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Dashlane vs 1Password

Which is the better security for Mac in 2026?

PublishedUpdated
Dashlane icon

Dashlane

Password manager and digital wallet with dark web monitoring and VPN features.

Full review
1Password icon

1Password

Password manager and secure wallet

Full review
Website previewCredit: 1Password

Our verdict

How we compare apps

For most Mac users in 2026, 1Password is the better choice for security because it ranks higher in Homebrew install popularity (#61). Both install with a single Homebrew command, so the switching cost is low. Choose Dashlane instead if you want password manager.

Read the quick answer

Which is better: Dashlane or 1Password?

1Password is the top pick for most Mac users looking at security. It has a free tier and installs in one Homebrew command. Dashlane is the stronger choice if you want password manager. As of October 2026, both install with brew install --cask dashlane and brew install --cask 1password.

TL;DR

Dashlane vs 1Password: For most Mac users in 2026, 1Password is the better choice for security because it ranks higher in Homebrew install popularity (#61). Both install with a single Homebrew command, so the switching cost is low. Choose Dashlane instead if you want password manager.

Feature Comparison

Feature comparison between Dashlane and 1Password
FeatureDashlane1Password
PriceSee developer pricingSubscription
Open SourceNoNo
Replaces——
Best forpassword manager, security, passwordspassword, security, vault
Installbrew install --cask dashlanebrew install --cask 1password
CategorySecurity & PrivacySecurity & Privacy

Quick Install

Dashlane
brew install --cask dashlane
1Password
brew install --cask 1password

Learn More

Dashlane
Dashlane Details
Full review, features, and FAQs
1Password
1Password Details
Full review, features, and FAQs

In-Depth Overview

What is Dashlane?

Dashlane is a paid password manager that pairs credential autofill with extra security services: dark web monitoring, phishing and scam protections, and a Wi-Fi VPN on Premium (on Friends & Family the VPN benefit is limited to the plan manager). Personal plan docs list only Premium (one member) and Friends & Family (ten members). Dashlane discontinued Free and several legacy personal SKUs, and personal plans are sold annually. Third-party 2026 reviews commonly list Premium at $4.99/month billed annually ($59.88/year) and Friends & Family at $7.49/month ($89.88/year); confirm checkout because regional App Store pricing can diverge. Business packaging sits under Omnix credential-security products with Password Management and Credential Protection seats (public pages emphasise contact-sales and per-user annual business pricing). On Mac, Dashlane works across browsers and devices; some users still prefer 1Password's native app feel. Passkeys, secure sharing, and password health dashboards remain core. Choose Dashlane when the VPN bundle and ten-person family plan matter more than developer tooling.

What is 1Password?

1Password is AgileBits' paid password manager built around Master Password plus Secret Key dual-secret encryption, native apps, and Watchtower security monitoring. Consumer pricing on 1password.com/pricing/personal in August 2026 shows Individual at $3.99/month paid annually (promotional $2.99 first year for eligible new customers) and Families at $5.99/month paid annually (promotional $4.49) for up to five family members. There is no long-term free tier; trials exist instead. Standout Mac features include multiple vaults, Travel Mode, passkeys, SSH agent, CLI and secret references for developers, and enterprise expansions into Unified Access and privileged access for organisations. For Mac power users and software teams, 1Password usually feels more native and more developer-complete than Dashlane, even after Dashlane's security-suite extras.

Detailed Feature Comparison

Native Mac experience

Critical importance

Dashlane

Good

Capable apps and extensions on Mac; generally less praised than 1Password for native feel and keyboard-driven vault work.

1Password

Excellent

Often treated as the benchmark native macOS client for autofill polish, vault navigation, and day-to-day unlock habits.

Verdict: 1Password still feels more Mac-native.

Bundled VPN

Medium importance

Dashlane

Excellent

Premium includes Wi-Fi VPN; Friends & Family VPN for manager only.

1Password

Poor

No bundled VPN. Bring your own client if you need one.

Verdict: Dashlane wins suite bundling.

Developer tooling

High importance

Dashlane

Fair

Solid sharing/autofill; not SSH-agent-first.

1Password

Excellent

SSH agent, CLI, secret references, Git signing workflows.

Verdict: Developers should default to 1Password.

Family sharing

High importance

Dashlane

Excellent

Friends & Family covers up to 10 accounts.

1Password

Good

Families covers up to 5 with strong vault sharing.

Verdict: Dashlane covers larger households per plan.

Security architecture

Critical importance

Dashlane

Excellent

Zero-knowledge vault with patented architecture claims and monitoring extras.

1Password

Excellent

Secret Key + Master Password dual-secret model and Watchtower.

Verdict: Both are premium zero-knowledge managers. Threat models differ in detail rather than in league.

Pricing (individual)

High importance

Dashlane

Good

~$4.99/mo annual Premium; no free plan.

1Password

Excellent

$3.99/mo annual Individual (promo $2.99 first year eligible).

Verdict: 1Password usually cheaper for one person.

Travel / border workflows

Medium importance

Dashlane

Fair

Standard vault controls.

1Password

Excellent

Travel Mode can remove sensitive vaults from devices.

Verdict: Travel Mode remains unique and useful.

Business platform

Medium importance

Dashlane

Good

Omnix password/credential products for workforce security.

1Password

Excellent

Broad B2B platform (password manager plus expanding access products).

Verdict: Slight edge to 1Password's broader identity story for many teams.

Who Should Choose Which?

1Mac developer

1Password

SSH agent, CLI, secret references, and vault UX beat suite extras for day-to-day engineering.

2Traveller

1Password

Travel Mode can strip sensitive vaults from devices before border crossings.

3Household of 8

Dashlane

Friends & Family seats cover up to 10 people in one plan.

4Wants VPN included

Dashlane

Premium includes Wi-Fi VPN without a second subscription.

5Solo professional

1Password

Lower individual list price plus stronger Mac vault polish.

6Security-suite shopper

Dashlane

Dark web monitoring, phishing protections, and VPN live next to autofill.

7Business admin evaluating Omnix

compare

Treat Omnix seats and 1Password business/Unified Access as a separate RFP with SSO and audit requirements.

Migration Guide

Dashlane → 1password

Export Dashlane credentials, import into 1Password, rebuild vault structure and sharing, set up SSH agent/CLI if you need them, re-enrol 2FA where needed, and cancel Dashlane after a clean week of autofill.

1password → Dashlane

Export 1Password data, import to Dashlane, reconfigure sharing for up to 10 members if using Friends & Family, assign the plan manager for VPN access, and verify monitoring alerts before you cancel 1Password.

Final Verdict

Overall Winner

1Password

9.0/10

Winner

8.1/10

Runner-up

Scores are Bundl.run editorial ratings out of 10 across 8 criteria (the feature comparison above), last reviewed August 2026.

1Password remains the better default password manager for Mac individuals, families of five or fewer, and developers who want SSH/CLI depth. Dashlane is the right buy when you explicitly want VPN bundling or a ten-person Friends & Family plan and you are willing to trade some native vault polish for those extras. August 2026 pricing did not invert that split: 1Password Individual at $3.99/month annual and Dashlane Premium near $4.99/month annual still point most solo Mac users the same direction.

Bottom Line: Buy 1Password unless Dashlane's VPN or ten-seat Friends & Family plan is the feature you are actually shopping for.

Video Tutorials

Set up 1Password on your Mac

1Password • 99.3K views

How to use 1Password 2026 | The Only 1Password Tutorial & Review You’ll Need! 🔥

VPNpro • 48.1K views

1Password Tutorial (2025) | Step-by-Step Beginners Guide

MinorCo • 25.7K views

Use the 1Password extension to save and fill passwords on your Mac

1Password • 93.2K views

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper for one person?
Usually 1Password Individual at $3.99/month billed annually versus Dashlane Premium near $4.99/month billed annually ($59.88/year in common 2026 reviews). Eligible 1Password buyers may see a $2.99 first-year promo.
Which is better for a big family?
Dashlane Friends & Family covers up to 10 people at about $7.49/month. 1Password Families covers up to 5 at $5.99/month billed annually.
Do I get a VPN with 1Password?
No. Buy a separate VPN. Dashlane Premium includes a Wi-Fi VPN; on Friends & Family the VPN benefit applies to the plan manager.
Is Dashlane free?
Not for new personal customers. Free was discontinued. Use trials or paid Premium / Friends & Family plans, and confirm what Omnix seats mean if you are buying for work.
Which is better for developers?
1Password, thanks to SSH agent, CLI, secret references, and Git-friendly secret workflows that Dashlane does not match at the same depth.
Did the winner change in 2026?
No. 1Password still wins for most Mac users despite price tweaks on both sides. Dashlane still wins the VPN and ten-seat household niche.
What about passkeys?
Both support passkeys. Evaluate autofill reliability in Safari, Chrome, and whatever other browsers your household actually uses.
Business buyers?
Compare Dashlane Omnix seats against 1Password business and Unified Access packaging with a security review, SSO requirements, and audit-log expectations.
What is Travel Mode and does Dashlane have it?
Travel Mode is a 1Password feature that can remove sensitive vaults from devices before you cross a border. Dashlane offers standard vault controls but not the same named workflow.
How should I migrate without locking myself out?
Export, import, rebuild sharing, re-enrol 2FA, then run both apps for about a week of real autofill before you cancel the old plan.
Is Watchtower a reason to pick 1Password alone?
Watchtower is strong breach and weak-password monitoring, but Dashlane also ships dark web monitoring and health dashboards. Prefer the whole Mac workflow, not a single dashboard name.
Annual vs monthly billing?
Personal Dashlane plans are structured as annual. 1Password publishes monthly-equivalent annual rates on its personal pricing page; confirm current monthly cash options on the vendor site if you refuse annual prepay.

About the Author

Sam Patel

Security & Privacy Researcher

Security SoftwarePrivacy ToolsNetwork Security
9+ years in cybersecurity · CISSP certified
GitHub

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Expert Insights

Run a one-week autofill bake-off on the same ten sites and two desktop apps before you pay for either vault. Marketing pages hide browser quirks.

hands-on-testinghigh confidence

For households above five people, seat math usually beats brand preference: Dashlane Friends & Family's ten seats are the practical reason to leave 1Password Families.

pricing-analysishigh confidence

Developers should install 1Password CLI and SSH agent on day one of a trial. If those workflows do not stick, Dashlane's suite extras will not close the gap.

hands-on-testinghigh confidence

Prefer official pricing and plan-comparison pages over secondary roundups when budgeting seats, then re-check the day you renew.

documentationhigh confidence

Sources & References

Fact-Checked

Last verified: Aug 9, 2026

Key Verified Facts

  • 1Password Individual is $3.99/month paid annually, with a $2.99 first-year promo for eligible new customers.[1]
  • 1Password Families is $5.99/month paid annually for up to five members ($4.49 promo eligible).[1]
  • Dashlane personal plans are Premium and Friends & Family; Free personal plan is discontinued.[3]
  • PCMag lists Dashlane Premium at $59.88 annually and Friends & Family at $89.88 annually for up to 10 people.[6]
  • Dashlane Friends & Family VPN benefit applies to the plan manager.[4]
  1. 1
    1password.com1Password personal pricing

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: 1Password personal pricing via 1Password for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.
  2. 2
    1password.com1Password sign-up pricing

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: 1Password sign-up pricing via 1Password for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.
  3. 3
    support.dashlane.comCompare Dashlane personal plans

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: Compare Dashlane personal plans via Dashlane for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.
  4. 4
    support.dashlane.comDashlane Friends & Family plan

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: Dashlane Friends & Family plan via Dashlane for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.
  5. 5
    dashlane.comGet Dashlane Premium

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: Get Dashlane Premium via Dashlane for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.
  6. 6
    ca.pcmag.comDashlane review 2026

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: Dashlane review 2026 via PCMag for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.
  7. 7
    support.dashlane.comDashlane personal plans pricing change FAQ

    Accessed Aug 9, 2026

    Source excerpt
    Accessed 2026-08-09: Dashlane personal plans pricing change FAQ via Dashlane for Dashlane vs 1Password pricing and plan claims.

Research queries: 1Password pricing personal 2026; Dashlane Premium $4.99; Dashlane Friends Family

Related Technologies & Concepts

1PasswordDashlaneWatchtowerTravel ModeOmnixSecret Key
1Password (Primary Mac password manager recommendation versus Dashlane in this comparison), Dashlane (Suite-oriented password manager alternative with VPN and ten-seat Friends & Family), Watchtower (1Password security dashboard), Travel Mode (1Password border workflow), Omnix (Dashlane business platform), Secret Key (1Password dual-secret encryption)

Related Topics

Password managers

Premium password vaults, passkeys, family plan seat limits, and annual personal pricing for Dashlane and 1Password on Mac.

Mac security apps

Mac autofill, Travel Mode border workflows, bundled VPN options, Watchtower-style monitoring, and developer secret tooling.