Dashlane vs Bitwarden
How do Dashlane and Bitwarden compare? Side-by-side features, pricing, and who each one is really for.
What matters to you?
Dashlane
From $4.36/mo (Premium)Premium password manager with dark web monitoring, anti-phishing and optional integrated VPN.
- VPN included at no extra cost
- Continuous dark web monitoring
- French company (GDPR-friendly)
- Omnix for businesses that want credential visibility
- Higher price than competitors
- No self-hosting
- No Linux desktop app
Bitwarden
Free / $1.66/mo PremiumOpen-source password manager with a generous free tier and self-hosting option.
- Generous free tier with unlimited devices
- Fully open-source and audited
- Self-hosting with Vaultwarden
- CLI and API for developers
- UI less polished than 1Password
- No travel mode
- Free plan lacks advanced 2FA
Feature comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (from) | From $4.36/mo (Premium) | Free / $1.66/mo Premium |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256-CBC + HMAC |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser, CLI |
| Family plan | $6.59/mo | $4.00/mo |
| Business plans | Yes | Yes |
| Dark web monitoring | Yes | No |
| VPN | Yes | No |
| Anti-phishing | Yes | No |
| Passkeys | Yes | No |
| Omnix | Yes | No |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Self-hosting | No | Yes |
| 2FA | No | Yes |
| Send | No | Yes |
Choose Dashlane if…
- • VPN included at no extra cost
- • Continuous dark web monitoring
- • French company (GDPR-friendly)
- • Omnix for businesses that want credential visibility
Choose Bitwarden if…
- • Generous free tier with unlimited devices
- • Fully open-source and audited
- • Self-hosting with Vaultwarden
- • CLI and API for developers
Dashlane vs Bitwarden: our comparison
Dashlane and Bitwarden sit at opposite ends of the spectrum: Dashlane is a premium bundle (passwords + VPN + dark web monitoring), Bitwarden is free on unlimited devices and open source. We compared them so you can see which fits your priorities.
Dashlane vs Bitwarden at a glance
Bitwarden is free with unlimited passwords and devices; Premium is 1.65 $/month. Dashlane has no free plan; Premium is about 4 euros/month and includes a VPN and continuous dark web monitoring. So if you want zero cost or open source, Bitwarden wins. If you want one subscription that covers passwords, VPN and breach monitoring, Dashlane wins. Bitwarden has self-hosting (Vaultwarden); Dashlane does not. Dashlane has a French base (GDPR-friendly) and one of the most intuitive interfaces we have used.
What we tested
We imported a 150-entry vault into both. Autofill worked well on Chrome and Android for both. Dashlane's dark web monitoring flagged an old account; the VPN was stable on public Wi‑Fi. Bitwarden's free tier gave us full sync on all devices with no paywall. We enabled YubiKey on Bitwarden in under 5 minutes. For families: Bitwarden Families is 3.99 $/month for 6 users; Dashlane Friends & Family is about 6.05 euros/month for 10 users.
Who should choose Dashlane
- You want VPN and dark web monitoring in one subscription. - You prefer a polished, intuitive interface and French company. - You need a large family plan (10 members). - You are okay paying more for the bundle.
Who should choose Bitwarden
- You want a free or very low-cost solution. - You care about open source and self-hosting. - You do not need a bundled VPN. - You want unlimited devices on the free tier.
Our verdict
Choose Dashlane if you want an all-in-one security subscription and are okay with the price. Choose Bitwarden if budget or open source matters most. Both are reliable; the choice is bundle vs cost and control.