Skip to content
PiBye
Download

Comparisons

The best ways to flatten a PDF form on a Mac, compared

For one ordinary form, Preview’s File > Print > Save as PDF is free and good enough. For a Mac user who edits PDFs daily, PDF Expert. For teams already on Adobe, Acrobat Pro. For batches of client forms or XFA government forms, PiBye’s Lock PDF. Avoid online flatteners for forms containing personal details, because they upload the file.

Last reviewed · 12 sources

How we compared

We compared what matters when flattening forms: cost, whether the file leaves your Mac, support for XFA forms such as IRCC’s, and batch handling. Prices and capabilities come from each vendor’s own pages, checked 17 September 2026. PiBye is our product.

Side-by-side

Ways to flatten a PDF form on a Mac
OptionCostUploads fileDynamic XFA formsBatches
Preview (print to PDF)Free with macOSNoNo, cannot display themNo
PDF ExpertCA$102.99 a year or CA$199.99 once (Mac)NoNot supported, per ReaddleNot described
Adobe Acrobat Pro$19.99 a month on an annual planNoYes, Adobe’s own formatNot checked
PDFelement for Mac$79.99 a year or $129.99 perpetualNo (desktop app)Claimed by vendor, not verifiedNot checked
Smallpdf, Sejda, PDF24 webFree tiersYesNo claim foundVaries
PiBye Lock PDFIncluded, $99 CAD onceNoLaid out and flattened; failures listedYes

“Not checked” means we did not verify it; it is not a claim that the feature is missing.

Which is best for you

Best free option: Preview, for an occasional standard form. Best all-round PDF editor on Mac: PDF Expert. Best for XFA fidelity when submitting forms: Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader, which IRCC requires for its barcode forms. Best for batches of client forms and reading XFA forms without Acrobat: PiBye.

Whichever you choose, keep the original fillable file, and never submit a flattened copy of an IRCC barcode form.

The ranking

Ranked by these criteria, in this order:

  1. Keeps the file on your Mac
  2. Handles the forms you actually receive, including XFA
  3. Cost for the job
  4. Effort for a batch of forms

  1. 1. Best free option for one standard form

    Preview (File > Print > Save as PDF)

    Built in and free. No XFA, no batches, and output depends on print settings.

  2. 2. Best for batches and XFA government forms

    PiBye Lock PDF

    Local batch flattening with XFA layout and a list of anything it could not convert. Not a PDF editor.

  3. 3. Best PDF editor for Mac and iPad users

    PDF Expert

    Save as flatten alongside full editing and signing. Dynamic XFA not supported.

  4. 4. Best for Adobe-centred teams

    Adobe Acrobat Pro

    Flatten through Preflight, with native XFA support. Subscription pricing.

  5. 5. Best perpetual-licence editor alternative

    PDFelement for Mac

    Desktop editor with a flatten command and perpetual pricing option.

  6. 6. Best for public forms on a borrowed computer

    Smallpdf, Sejda, PDF24 (web)

    No install, but files are uploaded for processing.

Where PiBye fits

How PiBye handles this

PiBye’s Lock PDF saves a static copy beside each form you drop in, draws answers into the page, removes fields and form buttons, and runs entirely on your Mac.

Download PiBye for macOSRequirements and install steps

1.0.1 · macOS 14.8.5 or later · Apple Silicon · 1.1 GB

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to flatten a PDF on a Mac?

Preview’s File > Print > Save as PDF, which is free with macOS.

Which app flattens IRCC forms?

Adobe Acrobat and Reader handle IRCC’s XFA forms and are required for submitting them. PiBye lays them out to make a readable static copy, which must not be submitted to IRCC.

Sources

  1. Export PDFs and images in Preview on Mac, Apple Support. Checked 17 September 2026.
  2. Save the file as flatten, Readdle (PDF Expert Help Center). Checked 17 September 2026.
  3. Supported forms and fields, Readdle (PDF Expert Help Center). Checked 17 September 2026.
  4. PDF Expert pricing, Readdle. Checked 17 September 2026.
  5. Adobe Acrobat plans and pricing, Adobe. Checked 17 September 2026.
  6. How to flatten in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (community discussion), Adobe Community. Checked 17 September 2026.
  7. How to flatten a PDF, Wondershare PDFelement. Checked 17 September 2026.
  8. PDFelement for Mac, individual plans, Wondershare. Checked 17 September 2026.
  9. Flatten PDF, Smallpdf. Checked 17 September 2026.
  10. Flatten PDF online, Sejda. Checked 17 September 2026.
  11. Flatten PDF, PDF24 Tools. Checked 17 September 2026.
  12. How do I fill out and validate IRCC application forms with 2D barcodes?, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Checked 17 September 2026.