# How are password managers (e.g., Dashlane) different than what is built into Chrome for free? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-password-managers-e-g-dashlane-different-than-what-is-built-into-chrome-for-free/829913 "2019-02-20T19:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-password-managers-e-g-dashlane-different-than-what-is-built-into-chrome-for-free/829913/1 "2019-02-20T19:07:43Z")
As an example, Dashlane offers a subscription version for $5/month to manage unlimited passwords on unlimited devices (free version includes one device), with auto form and payment autofill. Chrome does all that for free. Dashlane also includes a VPN and “Dark web monitoring” (a bit vague) and file storage (also offered free by Google). Are these more secure than Google? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-password-managers-e-g-dashlane-different-than-what-is-built-into-chrome-for-free/829913/2 "2019-02-20T21:17:08Z")
As I understand it, yes they are more secure. Good ones can also manage automatic periodic password changes so that your password doesn’t stay static (which is a problem if it gets harvested). There’s also the plus that they work on multiple browsers, which obviously Chrome doesn’t. Good general article here: [https://www.howtogeek.com/141500/why-you-should-use-a-password-manager-and-how-to-get-started/](https://www.howtogeek.com/141500/why-you-should-use-a-password-manager-and-how-to-get-started/) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-password-managers-e-g-dashlane-different-than-what-is-built-into-chrome-for-free/829913/3 "2019-02-20T21:27:23Z")
Another question, if I may. If I have, say, LastPass on my Apple desktop and on my Win10 laptop, how does my laptop access passwords set up on the desktop and vice-versa? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-password-managers-e-g-dashlane-different-than-what-is-built-into-chrome-for-free/829913/4 "2019-02-20T21:29:36Z")
My reading of the article I linked suggests that your LastPass account is maintained in the cloud, so both devices would access the database as clients. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-password-managers-e-g-dashlane-different-than-what-is-built-into-chrome-for-free/829913/5 "2019-02-21T00:15:21Z")
In particular, for LastPass, your password store in the cloud is a big chunk of encrypted digital data. When you access it from a device, the device downloads it, uses your master password to decrypt it locally, and then extracts the needed password from it. Consequently, your master password is never transmitted at all, and nothing ever leaves your device except the already-encrypted password store. As a result, if you ever forget the master password, there are no realistic recovery options available. This is a good thing.