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Technology · head to head

Dashlane vs Principle

Dashlane logo

Dashlane

Technology

Password management made easy for businesses

From
$4.99/month
Rated
-
P

Principle

Design

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dashlane highest pricing among major password managers at $60/year with no monthly subscription option; Principle macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • They diverge on capability: Dashlane covers Password manager, Principle covers Timeline-based animation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dashlane and Principle actually diverge.

Attributes where Dashlane and Principle differ
AttributeDashlanePrinciple
Starting price$4.99/month$129/one-time
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser ExtensionsmacOS
CategoryTechnologyDesign
Founded20092015

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), 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 Principle

  • Timeline-based animation
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Touch gestures
  • Component reuse
  • Video export
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations

What people use each for

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

Dashlane

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

Principle

  • Mobile app prototypesnot Dashlane
  • Micro-interactionsnot Dashlane
  • Animation designnot Dashlane
  • User flow designnot Dashlane
  • Gesture-based interfacesnot 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

Principle

  • macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • No vector morphing capability for complex shape transformations
  • Limited asset creation tools; cannot create vectors or shapes directly within Principle
  • Sketch import flattens certain properties including paths, fills, borders, masks, blur effects, and text layers
  • Limited variable support, logical loops, and data input capabilities compared to tools like ProtoPie or Origami

Pricing, plan by plan

Dashlane

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

Principle

$129/one-time
  • License$129/one-time
    • One year of upgrades
    • Full access to all features
  • Upgrade License$99/year
    • Annual renewal for ongoing upgrades

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.

Choose Principle if

  • You need timeline-based animation.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want interactive prototypes.

Questions people ask

Is Dashlane or Principle better?
Neither clearly leads. Dashlane starts at $4.99/month and Principle at $129/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dashlane or Principle?
Dashlane starts at $4.99/month and Principle at $129/one-time.
Does Dashlane or Principle run on more platforms?
Dashlane runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser Extensions. Principle runs on macOS.
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 Principle is typically brought in for.
What can Dashlane do that Principle cannot?
Dashlane covers Password manager, Digital wallet, Dark web monitoring, VPN for WiFi protection. Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse.

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
Principle: Does Principle run on Windows or Linux?

No. Principle is macOS only and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. There is no Windows or Linux editor available; however, prototypes can be shared and viewed on any platform via web link.

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
Principle: What is the cost of Principle?

Principle costs $129 for a one-time purchase with 1 year of upgrades included. After 1 year, upgrade licenses cost $99/year. A 14-day free trial is available with all features included.

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
Principle: Can I import designs from Figma or Sketch into Principle?

Yes. Principle supports importing designs from Figma and Sketch with intelligent merging of re-imported files. Some Sketch properties such as paths, fills, borders, blur effects, masks, and text layers are flattened upon import.

Source
Principle: How do I share Principle prototypes with others?

Prototypes can be shared via web link with one click (File > Export > Share to Web). Recipients can view and interact with prototypes in any browser on any platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. No installation required.

Source
Principle: Can I create vector shapes and morphing animations in Principle?

Principle does not support vector morphing, where vector objects transform into other vector shapes. It also has limited asset creation capabilities and editing is restricted to basic operations like scale and rotate.

Source

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