Model Release App for Stock Photographers

Fill in a model, minor or property release on your phone, let the subject read it in their language and sign on screen, then export a package that meets Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Getty, Pond5 and Alamy requirements — online or off.

Open the app How it works

Free, no registration to start. Install it from this page — iOS: Share → Add to Home Screen; Android: the “Install” prompt. No App Store needed.

Built by stock contributors, for stock contributors

Most release apps stop at a PDF. MetaBrain Releases runs the whole job — collect, check, deliver: shoot details, the subject’s data, a photo of the person and their ID for mature content, then a full-screen disclosure the model reads in their own language before signing on the glass with a finger or stylus. A typed signature is not accepted by any agency; a drawn one is.

Before you export, a live pre-flight checks the release against each agency’s current rules — one JPEG per person for Shutterstock, matching model and witness dates for Adobe, a guardian ID for Getty minors, Gregorian dates, Latin-only contact fields. Fix what it flags and you get a package in the agency’s own format: pages flattened into a single JPEG plus a PDF, with the release ID written back into your image metadata so the paperwork is tied to the actual files.

The document itself is always in English — the form every one of the five agencies accepts without extra conditions — with the model’s language shown in a parallel column so they understand what they sign. Everything runs on the device: the PDF is built locally, the JPEG is rendered locally, the signature is drawn locally. A network connection is only needed to sign in the first time and to sync a finished release.

Why it works

Per-agency pre-flight

A live checklist against Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Getty / iStock, Pond5 and Alamy, run before export — so a release is not rejected after you have submitted it.

Agency-format packages

Multi-page releases flattened into a single JPEG per person, file names matched to your frames, PDF alongside — the shapes agencies actually want.

Release ID in your metadata

The release number is written into image XMP (PLUS fields) through MetaBrain desktop or Studio, linking each release to the frames it covers.

Bilingual document

English legal text always, the model’s language in a parallel column. The issued form stays English, so no agency’s language restriction applies.

Works offline

Shoot, data, disclosure, signature and PDF / JPEG export all work with no signal. The queue syncs itself when the connection returns.

Private by default

Everything stays on the device. The archive goes to your own Google Drive; our server keeps only metadata — no names, no dates of birth, no ID scans.

How it works

Pick the release type

Model (adult), minor, or property. The wizard asks one question per screen — shoot, data, photos, signatures.

Hand the phone to the model

A full-screen disclosure in their language. “I have read and agree” unlocks only once they have scrolled to the end; they sign on the glass.

Pre-flight against the agencies

A live check against Shutterstock, Adobe, Getty, Pond5 and Alamy shows exactly what to fix before you export.

Export and deliver

A submission-ready JPEG and PDF, shared straight from the device. Sync links the release to your MetaBrain account and frames.

Do I need a release?

A model or property release is generally required for commercial licensing when any of the following is recognisable in the frame:

A person’s face or other identifiable feature — even in the background, even out of focus.
A distinctive tattoo, or any feature that identifies a specific person.
Private property shot from private land — a home interior, a business interior, a fenced garden.
A recognisable work of art, mural, sculpture or branded design that is the subject of the shot.
AI-generated imagery in which a real person is recognisable — most agencies still want a release.

FAQ

Is the model release app free?

Yes. Filling, disclosure, on-screen signing and PDF / JPEG export are free, and you do not need to register to start. An account only matters for syncing releases across your phone, MetaBrain desktop and Studio.

Which agencies does it check against?

The pre-flight covers Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Getty Images / iStock, Pond5 and Alamy, with the rules kept current by the MetaBrain team and pushed to the app without an update.

Is a phone signature valid for stock agencies?

Yes, when it is drawn by hand — with a finger or stylus on the screen. Agencies reject a signature typed in a font. They accept a handwritten one, on paper or on glass.

Does it work without internet?

Yes. Once the app has opened once, everything except first sign-in and sync works offline — the disclosure, the signature, and the PDF and JPEG export are all computed on the device.

Where are the releases stored?

The working copy stays on your device. The finished PDF and JPEG go to your own Google Drive folder. Our server stores only metadata — release number, type, status, pre-flight result, template version — never names, dates of birth or ID scans.

What languages can the model read the form in?

The disclosure screen is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. The document that is issued is always English, with the model’s language shown next to it so they understand what they are signing.

Is there an iOS or Android app?

It installs as a web app straight from this page — an icon on the home screen, full screen, offline. On iOS: Share → Add to Home Screen. On Android: the “Install” prompt. No App Store account and no review wait.

Can it handle minors and property releases?

Yes. Minor releases add the guardian’s signature and, for Getty, a guardian ID. Property releases cover a location or object with its owner’s details. Both go through the same pre-flight.

Sign your next release on the phone

Open the app, install it to your home screen, and have your next shoot’s releases signed and delivered before the model leaves.

Open the app

Full guide: how Releases works, step by step

MetaBrain Releases helps a release meet stock-agency submission requirements. It is not affiliated with any agency and does not provide legal advice.