Dashlane

Dashlane Problems & Issues

Saas

Password manager with dark web monitoring and a built-in VPN

Overall Score54/100
Pricing
38
Usability
72
Performance
60
Support
28
Reliability
55
Onboarding
65
Mobile
62
Security
72
Integrations
60

Polished interface and useful extras (VPN, dark web monitoring), but the September 2025 end of the free plan, annual-only billing at about $60/year, autofill complaints on G2, chatbot-first support with renewal and refund disputes on Trustpilot (2.7/5), and the May 2026 brute-force lockouts drag it to 'Try with caution'.

Should you use Dashlane?

Try with caution

Dashlane works for some teams, but users report recurring problems (score 54/100). Most reported issues: Dashlane free plan discontinued - what happened to my passwords?; Can't reach a human at Dashlane support - only a chatbot; Why is Dashlane so expensive? Annual-only billing. Not a good fit for: Budget users and former free users; Windows or Linux users who want a desktop app; People who need quick human support. Users most often switch to Bitwarden, 1Password, NordPass.

Top problems

  • Dashlane free plan discontinued - what happened to my passwords?
  • Can't reach a human at Dashlane support - only a chatbot
  • Why is Dashlane so expensive? Annual-only billing

Good for

  • Users who want an all-in-one bundle with a VPN
  • Non-technical users

Avoid if you are

  • Budget users and former free users
  • Windows or Linux users who want a desktop app
  • People who need quick human support

Common alternatives: Bitwarden, 1Password, NordPass

Overview

Dashlane is a subscription password manager that stores passwords, passkeys, payment details and secure notes, fills them in through browser extensions and mobile apps, and adds dark web monitoring, phishing alerts and a Wi-Fi VPN on its Premium plan. It sells personal plans (Premium, Friends & Family) and business plans (Password Management, Credential Protection, Enterprise). The free plan ended in September 2025, and on Windows and Linux Dashlane now runs through the web app and browser extension rather than a native desktop app.

14 signals analyzed
39 sources reviewed
Last analyzed: Oct 2026
Company Info
Company:Dashlane Inc.
Founded:2009
HQ:New York, USA

Dashlane Not Working? Common Errors & Fixes

Step-by-step fixes for the errors users hit most.

Signals & Issues

Patterns extracted from real user feedback — not raw reviews.

Pricing5 signals
Dashlane free plan discontinued - what happened to my passwords?

Dashlane moved all Free users to a Premium trial on August 5, 2025 and ended the Free plan on September 16, 2025. After that, former free users could no longer add, edit, copy or view their data, only export it, and the window to export or upgrade ran until September 16, 2026. Many long-time free users left for Bitwarden or NordPass.

Impact: 9/10Reported 9xNegativevia Other (4 sources)feature removal
Dashlane charged me after I cancelled - refund refused

Many Trustpilot reviews (June-September 2026) describe auto-renewal charges they did not expect, cancellations that did not stop billing, and refunds refused after the 30-day window. Dashlane only guarantees a full refund within 30 days of purchase; app-store purchases must be cancelled with Apple or Google.

Impact: 8/10Reported 7xNegativevia Trustpilot (3 sources)regret after purchase
Why is Dashlane so expensive? Annual-only billing

Premium is advertised as $4.99/month but billed annually ($59.88 upfront), and Friends & Family is $89.88/year. Reviewers note there is no month-to-month option and that Dashlane costs more than Bitwarden, NordPass or Proton Pass for the same core job.

Impact: 7/10Reported 8xNegativevia Other (4 sources)hidden costs
Dashlane price increase pushes long-time users away

Trustpilot reviews from August to October 2026 repeatedly mention sharp renewal price increases for long-time subscribers, and switch write-ups cite Premium's cost as the main reason for moving to Bitwarden. Some third-party pricing pages note introductory prices that renew higher.

Impact: 7/10Reported 7xNegativevia Trustpilot (3 sources)price increase
Business seats not reduced when users are removed

A business admin reported on Trustpilot (September 2026) that removing users did not lower billed seats at renewal. Business pricing was also restructured in March 2026: the $11 Omnix bundle was split into Password Management ($8/user/month) and Credential Protection ($4/user/month).

Impact: 5/10Reported 3xNegativevia Trustpilot (2 sources)hidden costs
Support1 signal
Can't reach a human at Dashlane support - only a chatbot

The most frequent complaint in recent Trustpilot reviews (Aug-Oct 2026): users get an automated bot, can't escalate to a person, or are routed to the wrong language or region. Dashlane's own help pages point locked-out users to 'Chat with bot'. Security.org notes support requires a paid subscription.

Impact: 8/10Reported 8xNegativevia Trustpilot (3 sources)support breakdown
Reliability1 signal
Dashlane autofill not working on some sites

Autofill problems are the most-cited con on G2 (58 reviews mention them), and Trustpilot users report failures on Mac and false-positive form detection. Dashlane's own blog lists sites that block page changes, wrong saved URLs and the 'Only autofill on exact URL' option as common causes.

Impact: 7/10Reported 8xNegativevia G2 (4 sources)workflow failure
Usability4 signals
Dashlane keeps logging me out and asking for the master password

Users report repeated forced logins and the extension logging out each time the browser closes, especially in Brave and Firefox. Workarounds include changing extension options or reinstalling, but there is no official fix for every browser.

Impact: 5/10Reported 5xNegativevia Other (3 sources)workflow failure
No Dashlane desktop app for Windows anymore

Dashlane replaced its desktop app with the web app and browser extensions; reviews in 2026 list no native app for Windows or Linux. Users who preferred a standalone app, or who browse in unsupported browsers, lost a way to use their vault.

Impact: 5/10Reported 5xNegativevia Other (2 sources)feature removal
Dashlane sharing is clunky for families

Former users describe Dashlane sharing as item-by-item, where the recipient has to accept every shared login, rather than shared vaults. Trustpilot reviewers also report sharing that doesn't work reliably.

Impact: 5/10Reported 4xNegativevia Other (2 sources)user type mismatch
Features differ between Dashlane apps

Security.org found that passkey creation isn't visible in the Mac or Android apps, Secure Notes are limited to the extension and Mac app, and the password generator isn't in the web app. Some Password Health links to change passwords were outdated.

Impact: 4/10Reported 4xNegativevia Otherexpectation mismatch
Security2 signals
Forgot Dashlane master password - data can be lost

Dashlane never stores the master password, so it cannot reset it for you. Without a recovery key, biometric recovery or admin recovery set up in advance, the only option is resetting the account, which erases the vault.

Impact: 9/10Reported 6xNegativevia Other (2 sources)expectation mismatch
Dashlane accounts suspended after May 2026 brute-force attack

On May 31, 2026 attackers tried to brute-force 2FA to register new devices on Dashlane accounts. Dashlane automatically locked targeted accounts, so many users got suspension emails or couldn't log in. Dashlane says its internal systems were not breached, but attackers downloaded encrypted vault copies of fewer than 20 personal users; the investigation closed June 4, 2026.

Impact: 8/10Reported 5xNegativevia Other (4 sources)workflow failure
Mobile1 signal
Dashlane Android autofill unreliable

Switchers to Bitwarden cite unreliable Dashlane autofill on Android. Dashlane's own help suggests copying and pasting from the app when Android autofill fails, and notes business admins can pause autofill for specific sites.

Impact: 5/10Reported 4xNegativevia Other (2 sources)workflow failure

What Users Love

Clean, intuitive interface

G2 reviewers and comparison sites praise ease of use; even Bitwarden fans say Dashlane's interface is more inviting.

UsabilityMentioned 8x3 sources

VPN and dark web monitoring included in Premium

Premium bundles a Wi-Fi VPN, dark web monitoring and real-time phishing alerts, which most rivals don't include.

SecurityMentioned 6x3 sources

Smooth saving of new logins

Users who moved to Bitwarden note that Dashlane captured new logins during account creation more automatically.

UsabilityMentioned 5x2 sources

Works well for years when it works

Long-time Trustpilot reviewers say it ran reliably across multiple devices for years before price or support issues.

ReliabilityMentioned 5x2 sources

No master password stored, recovery key option

Zero-knowledge design: Dashlane never stores your master password, and a 28-character recovery key, biometric recovery and admin recovery are available.

SecurityMentioned 5x2 sources

Friends & Family covers 10 people

One subscription gives up to 10 separate private accounts, cheaper per person than Premium.

PricingMentioned 4x2 sources

Pricing Plans

Premium
Popular
$59.88/yr

Users: 1 user

Storage: Unlimited passwords and passkeys, 1 GB encrypted files

  • ✓Unlimited devices
  • ✓Unlimited passwords and passkeys
  • ✓Secure sharing
  • ✓Dark web monitoring
  • ✓VPN for Wi-Fi protection
  • ✓Real-time phishing alerts
  • ✓Live chat support

Limitations: No month-to-month billing; no free plan since September 2025

Billed annually only ($4.99/month equivalent). Auto-renews; refunds only within 30 days of purchase. Introductory prices may renew higher.
Friends & Family
$89.88/yr

Users: Up to 10 members

Storage: Unlimited passwords per member

  • ✓Everything in Premium for the plan manager
  • ✓10 private accounts
  • ✓Friends & Family dashboard

Limitations: VPN only for the plan manager, not for members

Billed annually only ($7.49/month equivalent). Auto-renews.
Password Management (Business)
$8/mo

Users: Per user

  • ✓Secure vault
  • ✓Unlimited collections
  • ✓Password policies
  • ✓Password health dashboard
  • ✓SSO and SCIM integration
  • ✓14-day free trial

Limitations: Credential Protection (phishing detection, risk insights) is a separate plan

Per user per month, billed annually. Price from third-party tracking (March 2026); Dashlane's page did not show a figure when checked.
Credential Protection (Business)
$4/mo

Users: Per user

  • ✓Credential risk detection
  • ✓AI phishing detection and alerts
  • ✓Risk dashboards
  • ✓Admin detection and response

Limitations: Not a password vault on its own

Per user per month, billed annually; requires contacting sales. Price from third-party tracking.
Enterprise
Free

Users: Custom

  • ✓Volume pricing
  • ✓Dedicated account manager
Custom quote only

Features

Pricing

  • Free plan

    Discontinued September 16, 2025

  • Monthly billing

    Personal plans billed annually

Security

  • Built-in VPN

    Premium only; plan manager only on Friends & Family

  • Dark web monitoring

    Does not cover credit cards

  • Passkeys

    Creation not visible in every app

  • Account recovery key

    Must be set up before you forget the master password

Platforms

  • Native Windows desktop app

    Web app and browser extension instead

Data

  • Encrypted export (DASH file)

    CSV export is unencrypted

Business

  • SSO / SCIM

    Business plans

Who Should Use This?

Good Fit

Users who want an all-in-one bundle with a VPN

Premium includes a Wi-Fi VPN, dark web monitoring and phishing alerts in one subscription.

Non-technical users

Interface is regularly praised as clean and easy compared with Bitwarden or KeePass.

Neutral

Families of up to 10

Friends & Family is good value per person, but sharing is item-by-item and the VPN is only for the plan manager.

Small businesses needing SSO and policies

Solid admin features, but pricing was restructured in 2026 and seat billing complaints exist.

Avoid

Budget users and former free users

No free plan and annual-only billing; Bitwarden and Proton Pass have usable free tiers.

Windows or Linux users who want a desktop app

Dashlane relies on the web app and browser extension on these platforms.

People who need quick human support

Recent reviews describe chatbot-first support that is hard to escalate.

Privacy purists wanting open source

Dashlane is closed source; Bitwarden is open source and self-hostable.

Regret Patterns

Common buyer's remorse scenarios reported by users.

Free user locked out of their own vault

Long-time free users found they could no longer view or copy passwords after September 16, 2025 and had to export or pay.

September 2025 onward
Reported 8x
Surprise renewal charge

Users forget the annual auto-renewal and get charged; refunds are refused after the 30-day window.

At the first or second annual renewal
Reported 7x
Stuck with a support bot

When something goes wrong with billing or login, users can't reach a human and give up or dispute the charge.

First serious account problem
Reported 7x
Renewal price jump

Long-time subscribers see a much higher renewal price and compare it with cheaper alternatives.

After the introductory year
Reported 6x
Locked out without a recovery key

Users who never set up a recovery method forget the master password and must reset the account, losing every saved password.

Months or years after signup
Reported 4x
Autofill friction adds up

Repeated autofill misses and forced logins make users question paying a premium price.

First few weeks
Reported 5x

When It Breaks Down

Scenarios where this product tends to fail users.

Sites with multi-step or custom login forms
reliability

Dashlane may not show the 'D' icon or may autofill the wrong field; manual copy from the extension is the fallback.

Logging in on a new device
usability

Dashlane emails a verification code to the contact address, which can differ from the login email; codes going to spam or an old inbox lock users out.

Browsers that clear data on exit
usability

Brave and Firefox setups that clear cookies on close can log the extension out every time.

Mass attack on accounts
security

During the May 2026 brute-force campaign, Dashlane's automatic protections suspended accounts and blocked logins for legitimate users.

Cancelling through the wrong channel
pricing

Subscriptions bought through Apple or Google can't be cancelled in Dashlane, so charges continue.

Business teams shrinking
pricing

Removing users may not reduce billed seats at renewal, per a business admin's review.

Alternatives Users Switch To

Frequently Asked Questions

See how Dashlane compares in our Best Password Manager Software rankings, or calculate costs with our Budget Calculator.

Work at Dashlane or spotted something outdated? Suggest a correction — we verify every change against public sources. See our methodology.