Passbolt vs Dashlane
Considering a switch from Dashlane to a European alternative? Passbolt offers full GDPR compliance and EU-only data hosting without the legal uncertainties that come with US-based services. Here's how they compare on features, pricing, and data protection.
Quick Overview
Passbolt
EU- Headquarters
- Luxembourg, LU
- Pricing
- Free
- Open Source
- Yes
Dashlane
USDashlane is a password manager and digital wallet application that provides secure credential storage, password generation, and dark web monitoring services.
The Case for Passbolt
- Passbolt stores all data exclusively in EU, under European jurisdiction. Unlike Dashlane, which is subject to the US CLOUD Act and FISA Section 702, Passbolt cannot be compelled by foreign governments to hand over your data.
- Passbolt offers a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) that is fully aligned with GDPR Article 28. There is no legal ambiguity about data transfers or adequacy decisions — your data processor is European, and the law that governs it is European.
- As an open-source solution, Passbolt gives you full code transparency. You can verify that the software does what it claims, audit it for security vulnerabilities, and even self-host it for maximum control — something that is simply not possible with Dashlane.
- You can try Passbolt for free before committing. This makes it easy to evaluate whether it meets your needs alongside — or as a replacement for — Dashlane, without any financial risk.
Why Switch to Passbolt?
Concerns with Dashlane
- US CLOUD Act jurisdiction
- Vault data stored on US infrastructure
- Usage metadata and login patterns accessible to US authorities
- Dark web monitoring processes personal data on US servers
Passbolt Compliance
GDPRDPA
- Headquarters
- Luxembourg, LU
- Data Centers
- EU
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Passbolt vs Dashlane — FAQ
Is Dashlane GDPR compliant?
Dashlane may offer GDPR compliance features and EU data residency options, but as a US-headquartered company, it remains subject to the US CLOUD Act and FISA Section 702. These laws can compel US companies to hand over data regardless of where it is stored. The EU-US Data Privacy Framework provides some safeguards, but its predecessors (Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield) were both invalidated by the European Court of Justice. Passbolt, as a European company, is not subject to these US laws at all.
How does Passbolt compare to Dashlane in features?
Passbolt offers OpenPGP end-to-end encryption, Team password sharing, Role-based access control, Browser extensions, and 6 more features. While Dashlane's ecosystem may be larger due to its market position, Passbolt covers the core functionality that most teams need. The trade-off is typically between breadth of integrations (Dashlane) and data sovereignty with regulatory certainty (Passbolt).
Can I migrate from Dashlane to Passbolt?
Yes. Most European software providers, including Passbolt, offer migration tools or documentation to help you transition from US-based services. Under GDPR Article 20, you have the right to data portability — meaning Dashlane must provide your data in a machine-readable format. The migration process varies in complexity depending on your data volume and integrations, but for most teams it can be completed within a few days to a few weeks.