly. Compared to Dashlane, Bitwarden’s auto-fill feature is less user-friendly and requires you to navigate to the browser extension to locate the login you want to use, which I found to be a little annoying.
Dashlane offers a more flexible password sharing experience than Bitwarden. While it doesn’t allow the creation of shared vaults like Bitwarden, it lets you share your data with an unlimited number of other Dashlane users on both its free and premium plans. Bitwarden, on the other hand, allows you to create a shared vault, but you can share it with only 6 users — and this is only if you upgrade to the Families plan. The Premium plan lets you share your vault with just 1 user.
Winner (Basic Features): Dashlane
Dashlane wins in this category because its password sharing and auto-filling features are more user-friendly. Logging into a website with Dashlane is instantaneous, and if you forget to save a generated password, you can quickly retrieve it from your password history. Bitwarden also has a password history feature, and it lets you create passphrases (which Dashlane doesn’t allow), but its auto-fill and password sharing features don’t provide the same smooth and intuitive experience as Dashlane’s.
Advanced Features — Dashlane Provides Standout Extras
Bitwarden and Dashlane both provide an array of advanced features that go beyond basic password management, such as:
- File storage
- Password auditing.
- Data breach alerts.
Bitwarden and Dashlane both offer a password auditing feature that checks for compromised, weak, and reused passwords. I particularly like how Dashlane assigns you an overall password health score. I also like that it provides dark web monitoring, using live agents to scan the dark web for your data and notify you if any of your personal information has been leaked. Bitwarden also has a data breach monitoring feature, but it doesn’t scan the dark web in real time as Dashlane does.
Both password managers include 1 GB of secure file storage. This is a convenient feature that ensures the security of your important documents, giving you peace of mind knowing that your files are protected.
Phishing protection is becoming an essential feature in password managers. Dashlane stands out by offering alerts to help users identify potential phishing attacks. If you visit a website that impersonates Dashlane or attempt to input your Dashlane-stored credentials on an unrecognized site, the software will issue a warning. While Bitwarden offers solid security measures, it doesn’t have an explicit anti-phishing alert feature like Dashlane.
I like how easy it is to set up Bitwarden’s emergency access feature — plus, it worked well in my tests. What’s more, your emergency contact doesn’t even need a premium Bitwarden account. Emergency access can also work as an effective account recovery option.
While Dashlane offers a similar feature, it doesn’t work very well. Since migrating to the web app, Dashlane has temporarily replaced its traditional emergency access with the Emergency Kit feature. This involves exporting your entire vault into a password-protected “DASH” file, but it doesn’t sync — so if you change your passwords, you’re out of luck. That said, it’s only a temporary measure, and hopefully Dashlane will add a more functional emergency access feature soon.
Dashlane is the only password manager on the market that offers a VPN. It’s powered by Hotspot Shield, a very popular VPN provider, and it’s as secure and fast as some of the top standalone VPNs on the market. Dashlane’s VPN is great for securing your online browsing and preventing anyone from spying on your internet activity.
Winner (Advanced Features): Dashlane
Bitwarden and Dashlane both provide a variety of advanced features, including secure data storage and password auditing. But Dashlane stands out thanks to its excellent dark web monitoring and built-in VPN. Although Bitwarden offers a great value with its intuitive emergency access feature, Dashlane takes the lead in terms of advanced features.
Apps & Browser Extensions — Both Products Have Their Own Unique Traits
In January 2022, Dashlane became a web-only password manager for desktop users, offering a lightweight web app instead of a dedicated desktop application. This shift has improved Dashlane’s functionality, providing a well-designed and intuitive user experience.
However, accessing Dashlane offline is more challenging with the web-only app, and some users may still prefer the familiarity of a traditional desktop app. Bitwarden has desktop apps for macOS and Windows, making offline access less complicated than with Dashlane.
Bitwarden and Dashlane’s browser extensions are both very intuitive. They both have browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Opera. But Dashlane also has a Safari extension, while Bitwarden includes extensions for Vivaldi and Tor. I was able to get auto-fill to work with both password managers on every supported browser extension.
Both Bitwarden and Dashlane have easy-to-use mobile apps for iOS and Android. Dashlane’s apps even come with a helpful tutorial. All the features on each app worked well in my tests, including the auto-save and auto-fill functions. Dashlane’s is a bit more extensive as it includes a VPN and easy access to secure cloud storage. They both allow for biometric login, something you’ll probably want to enable as this may be your only way to recover a lost account.
Winner (Apps & Browser Extensions): It’s a Tie
It’s difficult to declare a winner for this section as both brands’ apps and browser extensions have their unique advantages. Dashlane stands out with its web-first approach, while Bitwarden excels in offline access with its dedicated desktop app. Plus, both password managers provide intuitive browser extensions and exceptional mobile apps for Android and iOS.
Ease of Use & Setup — Dashlane Offers a More User-Friendly Interface
Dashlane’s browser extension and web app are super easy to set up and use. You can easily install the browser extensions from Dashlane’s website. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be redirected to a web page to create an account before you can log into the web app and access all the features. All of Dashlane’s features are easily accessible and user-friendly.
Setting up Bitwarden was also pretty straightforward, but some of the features can be a hassle to use. For instance, the auto-fill wasn’t as convenient as Dashlane’s and the auto-save function failed to remember a saved site when I returned to it. That said, I really like Bitwarden’s account-switching feature, which allows users with multiple accounts to seamlessly switch from one account to another without having to log out.
Both password managers also offer intuitive mobile apps, and I had no issues setting them up on my iPhone and Android devices. I could also readily access all the features in the mobile apps, and using them was pretty straightforward. Bitwarden’s auto-fill function works better on the mobile app than it does on the desktop version. That said, I much prefer Dashlane’s mobile app, as it features a more user-friendly interface and provides advanced features such as a VPN and dark web monitoring.
Importing passwords with Dashlane is quick and easy, and you can do this using a CSV file. You can import passwords from other password managers as well as web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. I like how Dashlane provides clear and detailed instructions for importing passwords, making the whole process seamless.
Importing passwords with Bitwarden is less streamlined than with Dashlane. While the data migration process is the same (Bitwarden uses CSV files to import passwords as well), I would have liked Bitwarden to provide detailed guidelines as Dashlane does.
Winner (Ease of Use & Setup): Dashlane
Both Bitwarden and Dashlane have straightforward setup processes, but Dashlane’s user-friendly apps and comprehensive support for importing passwords make it the winner in this category. Its focus on user experience makes it an excellent choice if you’re new to password managers.
Plans & Pricing — Bitwarden Offers More Cost-Effective Options
Bitwarden and Dashlane both offer several plans, including free versions that rank among the best free password managers in 2024. Bitwarden’s free version provides unlimited password storage and syncing across unlimited devices but lacks encrypted file storage. On the other hand, Dashlane’s free plan provides password storage for 25 passwords and 1 GB of file storage, but you can only use it on 1 device.
When it comes to paid plans, both Bitwarden and Dashlane offer competitive features. Bitwarden Premium ($10.00 / year) includes 1 GB encrypted file storage, two-factor authentication (2FA) with authenticator apps and USB keys, Vault Health Reports, a built-in TOTP authenticator, and priority customer support. On the other hand, Dashlane’s Premium plan ($4.99 / month) is pricier but offers 2FA with authenticator apps, dark web monitoring, and a VPN.
Bitwarden Families ($40.00 / year) covers up to 6 users, offers unlimited password sharing between up to 6 users, and provides 1 GB storage for shared items. Dashlane’s Friends & Family plan ($7.49 / month) is more expensive, but it covers up to 10 users, provides a private Premium account for each user, and offers a family management dashboard.
Both Bitwarden and Dashlane offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for their premium and family plans. Bitwarden accepts a wider variety of payment methods (such as Bitcoin and JCB cards), but both password managers take PayPal and all major credit cards.
Winner (Plans & Pricing): Bitwarden
Bitwarden and Dashlane both offer competitive features in their plans, but Bitwarden stands out with its more cost-effective options. Both have generous free plans, but Bitwarden’s premium and family plans offer a competitive suite of features for a lower price.
Customer Support — Dashlane Offers More Comprehensive Support
Bitwarden and Dashlane both provide multiple support options, including email support and extensive online knowledge bases. In addition to the email support and knowledge base, Bitwarden has a community forum, while Dashlane offers live chat support, phone support (business users only), Twitter support, and Reddit support.
I was quite impressed with Bitwarden’s customer support even though it provides fewer support options than Dashlane. When I sent a query via email, the representative got back to me in less than 2 hours, whereas Dashlane replied to my email ticket within 24 hours.
That said, Dashlane provides excellent live chat support, which Bitwarden lacks. The live chat replied to me within less than a minute, and the response was very helpful and friendly. There’s also phone support, but it’s only available on Dashlane’s Business plan. Nonetheless, Dashlane is one of the very few password managers to offer phone support at all, which is really cool.
Both Bitwarden and Dashlane provide comprehensive knowledge bases. They both offer helpful user guides and tutorials that cover all features and topics. I especially like Bitwarden’s Learning Center. It’s remarkably well-organized and offers tutorials for users of every skill level. On the other hand, Dashlane offers support in more languages (the knowledge base is available in English, French, German, and Spanish).
I also like Bitwarden’s community forum — it’s very active and can provide additional help if needed. While Dashlane lacks an official support forum, it has a Reddit support page that can provide community support too.
Winner (Customer Support): Dashlane
Dashlane stands out due to its live chat support, which Bitwarden lacks. While Bitwarden offers email support with fast response times and an active community forum, Dashlane’s live chat provides a more immediate and comprehensive support experience. Dashlane also actively engages with its user community on Reddit, providing you with multiple ways to find help quickly.
Overall Winner: Dashlane
Dashlane offers a feature-rich suite with high-end extras like a VPN and dark web monitoring. Also, Dashlane’s intuitive interface and strong customer support make it a top choice if you prefer a more hands-off approach to password management.
Bitwarden, on the other hand, is a secure, user-friendly password manager that provides exceptional value. Its open-source nature and ability to support self-hosting will appeal to tech-savvy users and businesses valuing complete control over their data. Bitwarden also stands out for its affordability.
Though both offer strong security, I think Dashlane is the better option overall. It has a broader range of premium features and superior customer support. While Bitwarden offers a great, budget-friendly option, Dashlane’s comprehensive security suite makes it the overall winner for users who want the most functionality from their password manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dashlane better than Bitwarden?
Yes, I think so. Dashlane provides basic password management tools as well as advanced features like a VPN and dark web monitoring — features not found in Bitwarden. It also offers easy-to-use apps for all major platforms and comprehensive customer support. Although Bitwarden offers a more budget-friendly password manager, Dashlane’s robust security features and intuitive interface make it a more complete and user-friendly password manager.
Is Bitwarden more secure than Dashlane?
No, it’s not. Bitwarden and Dashlane both provide robust security measures, including 256-bit AES encryption, two-factor authentication, and zero-knowledge protocols. However, Bitwarden’s open-source nature means its code is accessible to the public for scrutiny, which can be an advantage as it exposes the software to numerous audits, leading to quick identification and resolution of any potential vulnerabilities. Dashlane, on the other hand, is not open-source, but it also has strong security features and like Bitwarden it has never been hacked.
Are Bitwarden and Dashlane free to use?
Yes, both password managers have free versions. Bitwarden offers a free plan which includes unlimited password storage and syncing across unlimited devices. Dashlane’s free plan also provides unlimited password storage along with 1 GB of file storage, but it’s limited to 1 device. However, Dashlane also offers a 30-day free trial of its Premium plan which provides additional features like a VPN and dark web monitoring.
Do Bitwarden and Dashlane work on Android and iOS devices?
Yes, both Bitwarden and Dashlane offer apps for Android and iOS devices. It’s worth noting that Dashlane’s mobile apps are more intuitive and user-friendly, offering a seamless experience for managing your passwords on the go. Dashlane also extends its premium features to its mobile apps, such as dark web monitoring and a VPN, which enhance your security and privacy directly from your smartphone or tablet. While Bitwarden’s mobile apps provide the essential features you need for password management, Dashlane goes the extra mile to deliver a more comprehensive mobile experience.
