Dashlane and LastPass were once the two most popular premium password managers, competing for users who wanted polish, features, and a subscription-based experience. Today, the comparison exists in the shadow of LastPass's catastrophic 2022 breach. Both are established players — but the gap in trust has widened significantly. Here's our honest 2025 head-to-head.
In 2022, LastPass suffered a breach where attackers stole encrypted customer vaults plus unencrypted metadata (site URLs, usernames). Dashlane has never had a comparable breach. This context affects every aspect of this comparison.
📋 In This Comparison
Security Comparison
| Security Factor | Dashlane | LastPass |
|---|---|---|
| Zero-knowledge encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Open-source | ✗ Closed source | ✗ Closed source |
| Published security audits | ✓ Yes (annual) | ✗ Not published |
| Major breach history | ✓ No major breaches | ✗ 2015, 2022 (vaults stolen) |
| AES-256 encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| PBKDF2 iterations | 200,000 (Argon2 on new) | 600,000 (raised post-breach) |
| Bug bounty | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Dark web monitoring | ✓ Built-in | ✓ Premium |
Security verdict: Dashlane wins. The absence of breach history combined with published audit reports gives Dashlane a clear security edge. LastPass raised its PBKDF2 iteration count in response to the 2022 breach — but this is a reactive fix, not the proactive security posture that Dashlane demonstrates.
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Dashlane | LastPass |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 device, unlimited passwords | 1 device type (mobile OR desktop) |
| Premium | $59.99/year (~$5/mo) | $36/year ($3/mo) |
| Friends & Family (up to 10) | $89.99/year | — |
| Family (up to 6) | — | $48/year |
| Business starter (per user) | $4.99/user/month | $4/user/month |
Dashlane is significantly more expensive than LastPass — and both are more expensive than Bitwarden ($10/year). Dashlane does include a built-in VPN with Premium, which partially justifies the price if you'd otherwise pay for a VPN separately. However, security-focused users generally prefer dedicated VPN services over bundled VPNs.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Dashlane | LastPass |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited passwords | ✓ All plans | ✓ All plans |
| Password generator | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Secure notes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Password sharing | ✓ Yes | ✓ Limited on free |
| 2FA/TOTP storage | Premium only | Premium only |
| Built-in VPN | ✓ Premium (Hotspot Shield) | ✗ No |
| Dark web monitoring | ✓ Built-in all plans | Premium only |
| Password health score | ✓ "Password Health" dashboard | ✓ Security Dashboard |
| Emergency access | ✓ Premium | ✓ Premium |
| Passkey support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Desktop apps | Web app only (no native desktop) | ✓ Desktop app |
| Linux support | ✗ Limited (web only) | ✗ Limited |
Note: Dashlane removed its desktop app in 2022, moving to a browser-extension-only model. This means Dashlane requires an active internet connection to function — there's no offline vault access like LastPass Desktop provides.
User Experience
Both Dashlane and LastPass are known for polished interfaces, but in different ways:
- Dashlane has an excellent, modern UI with a clean browser extension. The Password Health dashboard is one of the best visual summaries of your security posture in the industry. Onboarding for new users is particularly smooth.
- LastPass has a familiar interface that millions of users know well. It felt slightly dated in 2025 but works reliably. The desktop vault experience is better than Dashlane's (which has no desktop app).
Free Tier Comparison
Neither Dashlane nor LastPass have compelling free tiers compared to Bitwarden:
- Dashlane Free: 1 device, unlimited passwords — functional but single-device is limiting
- LastPass Free: 1 device type (mobile OR desktop, not both) — essentially unusable for modern multi-device users
- Bitwarden Free: Unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, all browsers — significantly better than either
Verdict
✅ Choose Dashlane If:
- Security trust is your primary concern
- You want built-in dark web monitoring
- You need a bundled VPN option
- You want published annual security audits
- You find the UX polish worth the price premium
✅ Choose LastPass If:
- You're already paying and don't want to migrate
- You specifically need the native desktop vault app
- You want a lower price point ($36 vs $59.99)
- You've upgraded your master password to a strong passphrase post-breach
Honest take: In 2025, neither Dashlane nor LastPass is our top recommendation. Bitwarden offers equivalent or better security for $10/year (or free), and 1Password offers a better premium experience at $36/year. But if you're specifically choosing between these two: Dashlane is the clear winner on security track record and trust. LastPass is cheaper but carries the 2022 breach baggage.