Dashlane

A powerful password manager

What is Dashlane?

Dashlane is a browser, mobile and Windows and macOS desktop password manager that’s available in both free and paid-for versions. In common with most of its rivals, if you want to be able to sync data and passwords between multiple devices – a vital feature if you want to keep on top of secure passwords – you’ll have to subscribe to Dashlane Premium for $39.99 per year.

Related: Best Password Managers

Dashlane – Features

Like main rivals RoboForm and LastPass, as well as automatically logging you into websites and entering passwords on demand, Dashlane can store your personal information to auto-fill web forms as needed.

Dashlane makes it easy to transfer your passwords from other password management tools, and explicitly supports LastPass’s CSV export format, as well as cheerfully importing any passwords stored in your browser’s password locker.

Dashlane’s guide to Getting Started is among the best we’ve seen from a password manager, with step-by-step direction in the apps and plenty of useful links to clear documentation. The browser plugin is a refreshingly simple, no-frills affair that includes a list of all your stored sites and their login details, a secure-password generator and a few settings to allow you to disable its auto-fill features on selected websites.

The desktop app includes a built-in secure note-taking tool that has a number of pre-defined categories into which you can put notes, including software licenses, legal documents and server info, as well as generic blank notes.

Other sections of Dashlane’s desktop app allow you to store copies of identity documents and banking information, putting everything at your fingertips, stored behind your – hopefully very secure – master password.

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However, unlike rival LastPass, Dashlane can only provide access to your notes via its mobile or desktop apps, or by logging into its website.

The Dashlane mobile apps are excellent, fully reproducing all the features of its desktop counterpart, as well as acting as a two-factor authentication device when logging into your browser apps. 

Rather than typing in your full master password every time, Dashlane mobile allows you to set a four-digit pin – although note that this is a comparatively low-security option if you plan to use the app to store vital personal or financial data.

Dashlane mobile’s auto-login feature can integrate with Android phones’ accessibility settings to allow the program to detect and automatically enter passwords into your mobile apps. However, if you want to automatically enter website passwords using Dashlane mobile, you’ll have to use its integrated browser, rather than your usual browser.

There’s even an Apple Watch app

It generally performed well, allowing us to select login details it knew, but its auto-login feature was occasionally flummoxed by alternate mobile URLs.

Dashlane can also save receipts for your online purchases, which can be helpful when it comes to tracking your finances. This is will allow you to securely share passwords with others and set up an emergency contact who will be able to access your account in times of crisis – but they’ll have to use or sign up to Dashlane themselves in order to gain access.

Verdict

DashLane is one of our favourite password managers. Its Windows desktop application makes it particularly easy to manage your data, its mobile apps are excellent, and the service provides plugin support for most major browser platforms.

However, its free tier doesn’t provided the syncing capabilities of rival LastPass’ equivalent, and its paid-for tier is significantly more expensive. While both are equally capable services, LastPass offers better value.

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