# Dashlane vs Bitwarden Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Bitwarden is the top pick for most Mac users looking at Password managers. 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 bitwarden. For most Mac users in 2026, Bitwarden is the better choice for Password managers because it is open source and has a free tier, so you can inspect, self-host, and trust the code. Both install with a single Homebrew command, so the switching cost is low. Choose Dashlane instead if you want password manager. ## Head to head | Factor | Dashlane | Bitwarden | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Paid | Free | | Open Source | No | Yes | | Replaces | — | 1Password ($36/yr) | | Best for | password manager, security, passwords | password, security, vault | | Install | brew install --cask dashlane | brew install --cask bitwarden | | Category | Security & Privacy | Security & Privacy | ## Dashlane Password manager and digital wallet with dark web monitoring and VPN features. Install: `brew install --cask dashlane` [Dashlane on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/dashlane) ## Bitwarden Open source password manager Install: `brew install --cask bitwarden` [Bitwarden on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/bitwarden) ## Features - **Security & Transparency.** Bitwarden wins transparency; Dashlane is audited but not open. - **macOS UX & Autofill.** Dashlane is the more delightful Mac-native experience. - **Passkey Support.** Small but real Dashlane lead on passkey UX on Mac. - **Included VPN & Monitoring.** Dashlane's bundle is unique; Bitwarden does not try to be a VPN. - **File Storage & Attachments.** Bitwarden offers more gigabytes per dollar; Dashlane's file UX is slightly nicer. - **Free Tier & Entry Price.** Bitwarden crushes on free-tier and paid entry price. - **Self-Hosting & Control.** Only Bitwarden is self-hostable. - **Business & Admin.** Bitwarden's separate Secrets Manager tips business use. ## FAQ ### Is Bitwarden really free for unlimited devices? Yes. Bitwarden Free includes unlimited passwords, unlimited device sync and passkey support in August 2026. Only TOTP, 5 GB attachments, emergency access and advanced health coaching require Premium $19.80/year. ### Why is Dashlane so much more expensive than Bitwarden? Dashlane's price funds a VPN (Hotspot Shield), real-time phishing protection, dark-web monitoring with concierge, 2 GB file storage and a more native Mac app. If you use those daily, Premium ~$7.99/month can be cheaper than buying them separately; if not, Bitwarden Premium at $19.80/year is the vault-only value. ### How much does Dashlane cost in August 2026? Advanced ~$4.99/month billed annually (~$59.88/year), Premium ~$7.99/month billed annually (~$95.88/year) with VPN/monitoring/file storage, Friends & Family ~$9.99/month billed annually (~$119.88/year) for 10 Premium seats. Free is capped to 1 device and 25 logins. ### Did Bitwarden raise its Premium price? Yes in January 2026. Enhanced Premium (5 GB, health alerts/coaching, up to 10 security keys, emergency access) moved from $10/year to $19.80/year; Families held at $47.88/year for six. Free did not change. ### Which is better on macOS Tahoe 26.x? Dashlane feels more native and polished in Safari and the menu bar; Bitwarden is functionally complete but still Electron-based on desktop. Pick Bitwarden when value and open source outweigh animation polish. ### Do either work as a passkey provider on Mac? Both do in 2026. Dashlane's passkey health dashboard and in-extension upgrade prompts are slightly ahead; Bitwarden's provider integration arrived later and shows less metadata, though passkey creation and sign-in work reliably. ### Can I self-host Dashlane? No. Dashlane is cloud-only. Only Bitwarden offers official self-hosting via Docker (plus community Vaultwarden) as of August 2026. ### Which has better family sharing? Per dollar, Bitwarden Families (6 Premium seats for $47.88/year) beats Dashlane Friends & Family (10 seats for $119.88/year) unless your household will use the VPN and monitoring bundle. Dashlane's per-user UX is nicer; Bitwarden's per-seat math is cheaper. ## Sources - [Bitwarden pricing — Free, Premium, Families](https://bitwarden.com/pricing/) - [Bitwarden enhances Premium and raises prices (Jan 2026)](https://bitwarden.com/blog/bitwarden-launches-enhanced-premium-plan/) - [Bitwarden open source password manager](https://bitwarden.com/go/open-source-password-manager/) - [Bitwarden self-hosting documentation](https://bitwarden.com/help/hosting/) - [Dashlane personal pricing — Advanced, Premium, Friends & Family](https://www.dashlane.com/pricing-personal) - [Dashlane Free limits (1 device, 25 passwords)](https://www.dashlane.com/pricing) - [Dashlane Premium includes VPN and dark web monitoring](https://www.dashlane.com/features/vpn) - [Bitwarden review 2026 — features and pricing](https://www.cloudwards.net/bitwarden-review/) ## Related - [Dashlane vs 1Password](https://bundl.run/compare/dashlane-vs-1password) - [Dashlane vs LastPass](https://bundl.run/compare/dashlane-vs-lastpass) - [1Password vs Bitwarden](https://bundl.run/compare/1password-vs-bitwarden) - [LastPass vs Bitwarden](https://bundl.run/compare/lastpass-vs-bitwarden) - [KeePassXC vs Bitwarden](https://bundl.run/compare/keepassxc-vs-bitwarden) - [Little Snitch vs Bitwarden](https://bundl.run/compare/little-snitch-vs-bitwarden) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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