A payment reminder is a short email or text message that tells a customer a due date is coming up or has passed and gives them everything they need to pay, without complaints or threats. Below are ten email templates and two text messages you can copy, from a reminder before the due date to a final reminder, plus a payment plan confirmation and a note about a partial payment. Replace the text in square brackets with your own details and attach the invoice as a PDF to every email.
Match the tone to the stage
| Stage | When | Tone | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the due date | 3 to 7 days before | informative | |
| On the due date | on the day | friendly | email and text |
| Shortly after | 3 days after | checking in | |
| Follow-up | 7 days after | matter-of-fact | email and text |
| Final reminder | 14 days after | firm, with a date | email and phone |
| After a call or for installments | right after agreeing | confirming |
The templates are written for business customers. A fixed fee for recovery costs exists only under EU and UK law, and only between businesses. In the US, and with consumers anywhere, charge only the interest or late fees that your contract and local law allow.
Ten payment reminder email templates
The first template matters most, because it goes out before the invoice becomes a problem. Many late payments start with an invoice that got lost in an inbox or is waiting for someone to approve it, and a short note a few days ahead catches these cases early.
1. Friendly reminder before the due date
Subject line
Invoice [number] due on [date]
Hello [name],
Just a quick reminder that invoice [number] dated [issue date] for [amount] is due on [date]. We have attached it to this email.
Please pay [company name] using [bank details] and include the invoice number in the payment reference. If the invoice needs correcting or should go to someone else, just reply to this email.
[Name], Finance, [company], [phone number]
2. Reminder on the due date
Subject line
Invoice [number] is due today
Hello [name],
Invoice [number] for [amount] is due today. For your convenience, we have attached it again with our bank details. If the payment is already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this message.
[Name], Finance, [company]
3. Reminder 3 days after the due date
Subject line
Invoice [number] is overdue. Has it been approved for payment?
Hello [name],
Invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date], and we have not received the payment yet. Has the invoice been approved for payment? If it is waiting for a signature or needs a correction, let us know and we will send a corrected invoice or any missing documents right away.
If the payment has already been made, thank you, and please ignore this message.
[Name], Finance, [company]
4. Follow-up 7 days after the due date
Subject line
Overdue invoice [number], payment request
Hello [name],
Invoice [number] for [amount] is now a week overdue, and despite our earlier messages we have received neither the payment nor an explanation for the delay. Please make the payment by [date], or get in touch if the payment needs to be arranged differently, for example in installments.
Please note that overdue invoices may incur late payment interest and recovery costs under our terms and applicable law.
[Name], Finance, [company]
5. Final reminder before a demand letter
Subject line
Invoice [number], final reminder before a demand letter
Hello [name],
Despite our earlier messages, invoice [number] for [amount], due on [date], remains unpaid. If we do not receive the payment by [date], we will send a demand letter that includes interest.
If something is holding up the payment, please call me at [phone number] this week. We would much rather agree on a payment plan than take formal action.
[Name], Finance, [company]
6. Confirming what was agreed on a call
Subject line
Invoice [number], confirming our call on [date]
Hello [name],
Thank you for speaking with me today. As agreed, [amount] for invoice [number] will be paid by [date] to [bank account]. [Add anything else you agreed on, for example a credit memo or a new contact person.]
If I got anything wrong, please reply to this email.
[Name], Finance, [company]
An email after a call turns a verbal promise into a record both sides can go back to. If the payment doesn’t arrive, the next reminder can refer to a specific date rather than to someone’s recollection of the conversation.
7. Confirming a payment plan
Subject line
Payment plan for invoice [number]
Hello [name],
As agreed, we confirm the payment plan for invoice [number], totaling [amount].
- Installment 1. [amount] by [date]
- Installment 2. [amount] by [date]
- Installment 3. [amount] by [date]
If an installment is not paid on time, the remaining balance becomes due immediately. Please confirm by replying to this email that you accept this plan.
[Name], Finance, [company]
Ask for written confirmation of the plan. If an installment is missed, you have a clear record of what the customer agreed to and when.
8. Statement for a regular customer with several invoices
Subject line
Statement of unpaid invoices as of [date]
Hello [name],
According to our records, the invoices below remain unpaid.
- Invoice [number], due [date], amount [amount]
- Invoice [number], due [date], amount [amount]
- Invoice [number], due [date], amount [amount]
The total due is [amount], of which [amount] is overdue. Please compare this statement with your records. If any invoice has been paid or is disputed, let us know and we will reconcile the balance.
[Name], Finance, [company]
One statement instead of several separate reminders makes differences easier to spot, such as a payment applied to the wrong invoice.
9. Partial payment
Subject line
Invoice [number], remaining balance
Hello [name],
Thank you for your payment of [amount] on [date]. Invoice [number] was for [amount], so [amount] remains outstanding. If the difference is due to a credit memo or a deduction, please let us know what it relates to so we can reconcile the account.
[Name], Finance, [company]
10. Reminder for a customer abroad
Subject line
Invoice [number], payment overdue since [date]
Dear [name],
This is a friendly reminder that invoice [number] for [amount and currency] was due on [date], and we have not received the payment yet. The invoice is attached. Our bank details are [IBAN or account number], SWIFT/BIC [code].
If the payment is already on its way, please disregard this message. If anything needs clarifying, just reply to this email.
Kind regards, [name], Finance, [company]
For customers abroad, always include your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code and the invoice currency, because they can’t make the transfer without them.
Two payment reminder text messages
A text message works well alongside an email, on the due date or as a follow-up. Keep it under 160 characters so it arrives as a single message, and add a link to the invoice with your bank details.
11. Text on the due date
Hello, invoice [number] for [amount] is due today. Invoice and bank details at [link]. [Company]
12. Text after the due date
Hello, we have not received payment for invoice [number] ([amount], due [date]). Pay at [link] or call [phone]. [Company]
What to avoid in payment reminders
- Guilt trips and sarcasm. Phrases such as “once again we must remind you” or “we hope that this time” sound accusatory and make people less likely to reply.
- Empty threats. Only mention steps you will actually take, and give a date.
- Reminders to customers who have already paid. Check your bank statement before sending, and include a line in every email saying the message can be ignored if the payment has gone out.
- Writing to the wrong person. The person who placed the order usually isn’t the one who pays, so ask who handles accounts payable at the customer’s company.
- All caps and exclamation points in the subject line. “URGENT!!!” looks like spam and reflects badly on the sender.
When reminders don’t work
If two weeks have passed, you have called, and there is still no payment or firm date, the next step is a demand letter with a final deadline. Depending on your contract and local law, you can add statutory interest and recovery costs and then pass the case to a collection agency or start court proceedings. You can work out the interest with our late payment interest calculator.
Templates work best when they go out on time and nobody has to remember to send them. In Sunbay you build them into paths for different customer groups, and the system sends them by email or text message, in your company’s tone and from your domain. When the payment is booked in your ERP or accounting system, the reminders stop. When a customer promises to pay or raises a dispute, the next steps change to match the reply. See how collections automation works in Sunbay.
FAQ
When should I send a payment reminder?
Send the first one 3 to 7 days before the due date, then on the due date and 3, 7 and 14 days after it. After two weeks, add a phone call and, if needed, a demand letter.
How do I write a polite payment reminder?
Start with the facts (the invoice number, the amount and the due date) and ask whether the invoice has arrived. Attach it with your bank details and ask for a payment date. Keep the tone neutral, because a late payment is often an oversight.
Can I send a payment reminder by text message?
Yes, as long as the customer has agreed to receive texts at that number (in the US, automated texts need prior consent). A text works well on the due date and as a follow-up alongside an email. Keep it under 160 characters and include a link to the invoice with your bank details.
.svg){kind=small}
