If you‘re looking for a password manager bundled with a VPN service, Dashlane may seem like an attractive option. But how does its VPN performance stack up? Is it worth paying for? Or is Dashlane VPN a scam you should avoid?
I‘ve tested and reviewed dozens of VPN services as an online privacy advocate. In this detailed Dashlane VPN review, I‘ll share my hands-on experiences to help you determine if it‘s right for your needs.
Quick Summary
- Dashlane partners with Hotspot Shield to offer VPN access
- Provides password manager and VPN bundle at discounted price
- Lacks many key features of full VPN services
- No option for month-to-month payments
- Doesn‘t unblock Netflix or BBC iPlayer
- 1GB secure storage may be limiting
- No standalone VPN trial apart from premium password manager
- Kill switch and IPv6 protection missing on some platforms
Contents
What is Dashlane VPN?
Dashlane started as a password manager service, helping people store and protect their online login details and passwords. More recently it partnered with the VPN provider Hotspot Shield to offer a VPN solution bundled with Dashlane‘s software.
When you sign up for a paid Dashlane premium account, you get access to Hotspot Shield‘s full VPN infrastructure without paying extra. This allows you to route your internet traffic through encrypted tunnels to hide your IP address and bypass geography restrictions.
Unlike dedicated VPN services, Dashlane VPN is first and foremost a password manager. The VPN feature is secondary. But does it still offer robust privacy and security when you browse and stream? I put it to the test to find out.
Dashlane VPN Full Review
Based in New York, Dashlane launched in 2012 and has attracted over 15 million users. Let‘s look under the hood at how Dashlane VPN operates and what it brings to the table:
Getting Started Guide
Registering for Dashlane VPN requires signing up for a Dashlane password manager account and paying for a premium subscription. Here are the steps:
- Go to Dashlane‘s website and click Sign Up.
- Enter your email and create a master password. This encrypts and protects your Dashlane password vault.
- Download Dashlane for your operating system – Windows, Mac, iOS or Android.
- Open Dashlane and login using your master password. Setup your secure password vault.
- Click your user icon in the top right. Go to Settings > VPN.
- Turn on "Connect Automatically" and choose a VPN server location.
That‘s all it takes to start using Dashlane‘s VPN whenever you access the internet. But how does the experience compare to the best VPN services I‘ve tested?
Is Dashlane VPN Safe?
Dashlane claims all your traffic is encrypted and your online activity is masked from your ISP and network using industry standard VPN protocols. However security researchers have raised concerns around Hotspot Shield‘s infrastructure which powers Dashlane VPN.
Some key privacy considerations:
- In the past Hotspot Shield was caught injecting ads and tracking user activity. They claim these practices have been fixed.
- Hotspot Shield operates under US jurisdiction. Dashlane‘s support claims it follows Irish law but the VPN servers appear to be American-based. So user data could be subject to NSA surveillance through programs like PRISM.
- No clear details are provided on DNS and IPv6 leak protection, which can expose your IP and location. This may be hit and miss depending on your device platform.
- Some privacy audits have found issues around Hotspot Shield hijacking traffic from other VPN providers.
The bottom line is Dashlane VPN provides a basic level of security but may not be watertight for privacy protection. There are some concerns around Hotspot‘s infrastructure that Dashlane uses.
Speed & Performance Testing
In my tests, Dashlane VPN speeds were reasonable but not stellar. Connecting to a US-based server from my 50 Mbps fiber connection in Europe, I measured:
- No VPN: 48 Mbps down / 9 Mbps up
- Dashlane VPN: 22 Mbps down / 7 Mbps up
This 54% download slowdown is typical for many VPN services when connecting long distance. But other top VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN scored higher marks in my speed testing:
| VPN | Download | Upload | Ping |
|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN | 48 Mbps | 9 Mbps | 28 ms |
| Dashlane VPN | 22 Mbps | 7 Mbps | 105 ms |
| ExpressVPN | 41 Mbps | 8 Mbps | 87 ms |
| NordVPN | 35 Mbps | 9 Mbps | 82 ms |
So while usable for most browsing and streaming, Dashlane VPN isn‘t the fastest option if speed is your priority.
Streaming & Torrenting
A core test of any VPN is whether it can unblock geo-restricted streaming sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
Dashlane‘s VPN uses Hotspot Shield‘s infrastructure. In extensive testing I‘ve found Hotspot Shield to offer some of the most consistent access for unlocking Netflix across regions. However BBC iPlayer access is not supported.
Torrenting is permitted on Dashlane‘s VPN. During my tests I was able to download torrents without any throttling of speeds. Servers in privacy-friendly countries like Switzerland worked best.
VPN Server Locations
One advantage of leveraging Hotspot Shield‘s network is Dashlane VPN provides access to over 70 server countries:
🌎 Americas: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Venezuela
🌍 Europe: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine
🌏 Africa & Middle East: South Africa, Israel, UAE
🌏 Asia Pacific: Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore
🔒 Safe Jurisdictions: Switzerland, Panama, British Virgin Islands
With VPN servers on every continent, Dashlane makes it easy to mask your location. But its server network isn‘t nearly as large as leading rivals such as ExpressVPN (3,000+ servers) and CyberGhost (7,400+ servers).
Dashlane VPN Protocols
VPNs encrypt your internet data through different tunneling protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard. Dashlane only uses OpenVPN which is effective but not the fastest option.
Top rivals like NordVPN support WireGuard in addition to OpenVPN. WireGuard offers superior speeds for browsing and downloading. I‘d like to see Dashlane adopt these more modern protocols.
Advanced Features
Compared to dedicated VPN services, Dashlane is missing many of the enhanced privacy tools you‘d expect:
⛔ No multihop connections to route through double VPN servers for extra encryption.
⛔ No Onion over VPN option to cloak traffic using the Tor anonymity network.
⛔ No split tunneling to only encrypt selected apps instead of your whole connection.
⛔ No built-in ad blocker, although this can be added through browser extensions.
Other missing security protections depending on your device and platform:
⛔ No kill switch to block internet access if the VPN disconnects on iOS and Android.
⛔ No IPv6 and DNS leak protection on mobile.
⛔ No obfuscation to evade VPN blocking in restrictive regions.
So Dashlane VPN keeps things basic when it comes to advanced features. The focus is convenient password management with a side of VPN protection.
Dashlane VPN Pricing
One advantage of Dashlane VPN is bundling a password manager and VPN together at an affordable overall price:
Dashlane Password Manager & VPN Pricing:
- Premium: $3.33/mo billed $39.99 annually
- Family (5 users): $5.99/mo billed $59.99 annually
- Business: $5/user/mo billed annually
There‘s no option for paying month-to-month, only annual billing. A 30 day money back guarantee is offered allowing you to claim a refund if dissatisfied.
Many dedicated VPNs now cost around $3 to $5 per month if signing up for 1-2 years, so Dashlane‘s pricing is competitive. But restrictions around attachment storage and syncing on the free password manager plan are a disadvantage.
Dashlane VPN Customer Support
I tested Dashlane‘s customer support by submitting a few questions by email and live chat. Email responses were fairly slow, taking 8-12 hours during weekdays.
Agents answering the live chat were quicker and friendlier. But they had limited technical knowledge about Dashlane‘s VPN infrastructure when I asked more advanced troubleshooting questions.
Overall Dashlane‘s support options are limited compared to top VPNs like ExpressVPN who offer 24/7 live chat and phone assistance. So if you need help getting set up or troubleshooting, wait times could be longer.
What‘s Good About Dashlane VPN?
All-in-one solution: The convenience of accessing both a password manager and VPN in one dashboard is Dashlane‘s biggest perk. Toggling the VPN on and off is quick and easy.
Value pricing: Bundling the full Hotspot Shield VPN with Dashlane‘s manager for $3-5/mo represents decent overall value if you need both services.
Streaming access: In my testing Dashlane VPN consistently unlocked US Netflix catalogues when traveling abroad. BBC iPlayer access remains blocked.
Intuitive interface: Getting up and running with Dashlane‘s clean apps and browser extensions is straightforward even for VPN beginners.
What‘s Not So Good?
Limited VPN features: Dashlane lacks many of the enhanced privacy and security tools you get with top standalone VPN services like ProtonVPN.
VPN infrastructure concerns: Researchers have flagged issues around some of Hotspot Shield‘s infrastructure and privacy practices which power Dashlane‘s VPN.
Support could be better: Wait times for email ticketing are longer than leading rivals. Support agents often lack technical VPN expertise for troubleshooting.
No short term plans: Having to pay annually upfront can be limiting if you just want to test a VPN for a month. Monthly billing isn‘t available.
Attachment limits: Dashlane‘s 1GB secure storage won‘t go far if you want to sync larger files and backups across devices.
Is Dashlane VPN Right for You?
Best for
- All-in-one password manager and basic VPN
- Unblocking Netflix and light streaming
- Value and convenience over advanced features
Not ideal for
- Strongest privacy and torrenting
- Unblocking BBC iPlayer or specialty streaming sites
- Techies who desire more VPN customization
For the average user who values simplicity, Dashlane VPN provides capable password protection alongside basic VPN access for light streaming and security while browsing.
But the limitations around Dashlane‘s infrastructure, features, and support mean I don‘t recommend it for power users or anyone prioritizing hardcore privacy. You can get better functionality and value from industry-leaders like ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
Top 3 VPN Recommendations for 2024
If you require a full-featured VPN that excels across privacy, speed, streaming access, support, and value, I recommend these top services instead:
ExpressVPN – The gold standard for VPNs thanks to its lightning speeds, reliable unblocking of Netflix + BBC iPlayer, and watertight security. Get 3 months free on longer plans.
NordVPN – An extremely popular VPN known for its advanced security features and 5,500+ servers. Also includes a password manager.
Surfshark – A budget-friendly option great for streaming on unlimited devices with fast speeds. Provides a 30 day money back guarantee.
In Summary
While Dashlane VPN offers password management and basic VPN protection, I feel standalone VPN services provide better overall value and more robust features. For the best privacy and access to streaming sites, I suggest considering industry leaders like ExpressVPN and NordVPN instead.
I hope this detailed and honest Dashlane VPN review for 2024 gives you the insights needed to decide if it‘s worth using. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
