Software · head to head
Bitwarden vs Dashlane
The short version
- Only Bitwarden has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Bitwarden the integrated TOTP authenticator, encrypted file attachments, vault health reports and Emergency Access are all withheld from the free plan and need Premium at $1.65 per month; Dashlane highest pricing among major password managers at $60/year with no monthly subscription option
- They diverge on capability: Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Dashlane covers Password manager.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bitwarden and Dashlane actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Bitwarden
- Unlimited password storage
- Cross-platform sync
- Secure password sharing
- Encrypted file attachments
- Vault health reports
- Emergency access
- YubiKey
- FIDO2
Only in Dashlane
- Password manager
- Digital wallet
- Dark web monitoring
- VPN for WiFi protection
- Secure sharing
- Security dashboard
- Slack
- Biometric unlock
Both cover
- Password generator
- Two-factor authentication
- Active Directory
- Azure AD
- Okta
- OneLogin
- Google Workspace
- Duo
- AES-256
- Zero-knowledge
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Bitwarden
- Personal password managementnot Dashlane
- Team credential sharingnot Dashlane
- Enterprise securitynot Dashlane
- Compliance requirements
- Developer secrets managementnot Dashlane
Dashlane
- Password managementnot Bitwarden
- Identity protectionnot Bitwarden
- Secure credential sharingnot Bitwarden
- Compliance requirements
- VPN protectionnot Bitwarden
Both are used for compliance requirements, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Bitwarden
- The integrated TOTP authenticator, encrypted file attachments, vault health reports and Emergency Access are all withheld from the free plan and need Premium at $1.65 per month
- Free accounts can share vault items with one other Bitwarden user and no more
- File storage is capped at 5 GB on Premium and 5 GB personal plus 5 GB family on the Families plan
- Two-step login accepts up to 10 hardware security keys per account
- The Families plan is capped at 6 people, so a seventh member means moving to a Teams subscription at $4 per user per month
Dashlane
- Highest pricing among major password managers at $60/year with no monthly subscription option
- Restricted free tier with only 25 passwords on single device compared to Bitwarden's unlimited free tier
- No traditional desktop application, users must rely on browser extension or mobile apps
- Closed-source code prevents independent security verification unlike open-source competitors
- Limited 2FA options supporting only authenticator apps, not biometric or SMS authentication
Pricing, plan by plan
Bitwarden
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited passwords
- 2 users (organizations)
- Sync all devices
- Teams$3/month
- Everything in Free
- Unlimited users
- Shared collections
- Enterprise$6/month
- Everything in Teams
- SSO integration
- Enterprise policies
Dashlane
$4.99/month- Premium$4.99/month
- Secure vault
- Password generation
Which should you pick?
Choose Bitwarden if
- You need unlimited password storage.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli.
- You also want cross-platform sync.
Choose Dashlane if
- You need password manager.
- You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions.
- You also want digital wallet.
Questions people ask
- Is Bitwarden or Dashlane better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bitwarden starts at Free and Dashlane at $4.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bitwarden or Dashlane?
- Bitwarden has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bitwarden and $4.99/month for Dashlane.
- Does Bitwarden or Dashlane run on more platforms?
- Bitwarden runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli. Dashlane runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions.
- Can I use Bitwarden for free?
- Yes. Bitwarden has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dashlane starts at $4.99/month.
- What is Bitwarden best used for?
- Bitwarden is most often used for personal password management, team credential sharing, enterprise security, compliance requirements. Of those, personal password management and team credential sharing are not what Dashlane is typically brought in for.
- What can Bitwarden do that Dashlane cannot?
- Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Cross-platform sync, Secure password sharing, Encrypted file attachments. Dashlane covers Password manager, Digital wallet, Dark web monitoring, VPN for WiFi protection. Both handle Password generator, Two-factor authentication, Active Directory, Azure AD.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Dashlane: What happened to Dashlane's free plan?
Dashlane discontinued its free plan in September 2025. The entry-level plan now starts at $4.99/month (billed annually) for Premium, or businesses can use a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the service.
SourceDashlane: What platforms does Dashlane support?
Dashlane is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Chromebook. Browser extensions work with Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Brave. However, Dashlane no longer has a traditional desktop application.
SourceDashlane: Does Dashlane support SSO integration?
Yes, Dashlane integrates with SAML 2.0 Identity Providers for SSO, plus SCIM for user provisioning and deprovisioning. However, the Safari browser extension does not support self-hosted SSO due to Apple limitations.
Source