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Technology · head to head

Dashlane vs Obsidian

Dashlane logo

Dashlane

Technology

Password management made easy for businesses

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Obsidian logo

Obsidian

Research

A powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Obsidian has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Dashlane highest pricing among major password managers at $60/year with no monthly subscription option; Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • They diverge on capability: Dashlane covers Password manager, Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dashlane and Obsidian actually diverge.

Attributes where Dashlane and Obsidian differ
AttributeDashlaneObsidian
Starting price$4.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser ExtensionsWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
CategoryTechnologyResearch
Founded20092020

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Dashlane

  • Password manager
  • Digital wallet
  • Dark web monitoring
  • VPN for WiFi protection
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Password generator
  • Secure sharing
  • Security dashboard

Only in Obsidian

  • Bidirectional linking
  • Graph view visualization
  • Markdown support
  • Local file storage
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Custom CSS themes
  • Templates
  • Search and tags

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Dashlane

  • Password managementnot Obsidian
  • Identity protectionnot Obsidian
  • Secure credential sharingnot Obsidian
  • Compliance requirementsnot Obsidian
  • VPN protectionnot Obsidian

Obsidian

  • Local-first markdown note taking with no account requirednot Dashlane
  • Linking notes into a personal knowledge graphnot Dashlane
  • Syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-onnot Dashlane
  • Publishing a public site from a vaultnot Dashlane
  • Extending the editor with community pluginsnot Dashlane

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Obsidian

  • Sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • Publishing to the web is a further $8 per month per site
  • Commercial use asks for a $50 per user per year licence, though the vendor states it is not required
  • Collaboration is limited compared with a hosted notes tool, since the vault is local files first

Pricing, plan by plan

Dashlane

$4.99/month
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Secure vault
    • Password generation

Obsidian

Free
  • Obsidian Sync$4/month
    • Sync notes across devices
  • Obsidian Publish$8/month
    • Turn notes into a website

Which should you pick?

Choose Dashlane if

  • You need password manager.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions.
  • You also want digital wallet.
Dashlane review

Choose Obsidian if

  • You need bidirectional linking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want graph view visualization.
Obsidian review

Questions people ask

Is Dashlane or Obsidian better?
Neither clearly leads. Dashlane starts at $4.99/month and Obsidian at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dashlane or Obsidian?
Obsidian has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for Dashlane and Free for Obsidian.
Does Dashlane or Obsidian run on more platforms?
Dashlane runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions. Obsidian runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use Obsidian for free?
Yes. Obsidian has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dashlane starts at $4.99/month.
What is Dashlane best used for?
Dashlane is most often used for password management, identity protection, secure credential sharing, compliance requirements. Of those, password management and identity protection are not what Obsidian is typically brought in for.
What can Dashlane do that Obsidian cannot?
Dashlane covers Password manager, Digital wallet, Dark web monitoring, VPN for WiFi protection. Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking, Graph view visualization, Markdown support, Local file storage.

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.

Source
Obsidian: Is Obsidian free?

Yes. The core Obsidian application is 100% free for personal and commercial use with no limitations. You can use unlimited vaults and every core feature without payment.

Source
Dashlane: 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.

Source
Obsidian: What file format does Obsidian use?

Obsidian stores every note as a plain Markdown file. Because it uses standard Markdown instead of a proprietary format, your notes remain portable and can be edited with many other Markdown editors.

Source
Dashlane: 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
Obsidian: Can I collaborate with others in Obsidian?

The core application does not include built-in team collaboration features. However, Obsidian offers optional add-ons and can be used with version control systems or cloud storage for collaboration.

Source
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