Dashlane vs 1Password: Which password manager should you use in 2023?

Using a password manager is a great way to protect your personal or business data and accounts. Password management software makes it easy to use complex and varied passwords for all of your accounts without having to remember or store them all in a format that’s easily hacked.

SEE: Mobile Device Security Policy (TechRepublic Premium)

1Password and Dashlane are two of the top password management tools on the market. Both services have advanced features to securely store and monitor your passwords. Learn what features each solution offers and how to decide between these two password managers in this in-depth comparison guide.

 1Password vs. Dashlane: Feature comparison

What is 1Password?

1Password is password management software that helps individual users and businesses keep their passwords secure through advanced features like multi-factor authentication. 1Password can securely store user credentials, identify compromised passwords and facilitate secure login sharing. It also has a browser extension that can autofill saved passwords to websites.

In addition, 1Password alerts you if a password is weak or duplicated across other accounts and if your information is involved in a data breach. It’s a helpful tool for maintaining strong account security. 1Password is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.

1Password pros & cons

These are the most important pros and cons to consider when reviewing 1Password:

Pros

• Excellent security features, including a travel mode for cloud-free Wi-Fi sync.
• Guest accounts (with limited access).

Cons

• Complicated interface, especially for new users.
• No online chat for customer service.

1Password pricing

1Password plans are offered in two different tiered package groups: Personal & Family and Teams & Business. These are the price points for their plans:

• 1Password: $2.99 per month, billed annually.
• 1Password Families: $4.99 per month for five family members, billed annually.
• Teams Starter Pack: $19.95 per month, billed annually.
• Business: $7.99 per user per month.
• Enterprise: Quote available upon request.

14-day free trials are available for all plan options.

Want to learn more about 1Password? Compare it to another leading solution here: Bitwarden vs 1Password: Password manager comparison.

What is Dashlane?

Dashlane is a password manager that encrypts your data to securely store login credentials for all of the websites and accounts you use. The tool includes a variety of standard password manager features — such as password generation, storage and sharing — as well as some extras.

With Dashlane, users get a VPN service to keep their data secure while on public Wi-Fi networks. Dashlane can also be unlocked with MFA apps like Duo and integrates with single sign-on platforms like Okta and Azure Active Directory. Dashlane supports Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and all major browsers.

Dashlane pros & cons

These are the most important pros and cons to consider when reviewing Dashlane:

Pros

• Simple interface.
• Dark web monitoring.
• VPN Wi-Fi feature.

Cons

• Browser add-on requires improvement.
• Less flexibility in security features and interface customization.

Dashlane pricing

Dashlane offers a variety of pricing options in Business use and Personal use tiers. These are the main plans that they offer:

Business use

• Starter: $2 per seat per month, billed monthly, with a minimum of 10 seats.
• Team: $5 per seat per month, billed annually. A free trial is available for this plan.
• Business: $8 per seat per month, billed annually. A free trial is available for this plan.

Personal use

• Free: $0 and no credit card is required.
• Advanced: $2.75 per month billed annually.
• Premium: $4.99 per month billed annually. A free trial is available for this plan.
• Friends & Family: $7.49 per month, billed annually, for 10 users.

Head-to-head feature comparison: 1Password vs. Dashlane

Password management and sharing

Both tools provide core password management features to securely store, autofill and generate passwords. They both allow users to customize the criteria for generating new randomized passwords, including length, character types and readability.

1Password features password and username generators to create secure login credentials that aren’t re-used across websites. It uses a secure vault system for password sharing. Vaults can be created to organize your passwords and securely share them with others within the organization.

Similarly, Dashlane’s secure sharing feature can be used to share one or more passwords and secure notes. Users can share a password with individual users or groups and adjust the sharing permissions to provide either full or limited access.

Security and monitoring

Both services employ 256-bit AES encryption and two-factor authentication to keep your login information secure. Dashlane uses PBKDF2 encryption to protect users’ passwords, while 1Password has its own Secret Key encryption system.

SEE: Best encryption software (TechRepublic)

In terms of monitoring, 1Password includes their Watchtower monitoring feature, which integrates with Have I Been Pwned to provide alerts if any of your passwords have appeared in data breaches. This is a great way to catch compromised passwords early.

Dashlane offers Dark Web monitoring so you can be alerted if any of your personal information or login credentials are compromised and shared on the Dark Web. This monitoring tool scans records attached to hacks and data breaches, with almost a million new records added and scanned every day.

Reporting

Dashlane and 1Password each offer reporting dashboards that allow IT personnel or administrators to access company-wide activity data, add employees, and manage groups and permissions.

1Password offers detailed reporting options. Administrators can run reports for individual employees, individual vaults, teams and the whole business. Business plan subscribers can monitor who is accessing company resources, what devices they’re using to gain access and what actions they take with those credentials.

SEE: Password management policy (TechRepublic Premium)

1Password users can create rules to allow or deny sign-in attempts from specific locations. This is helpful in highly regulated industries where you may not want certain company programs or data to be accessed outside of company buildings or via public Wi-Fi.

Dashlane provides an advanced reporting dashboard that provides an overview of your company’s password health, compromised passwords and password quality. Administrators can also view user information and login activity logs from these dashboards.

How to choose between 1Password vs. Dashlane

Dashlane and 1Password are both strong password management software options. Ultimately, deciding between the two comes down to your organization’s individual needs and preferences. Based on our research, these are the areas in which 1Password and Dashlane particularly shine:

Dashlane: Best for ease of use

Dashlane is a bit more user-friendly, whereas 1Password can be a bit confusing to use at first. As such, Dashlane is a great choice if you are primarily looking for a user-friendly tool to help employees manage their passwords. Dashlane is also the right choice for organizations using a single sign-on system.

1Password: Best for sharing credentials

1Password is a great choice for organizations that plan to heavily utilize password-sharing functions, as the platform’s vault system can be a good way to share passwords among employees. You can have a social media vault, travel booking vault and other vaults designed to be shared by employees within a specific department or project team. It is a nice system for keeping things updated and organized if you will be sharing accounts with others.

Other Leading Password Managers

Although 1Password and Dashlane are solid performers, offering a variety of features and flexibility, there are several other password managers that might be more suitable to your needs. Consider these leading password managers and what they have to offer before making your decision:

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