LastPass vs Dashlane comparison in 2026

LastPass and Dashlane are two of the most popular password managers, both offering feature-rich free plans, multi-device support, and strong security. They often sit at the top of LastPass vs Dashlane comparisons, but their pricing, privacy track records, and advanced features differ in important ways.

For this Dashlane vs LastPass comparison for 2026, I share my hands-on experience with both tools, covering security, pricing, and ease of use.

If you’re unsure which password manager suits your needs best, read on to see how Dashlane and LastPass compare in key areas that matter most.

LastPass vs Dashlane – short overview

Overall, Dashlane is the better choice. It offers stronger security history, built-in dark web monitoring, and an included VPN, making it a safer option. LastPass is usually cheaper and has flexible plans, but its recent security breaches make it harder to recommend over Dashlane for anyone who prioritizes safety.

	TOP Choice
	NordPass	Dashlane	LastPass
⭐ Rating:	4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
🥇 Overall rank:	#1 out of #20	#5 out of #20	#14 out of #20
🔥 Coupons:	NordPass coupon 53% OFF	Dashlane coupon 25% OFF	LastPass coupon for $3.00/month
💵 Price:	From $1.38/month	From $4.07/month	From $3.00/month
✂️ Free version:	Yes, plus it includes a 30-day money-back guarantee	No, but there's a free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee	Yes, plus 30-day money-back guarantee
🔒 Encryption:	XChaCha20	AES-256	AES-256
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
🌐 Browser extensions:	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Brave, Vivaldi	Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo	Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge
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Key differences between Dashlane vs LastPass

For a quick comparison, I summarized the main differences between Dashlane and LastPass below. The key points can help you choose the right password manager to fit your needs.

Choose Dashlane if:

• You value user-friendly design. Dashlane offers an intuitive interface that works across platforms, while KeePass’s interface feels outdated.
• You prioritize security and trust. Dashlane has no history of data breaches, uses top-tier encryption, and has undergone independent security audits that verify its integrity. On the other hand, KeePass had a security vulnerability in the past and doesn’t share information about independent audits.
• You appreciate useful extras. Dashlane includes great additional features, such as a VPN, elevating your security to the next level.

Choose LastPass if:

• You want a generous free plan. LastPass includes unlimited password storage on its free tier, plus extras like MFA, password sharing, and dark web monitoring.
• You value simplicity. Its clean, beginner-friendly interface makes setup simple and password management straightforward.
• You only need the essentials. LastPass delivers key password manager features like autofill, password generation, password sharing, and emergency access without adding unnecessary complexity.

LastPass or Dashlane: which one offers better value for money?

Both password managers offer a very similar set of features. That is not to say that both offerings are equal. It's one thing to compare their free versions and their features and entirely another when it comes to the paid option.

Version	Dashlane	LastPass
Free	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Premium	$4.07/month	$3.00/month
Family	$8.13/month	$4.00/month
	Grab the deal	Grab the deal

It’s clear that Dashlane is slightly more expensive than LastPass in its paid plans. Dashlane’s Premium plan costs $4.07/month, while LastPass offers a cheaper alternative at $3.00/month.

For families, Dashlane’s Family plan comes at $8.13/month, compared to $4.00/month with LastPass, which allows sharing data among six users. Both password managers provide free plans with limited features, giving users an affordable way to manage passwords securely.

Dashlane or LastPass: which one is more secure?

I have reviewed and tested LastPass and Dashlane’s security features to determine which password managers offer more security guarantees. I compared their encryption, multi-factor authentication options, password limits, privacy policy, and independent audits.

Security features	LastPass	Dashlane
Data encryption	AES-256	AES-256
MFA/2FA	MFA	MFA
Password storage limit	Unlimited	25 for the free plan, unlimited for paid plans
Zero-knowledge policy	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Certifications	✅ ISO and SOC 2, BSI 5-certified, 2024	SOC 2 since 2025 and ISO-certified since 2022

In the Dashlane vs LastPass matchup, the former is a more secure choice, possibly positioning it among the best password managers. Both services use powerful encryption measures, offer multi-factor authentication, and enable you to store data files. However, for me personally, Dashlane emerged as a winner because of no privacy scandals that would tarnish any security company’s reputation.

Aside from the scandals, both providers could use some improvements. For example, Dashlane lacks the autofill function for multi-page login forms, while LastPass could update its privacy policy. So, if privacy is your main concern and you care about convenience, you can check out alternatives like NordPass, which offers top-notch protection, audited security, and even lower prices.

Encryption

When comparing Dashlane and LastPass in terms of encryption and data security, I found that both password managers take strong measures to protect your data.

Dashlane uses AES-256 encryption combined with a key derived from your master password. Your sensitive data is encrypted locally on your device, and Dashlane neither stores nor has access to your master password or key in plain text.

LastPass, similarly, employs AES-256 encryption and uses PBKDF2 SHA-256 for password hashing. Like Dashlane, LastPass encrypts and decrypts your data locally on your device, meaning only encrypted data is sent to its servers.

In both cases, even if attackers were to intercept the data, they would only receive encrypted data that is useless without the decryption key. Neither Dashlane nor LastPass can access your encrypted data, making them both highly secure from an encryption standpoint. However, historically, LastPass has faced security breaches, which may influence your decision based on their security track record. Although it has improved security measures since then, it's still something to consider when evaluating both password managers.

Multi-factor security

When I tested the multi-factor authentication (MFA) options, I found that LastPass has the edge over Dashlane in terms of flexibility and security.

Dashlane, while still offering strong protection with its 2FA via Google Authenticator, felt a bit more limited in comparison. While biometric logins (like fingerprints or facial recognition) added convenience, they didn't count as 2FA unless paired with an authenticator app. What’s new, Dashlane now offers a passwordless login option through biometric technology – but only for new users. For users who want more options, LastPass clearly comes out on top.

LastPass takes things a step further by offering more extensive MFA options. In addition to supporting authentication apps, LastPass also allows the use of smart cards, USB tokens like YubiKey, Windows Fingerprint, and even the option to combine multiple layers of MFA for added protection. While this might seem like overkill, it creates multiple barriers that make it far more difficult for anyone to hijack your account, even if they know your master password.

Overall, LastPass edges out Dashlane in this comparison due to the variety and flexibility of its MFA options, making it a more robust choice for users seeking layered security.

Data storage

In terms of encrypted storage, Dashlane offers more overall space, making it the better option for those who need to store sensitive documents securely.

With Dashlane, you get a solid 1GB of encrypted storage across all plans. However, each file is capped at 15MB, which might be frustrating if you’re dealing with larger files.

LastPass, in contrast, offers a smaller 50MB storage limit for free users and 1GB for premium subscribers. However, it imposes a stricter 10MB limit per file, which can be limiting for high-resolution PDFs or larger attachments.

While Dashlane offers more overall storage space, LastPass provides more flexibility in choosing where your encrypted data is stored, but this feature is available only to business plan users. By default, both services store data on servers located in the United States. However, with LastPass’s business plan, users can opt to store their data in other regions such as Canada, Europe, the UK, Australia, Singapore, or India. This flexibility can be an important factor if data location transparency and compliance with local regulations matter to you.

Ultimately, your choice depends on whether you prioritize overall storage capacity or more specific control over data storage location.

Privacy policy

LastPass is more transparent in its extensive data collection, detailing the types of information it gathers and how it's used, whereas Dashlane focuses on minimizing data collection and strictly limiting access to personal information.

Dashlane collects various types of data, including registration and billing details, device and browser data, and usage patterns. It also collects hashed and encrypted user emails and device IDs for advertising purposes. Despite this, Dashlane makes it clear that it does not store users’ master passwords or decrypted data, which means it can't directly access your stored information. Dashlane does cooperate with law enforcement if necessary, but it has little data to provide due to its security measures.

On the other hand, LastPass takes a more extensive approach. In addition to standard data like names, email addresses, and billing details, LastPass collects session durations, IP addresses, location information, and even the hardware you use. Its policy also allows for the use of your data for marketing purposes and outlines the possibility of transferring data globally. LastPass falls under the privacy policy of its parent company, LogMeIn, which further complicates which data is specifically related to LastPass.

Note: Both Dashlane and LastPass have privacy policies that allow you to share your data with law enforcement if legally required. In the event of such a request, they are both obliged to comply and provide whatever information they have on you.

While LastPass has been criticized for its handling of user data and transparency, it’s important to note that Dashlane is not necessarily better in this regard. Both password managers collect some user data, such as account registration information, usage data, and device details. However, they both emphasize that they do not have access to your master password or decrypted vault data, as encryption and decryption occur locally on your device.

Third-party security audits

When comparing security audits, Dashlane falls behind as it only recently has undergone a third-party evaluation. This helps to increase the transparency, yet it took awhile to improve this area.

On the other hand, in 2024, LastPass completed multiple rigorous security audits, including a SOC 2 Type II audit and the BSI C5 (Cloud Computing Compliance Controls Catalogue) certification. Additionally, it has received the ISO 27001 certification, which is a widely recognized standard for information security management systems.

These audits and certifications demonstrate that LastPass has significantly improved its security practices since its 2018 audit by Tevora Business Solutions, which focused on compliance with AICPA’s Trust Service Principles. While the 2018 audit was a positive step, the recent certifications provide a more thorough and comprehensive assessment, covering aspects like source code reviews, cryptographic testing, and operational security controls.

Dashlane was ISO certified in 2022 by the audit firm Schellman and became certified as SOC 2 Type 2 compliant only in 2025.

In short, LastPass's audit gives it a slight edge, but both services lag behind more transparent competitors.

Transparency

LastPass was once a highly reputable password manager, but its reputation took a hit in 2022 due to a significant security incident. In August 2022, a threat actor gained access to LastPass' development environment, which led to another incident in December 2022 where the attacker managed to steal internal data, including encrypted backups. This raised concerns over the company's ability to secure user data, as the attacker was able to leverage sensitive information obtained in the August breach.

These breaches have impacted the company's trustworthiness, especially since millions of users rely on LastPass to secure their credentials, highlighting the importance of transparency and rigorous security measures.

Both Dashlane and LastPass, together with other major password managers, have been called out by security researchers for a vulnerability affecting Android’s autofill function in 2023. The fact that Dashlane had significantly less breaches makes this service a more secure alternative to LastPass.

LastPass vs Dashlane: feature comparison

When it comes to features, Dashlane is the stronger overall choice. Both Dashlane and LastPass cover the basics well – secure vaults, autofill, password generators, and multi-device sync – so you can use either as a day-to-day password manager without major issues.

Feature	LastPass	Dashlane
Encrypted file storage	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Travel mode	❌ No (only some security thresholds, like email verification)	❌ No
Weak password monitoring	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password health score	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Self-hosting	❌ No	❌ No
Payment card autofill	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Automatic autofill	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password generator	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password sharing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

The real difference shows up in how each one builds out its security suite. Dashlane feels more complete, adding extras like an integrated VPN on some paid plans and real-time phishing alerts, along with dark web monitoring and breach notifications. That makes it better suited if you want your password manager to double as a broader security tool.

LastPass does have a couple of advantages: it is more forgiving if you forget your master password and more restrictive with password sharing between accounts. Dashlane takes the opposite route – stricter reset rules for better security and more flexible sharing options. In my view, it makes more sense if you care about both safety and convenience.

Password importing

When I first sat down to import all my passwords into a new manager, I had a bit of that familiar dread. You know, when you’re thinking about manually entering each password, and it feels like it’s going to take an entire day? But thankfully, LastPass came to the rescue with a feature that made my life a whole lot easier.

What stood out to me about LastPass was its ability to easily capture and store passwords while you go about your day. For example, while it's not a specific "passive import" feature, LastPass does allow for automatic data capture as you log into accounts, just like many other password managers. It made the transition process seamless when I was switching from another manager.

On the other hand, Dashlane wasn't bad, but it felt a bit more structured compared to LastPass. It relies primarily on CSV imports, which worked fine for me, but it’s not as smooth if your previous platform doesn’t export passwords cleanly. While Dashlane got the job done, the process didn’t feel as effortless as with LastPass, which handled the transition with less fuss.

So, from someone who absolutely dreads these transitions, LastPass definitely wins the “make-my-life-easier” award here. It saved me a lot of time and frustration with its flexibility and clever importing tools. Honestly, if you’ve got passwords scattered across different platforms, this might be the one thing that spares you from a real headache.

Account and password recovery

If forgetting passwords is something you’re prone to, LastPass definitely offers a more reassuring backup plan.

Whether you go with LastPass or Dashlane, both start with one key thing: your master password. It’s the one password that opens up access to all your sensitive data, like logins, payment details, and personal information. But what happens when life hits and you forget that master password?

When it comes to recovery options, LastPass provides multiple ways to get back into your account, which is a huge plus. You can choose options like mobile account recovery, SMS recovery, or even use a one-time recovery passcode. Personally, I found the "revert to old master password" feature helpful, especially after coming back from a break and forgetting my password. However, all these options only work if you’ve logged into the browser extension at least once, so it’s something you want to do proactively. If none of these methods work, LastPass also offers the Emergency Access option – all you need to do is share your account with a close relative so they can’t retrieve it in an emergency.

Dashlane, on the other hand, got rid of the emergency access feature, which leaves you with fewer options. However, Dashlane does offer biometric recovery for Android, iOS, and macOS and a unique account recovery key to help if you forget your master password. These features are pretty helpful, but they don't offer quite the safety net that LastPass features do. Please note, that Dashlane clearly states that biometrics isn’t a master password replacement, even with biometric recovery turned on, and they might still ask to enter your master password from time to time.

Password generator

While both tools help create strong, unique passwords, LastPass really stands out if, like me, you're managing tons of accounts and need a faster, stress-free way to handle it all. Both LastPass and Dashlane offer practical password generators, but the difference comes in how I actually use them. For instance, LastPass lets you generate strong passwords easily, but to access the generator, I had to go to Advanced Options, and only there was an option to generate a secure password.

LastPass allows customizing easy-to-say and easy-to-read passwords and allows all characters including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. You can choose between 1 and 99 characters.

Now, with Dashlane, the experience is similar. Dashlane has a password generator easily seen in the interface dashboard on the left. This makes it more easy and obvious to access than LastPass’.

I used it to generate strong passwords, and while I could customize the length and complexity (adding symbols, numbers, letters, similar characters, etc.), it just didn’t feel as intuitive. For instance, when I received a security breach notification and needed to update passwords, Dashlane did have a feature to assist, but it wasn’t as seamless as I’d hoped. Besides, Dashlane allows from 4 to 40 characters password generation – way less than LastPass.

While you can log in automatically and Dashlane will try to change the password for you, I still had to manually navigate to the settings page of each site to complete the process, which felt a bit more involved than LastPass’s one-click updates.

Password sharing

When comparing Dashlane for password sharing, it’s much more flexible than it first appears. During my tests, even with the free version, I found it offers unlimited sharing with multiple users, which is an excellent feature. However, the free plan restricts you to only five unique items for sharing, meaning you can share those five credentials or notes with as many people as you like. If you need to share more than five items, upgrading to Premium removes that limitation, offering unlimited sharing of items and access to more features.

On the other hand, LastPass allows you to share credentials with anyone, even those without a LastPass account. My experience with LastPass’s password sharing was seamless, whether sharing with family or colleagues. With the free version, you can share with one person, while Premium or business accounts allow for sharing with multiple people and an unlimited number of credentials. When I tested it with my family, the ability to add separate vaults for each member made managing shared logins much more organized and efficient.

Overall, both services offer easy and secure password sharing, but Dashlane excels in flexibility on the free plan, while LastPass provides more advanced options for sharing across multiple accounts, especially in business settings.

Autofill

When testing the Autofill feature for both LastPass and Dashlane, I found LastPass to be pretty straightforward, autofilling passwords, credit card details, and addresses securely across different browsers. It worked reliably and saved time, but Dashlane felt a bit more refined. With Dashlane, I could customize the experience with visual cues when selecting payment options, which made managing multiple cards easier. Both worked well, but Dashlane stood out for its smoother and more intuitive autofill process. This little extra flexibility gave Dashlane an edge for me.

Dashlane vs LastPass: ease of use and set-up

As a rule of thumb, password managers are one of the least demanding cybersecurity products hardware-wise. In most cases, you could probably use them on a Smart Fridge, provided that it has a web browser included.

	Dashlane	LastPass
Supported OS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo	Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge

When evaluating password managers, the category winner isn’t determined by whether an app is exceptional or broken — both LastPass and Dashlane excel in their web client performance. They may have slightly different user interfaces or approaches, but both deliver smooth, reliable experiences.

Desktop apps

To set up LastPass on my desktop, I first headed to their website, chose the plan that suited me, and signed up. Once the account was created, I downloaded the appropriate app for my platform — Windows, macOS, or Linux. The installation process was straightforward, and within minutes I was set up and ready to go.

The desktop app is user-friendly and mirrors the web client quite a bit. However, I noticed that some features, like more advanced settings, are only available on the web version. This made me question the necessity of the desktop app, aside from the convenience of logging into desktop applications. While the app did its job well, the experience felt more robust on the web client, where everything is accessible without restrictions.

Dashlane’s situation changed a bit since its desktop app was discontinued, and users had to rely on the Dashlane web app. However, now Dashlane has a macOS app available via the App Store, and you can install a Dashlane CLI on Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Mobile apps

Setting up LastPass on a mobile device is as easy as downloading the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can expect all the features of their browser client. There are a couple of excellent additions, such as the ability to use autofill in apps on iOS 12+ and Android devices. Also, it's possible to access your password vault via Apple Watch if you're logged in on your iPhone. Plus, on iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, and iPad Pro, you can use their built-in split-screen feature to conveniently paste log in data to or from your vault.

Dashlane doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to their mobile apps, either. All the features that you could need are there, including autofill, a VPN, and secure notes.

The mobile version has a different spin on the desktop version's design. Once you log in, you'll be able to do everything you could potentially need from a password manager.

Browser extensions

If you prefer convenience and browser extension vulnerabilities don't phase you, LastPass offers an extension for plenty of browsers. It is somewhat broader than the typical suite - you can find the classics, like Chrome and Firefox, but there are also more unusual picks like Opera, Edge, and even Safari. Once again, there's nothing too complicated with these installations, just download the extension and add it to your browser.

Once again, Dashlane isn't too different from LastPass. It also offers an extension for a wide range of browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. This will be handy in cases when installing an app is just not an option. It's also possible to use the extension in standalone mode on the Brave browser.

Standalone mode is more of a replacement for your browser keychain in the sense that it doesn't connect to your vault and keeps only local copies of your passwords. In this sense, Dashlane offers much more versatility than LastPass.

Download Dashlane on browser

Dashlane vs LastPass: customer support

LastPass and Dashlane have multiple customer support options, including support via email, community forums, resource databases, and social media.

	LastPass	Dashlane
Email support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
24/7 live chat	✅ Yes (Personal and Business plan only)	✅ Yes
Phone support	❌ No	❌ No
Community support (forum)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
How-to guides/Knowledge base	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Social media support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Dashlane clearly has the edge when it comes to customer support. When I tested LastPass and encountered some issues, I found their customer support system a bit frustrating, especially as a free user. The FAQ section is helpful for basic questions, but beyond that, free users don’t have much direct support. I was hoping to submit a support ticket but soon realized that this feature, called “Premium Support,” is only available for paying subscribers. It felt like hitting a wall, and I can understand how free users might feel pressured into upgrading just to get basic help.

Dashlane, on the other hand, offers a more user-friendly experience. Their live chat support was responsive when I had questions about account settings. Even as a non-paying user, I could access their email support, and the bot provided quick, automated answers for simpler queries. The fact that Dashlane prioritizes Premium users without completely shutting out free users made a big difference for me. It felt like it values all its customers, not just the ones paying for the premium plan.

Dashlane vs LastPass: user reviews

On G2.com, Dashlane holds a solid rating of 4.5/5 from around 615 reviews. Many users appreciate Dashlane's ease of use and intuitive interface, with its autofill and password generation tools receiving high praise. On Trustpilot, Dashlane scores 3.1/5 from over 6000 reviews, where users frequently highlight its sleek design and reliable security features, although some express concerns about the discontinuation of its desktop app.

On the other hand, LastPass holds a 4.4/5 rating on G2.com from over 1960 reviews. While users commend its comprehensive password management and sharing features, they also express concerns about the security breaches that have affected LastPass in recent years. On Trustpilot, LastPass has a 1.3/5 rating from over 900 reviews, with mixed opinions – some users praise its affordability and accessibility, while others criticize the service due to security concerns.

Bottom line

Both LastPass and Dashlane are strong password managers, but in this comparison Dashlane comes out as a better option. Dashlane stands out with its great data security history, a sleek interface, and extras like a built-in VPN and excellent customer support. However, its free version is limited to one device.

However, LastPass remains a popular choice because of its generous free tier, allowing password sharing and syncing across multiple devices. Despite a history of security breaches, users favor LastPass as a flexible and budget-friendly option.

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