Dashlane Password Manager Review 2020: Is It The Best?

Our Verdict

Dashlane comes with a range of features that include dark web monitoring and unlimited VPN access, making it one of the leading password managers out there.

Apart from this, Dashlane brings out one of the most user-friendly interfaces on the market. The password manager also comes with military-grade encryption, a one-click password changer, a mobile app, plus a Dashlane 24-hour support team.

It is hands down the number 1 top pick for password managers in 2020. The service also includes a free trial, plus 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can try it out.

Let’s take a look at an in-depth review of the Dashlane password manager!

Introduction

We all know the importance of good passwords; it helps keep hackers away from our data and accounts. Plus, we all know the importance of a strong password, to at least make it hard for hackers to access our accounts.

However, keeping strong and unique passwords across a myriad of accounts is a hassle, which then results in the normal 12345 passwords.

This is where password managers come in. They are like the vitamins of the internet world, helping our account protection stronger, and less susceptible to intrusion.

If you can create strong passwords, a different one for each account you have, and still remember them, then do it! However, if you can’t, then password managers should be a great tool for you.

A password manager will help create authentic and strong passwords, plus remember the passwords for you across different platforms you are registered to.

Why Not Use Your Browser?

Browsers also come with password management tools; however, the password managers offered by browsers are quite rudimentary. Also, most browsers will steal the passwords created by asking you to allow them to remember the password.

The fact that browser password managers are also limited is another reason for the preference for dedicated password managers.

Browser-based password managers will often create weak passwords as they are created with a myriad of functions, meaning they do not have a strong priority for password creation.

Dedicated password managers, on the other hand, are created only for that purpose, meaning they will provide better services in terms of passwords as compared to browser password managers.

Dashlane Password Manager Review -Dashlane Costs and What Is Covered

Dashlane application comes in three different plans, each with increased features depending on the amount of money you pay for different tiers.

The application has no monthly plan, which is one of the disappointing things about the application.

The Dashlane app also only provides password management for individual

1. Free plan

Dashlane free plan comes with many features including:

Password change
Secure notes storage
Form and payment autofill
Password generator
Security alerts
Password changer
Password sharing of up to 5 people
Basic 2 factor authentication (a better secure login method)
Emergency contact access

Dashlane will also provide you with up to 50 passwords for free on the Dashlane free plan. However, you can only use it on one device

2. Premium

As you go up the plans, the more the features you get. Apart from all the features found on the free plan, the premium plan comes with:

An increasingly advanced 2-factor authentication system which uses Yubikey
VPN which comes with unlimited data
Dark web monitoring
1gb secure file storage
Remote access through a web app on Chrome, Firefox, or edge
Priority support

Due to the number of features and the service guarantee it offers, Dashlane is quite expensive compared to other password managers out there.

The edge that the Dashlane application as over its main competition, including LetPass, 1Password, is the VPN and password changer that it comes with.

The money-back-guarantee is also quite a good incentive.

3. Premium Plus

The Dashlane premium plus is currently only available in the United States. Apart from the features described in both the free and premium plans, the premium plus option also adds extra identity theft mechanisms and protection features such as;

Credit monitoring- this is done through TransUnion. Dashlane will help protect your funds through notifications whenever there is any sort of activity on your credit card.
Identity restoration support- this is where you get support through the Dashlane application, where you are advised accordingly in terms of recovering in case you have experienced any identity theft.
Identity theft insurance- a great thing that gives Dashlane an edge over many other password managers is the access to insurance Dashlane offers through the American Insurance Group, providing up to $1 million of cover.

Compared to the features and opportunities Dashlane premium plus offers its users, the jump in price between Dashlane premium and Dashlane premium pus is quite worth it.

Identity theft can be derailed and will be a cause for many problems for anyone. Imagine watching your money get depleted by unknown people, as they use your identity in possibly compromising situations that may cause you legal problems. Dashlane identity theft protection and recovery measures are a gem for anyone interested in proper financial and identity security.

Is Dashlane Safe- The Dashlane Virtual Private Network

Dashlane is the only application to offer its clients access to a VPN service.

The DashlaneVPN option makes a lot of sense if you think about it. By encrypting your data on a public WI-FI network, a VPN will prevent hackers from accessing your data and any personal info.

However, people with access to VPN understand the problems VPN come with, where they can slow down your internet speed. Dashlane solves this problem by using one of the fastest VPN providers in the market anchor free.

The VPN will reach up to between 26 Mbps and 28 Mbps, which are all pretty decent speeds for a VPN. This was proven with tests done in more than two countries, from France, Germany, and the UK.

The Dashlane VPN is also quite different compared to most VPN services as the data is unlimited, and you get to use it as much as you want. As an example, Kaspersky uses around 300MB per day while panda uses 150M per day.

The Dashlane VPN is what gives the Dashlane password manager the edge it comes with as a great addition for all the features; it comes with.

Dashlane Set Up

The first Dashlane set up process is done through downloading and installing the standalone version of Dashlane from the company website. Extensions will automatically install on your computer after you download the application.

You will then be instructed to register for the Dashlane program. This will require a valid email address, plus a master password.

The only password you will be required to remember from Dashlane is the first password you will use to register on the site. The password comes with certain rules to ensure you register with a strong password.

Some of the rules in creating a strong password in Dashlane password manager involve:

Eight-character password
One uppercase letter
One lowercase letter
One number

In case you forget your master password means that you will have to wipe the account and start over as part of the security model. Dashlane will not let you recover or reset the registered password.

The Dashlane set up can be done through your mobile device; however, you can start with the desktop app too. Depending on where you use the internet more, it is best advised to set up the Dashlane program on that device.

However, Dashlane comes with another advantage, where it can export available credentials from LastPass, Chrome Safari,1password, 1Password, or CSV files.

Whether you use our computer or any other device to set up your Dashlane program, registering any other devices will require a security code unique to your device, which will be sent from the Dashlane website to your emails.

If you have activated the two-factor authentication mechanism on your computer, you will be required to utilize a six-digit code generated by the one-time password mobile authentication of your choice including Authy, Google authenticator or FreeOTP

Dashlane on the Desktop

If you are going to use the Dashlane program on a computer, there are a couple of ways you can use it from; the standalone app, the browser extension, or through direct login to the Dashlane website.

Another advantage with the desktop app is that it picks up icons for your most viewed or accessed websites and places them within its grid while adding credentials, easing access to websites.

The best way to use the Dashlane program on your computer, however, would be through the standalone app.

The standalone app comes with a better experience of the whole program as it has an intuitive interface with a user rich experience.

The Dashlane password manager is also set up in such a way that you get to view all the primary sections of the program on one side while the rest of the data is listed on the right, giving you an easier time while using the software.

The security dashboard will provide a full overview of the computer’s password health, and provide an overall security score plus, the program will also show you the number of weak passwords, old, compromised or reused.

This will come in handy in boosting the strength of your old passwords improving your security.

The Dashlane app also comes with secure notes, which is a place where you can save your critical information such as banking information, or software licenses.

The wallet section that comes with the Dashlane app also comes in handy as it helps fill out online forms beyond passwords. The wallet can help keep personal info, ID’s receipts, and payments

Apart from keeping important info, the wallet has been tweaked such that it easier and more self-explanatory to work with. A good example is the payment ID’s: they will match a service color scheme or the physical look of the ID they represent.

For a passport number, the application will present it as a passport, while a social security number will be provided as a social security card. This helps differentiate what you have stored in the wallet easily.

The application also comes with a receipts feature. This is where, if you are interested in keeping track of what you buy, it can automatically log purchases during checkout, but you can enter them manually later using notes and categorization.

With the contacts set to of the application, the Dashlane application will offer you ways in which you can share information such as passwords or notes with your emergency contact or other important users.

The way the application works here is such that you can share notes and passwords with other registered Dashlane users.

You can also allow other non-registered users to use the passwords, give them viewing right, or allow them to edit and share your password and notes.

In case you get stuck in a situation where you cannot access the Dashlane application, then there is an emergency contact you can use.

In such cases, you can use emergency contacts to access your account. In case you fail to deny their request in the window of time given by the account, then they will have read-only rights to the account.

Emergency contacts are a requirement in the application, and should also be registered to Dashlane.

The Dashlane Browser Extension on the Desktop

On the other hand, the Dashlane browser extensions offer you a list of sites, which the app has already saved credentials for, and allows you to log into these sites automatically.

The browser extension will also offer you quick access to the customizable password generator. This will help you in case you are signing up for a new site, and you need a strong password.

The extension will also give you the power to control how each site you have credentials is handled. This means you can choose whether or not to allow or disallow for the app to fill in the login info on the site, meaning you can either access websites through the app or not.

In case someone else wants to use the app, you can sign out of the Dashlane extension. You will need to click on your email address in the lower-left corner and select log out.

The final option for Dashlane is the web interface.

The feature was read-only; however, the website has changed it to include the editing of credentials and other items.

Dashlane Mobile Apps

The Dashlane password manager provides virtually the same features it does on the computer as it does on the mobile platforms.

The application will share a similar design regardless of whether it’s an IOS app or an android app. The only difference between the app versions of the PC from android is that it may lack the password changer in some android devices.

On the IOS apps, you will have to select each account to be changed rather than selecting all of them.

The app will come with an inbox security scan, which will go through your email for old and reused passwords, which it will then add to your Dashlane account, with an offer to fix duplicate passwords.

Although the Dashlane app works well with major email services on android, it is limited to only Gmail on IOS. However, it can still fill data in Safari and Chrome, thanks to the Dashlane extension found on IOS.

Is Dashlane worth It – Dashlane Security

The way Dashlane works is that it will store your data on its servers.

The application uses AES-256 encryption same as most password managers in the market. The master password will act as the main access to your account. Dashlane will not store the password. Meaning without it, then your encrypted data will be useless to hackers.

This is one way that the Dashlane program comes in to ensure your data is kept safe, as, without the password, even the Dashlane program itself cannot access your data.

The app will also provide a two-factor authentication, which is activated through the desktop app. Depending on the level of security you want; you will choose whether to access this service while registering for the app through any device.

Apart from the two-factor authentication capability, the app comes with some additional security features such as the universal 2nd factor (U2F) security key. These are physical devices plugged into the USB port, which replace a mobile or computer two-factor authentication app.

The app also supports other kinds of biometric logins, including the apple face ID and facial recognition on google pixel 4; however, Samsung owners will have to wait, as there is no iris scanner for them yet!

The Dashlane password manager will also let you use a four-digit pin to log into the app rather than typing the master password each time. Although the Dashlane app allows for PIN access to the app, it, however, cannot restore or reset the pin, so if you lose it, you will have to reinstall the app.

Dashlane Customer Support

Dashlane comes with a couple of customer support criteria’s from:

In-depth FAQs- this is where you through the website, you can get answers to any of the questions you may have through reading the Dashlane website questions and answers. The FAQ section has answers in multiple languages including English, French, German and Spanish
Email support- the application also offers it uses answers through emails, where, in case you do not get a solution through the FAQ page, then you can send them an email, with the exact problems or reason that you need help with and they will reply to you in as soon as 12hours. They can answer your questions in both French and German plus English
Live chat- if you don’t like waiting on the email responses, you can hop on the live chat. They are available from Monday through Friday as from 9am-6pm US Eastern Standard Time
Twitter- just ask away through their username @DashlineSupport, and you’ll get answers as soon as they see them.

It is worth noting that apart from a few other password managers who offer live chat support such as Keeper and RoboForm, Dashlane is one of the few with the live chat service.

The Dashlane FAQ offers documents also. These documents go in-depth with each topic covered on the site getting a step by step explanation, such that you get to understand the application more, and can now troubleshoot the application on your own, no help needed.

However, one of the cons that come with the Dashlane password manager is the fact that the application does not come with phone support. This means that you can only contact them directly via live chat or twitter.

The password manager does not also come with a support forum where users can post their solutions, recommendations, and experiences with the app.

On the overall, the Dashlane support is as helpful as it can be, and will be there to assist you in case of any problems you might get working on the app.

A Recap of the Dashlane Pros and Cons

Pros

An excellent cybersecurity protection tactics from dark web monitoring, a password changer, and a VPN
Simple set up process
Very easy to use
Great mobile app functionality
Quick and responsive customer support

Cons

Dashlane free comes with limited features compared to other apps
No family plans
Some issues with autofill on mobile

Bottom Line

The Dashlane password manager is undoubtedly the best out there, and at $60 a month, it is an amazing application you can use across all devices.

For those willing to utilize the full-length features of the password manager, then they will get to enjoy some unique features.

However, if fall you are looking for is some basic password manager, then all you need to do is join the free version of the Dashlane application.

You can alternatively get with the premium plan, which will offer more features, and at least you will access some of the good features, assuring you at least of proper security.