Payment reminder: message and email templates for customers who owe you
A payment reminder is a short, polite message telling a customer that an invoice or account balance is due or overdue, how much they owe, and how to pay. Most late payments are forgotten payments, so a clear reminder sent at the right time collects more than a stern letter sent too late. Below: ready-to-copy payment reminder messages for email, text and WhatsApp, a reminder schedule from before the due date to the final notice, what every reminder must include, and the apps that send them — including Account Ledger by Ofisx, which sends a customer's balance and a reminder by WhatsApp from their ledger.
Short answer
- What to write: customer name, invoice number (or "account balance"), amount, due date, how to pay, and a contact for questions. Nothing else is required.
- When to send: 3 days before the due date, on the due date, 7 days after, 14–21 days after, then a final notice around 30 days past due.
- Tone: friendly and factual for the first two, direct for the overdue ones, formal for the final notice. Never threaten anything you will not actually do.
- Channel: email for invoices with an attachment; a text or WhatsApp message for customers you already message — it is read faster.
- Tools: QuickBooks, Zoho Books and Wave can send reminders for unpaid invoices they issued; Account Ledger by Ofisx sends a customer's balance and a reminder by WhatsApp from their ledger, with a PDF statement if they ask for details.
Payment reminder schedule
| When | Reminder | Tone | Best channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–5 days before due | Friendly reminder (upcoming payment) | Helpful, no pressure | Email or WhatsApp |
| On the due date | Payment due today | Neutral | Text or WhatsApp |
| 7 days past due | First overdue reminder | Polite, clear | Email with the invoice attached |
| 14–21 days past due | Second reminder + statement | Direct; ask for a payment date | Email and a phone call |
| 30 days past due | Final notice | Formal; state the next step | Email (and letter if you send letters) |
Shorten the schedule for new customers and large balances; lengthen it only for customers with a long record of paying. Stop the sequence the moment a payment comes in — a reminder sent after payment costs goodwill.
What every payment reminder should include
- Who it is for — the customer's name and, for a business, the person who pays.
- What is owed — invoice number and amount, or the total account balance if they buy from you regularly.
- When it was or is due — the exact date, not "soon" or "last month".
- How to pay — the payment methods you accept and any reference to quote.
- Proof — the invoice attached, or a statement of the account showing each sale and payment.
- A way to raise a question — a name and number. Many "late" payments are a disputed line that nobody asked about.
Payment reminder email templates
1. Friendly reminder before the due date
Subject: Friendly reminder — invoice #1063 due on November 19
Hi Daniel, a quick reminder that invoice #1063 for $2,400.00 is due on November 19. You can pay by bank transfer to the account on the invoice or by check. The invoice is attached; let me know if anything needs a second look. Thank you — Sara, Brookline Supply
2. Payment due today
Subject: Invoice #1063 — payment due today
Hi Daniel, invoice #1063 for $2,400.00 is due today. If you have already sent it, thank you and please ignore this note. Payment details are on the attached invoice. — Sara
3. First overdue reminder (7 days)
Subject: Invoice #1063 is 7 days past due
Hi Daniel, our records show invoice #1063 for $2,400.00, due November 19, is still open. Could you let me know when we can expect payment? If there is a problem with the invoice or the delivery, tell me and I will sort it out. Invoice attached. — Sara
4. Second reminder with statement (14–21 days)
Subject: Second reminder — $4,200.00 open on your account
Hi Daniel, I am following up on our earlier reminder. Your account currently shows $4,200.00 open, including invoice #1063 ($2,400.00, 14 days past due). The statement attached lists every invoice and payment. Please reply with a payment date this week, or call me on (555) 010-2290 if you would like to agree a plan. — Sara
5. Final notice (30 days)
Subject: Final notice — invoice #1063, $2,400.00
Dear Daniel, invoice #1063 for $2,400.00 is now 30 days past due despite our reminders on November 26 and December 3. Please pay by December 26. If we do not receive payment or hear from you by then, we will put further orders on account on hold and [state your next step]. — Sara Lee, Brookline Supply
In the final notice, write only a next step you will actually take — holding credit, adding a late fee that your terms already allow, or passing the account to a collection agency. Rules on late fees and collection differ by state; if the amount is large, check with your accountant or attorney before you write it.
Payment reminder text message and WhatsApp templates
Text and WhatsApp reminders should fit on one screen. Send them only to customers who already message with you, and include the amount and date every time.
- Before due: "Hi Daniel, Sara from Brookline Supply here. Friendly reminder: invoice #1063, $2,400.00, is due Nov 19. Thanks!"
- Due today: "Hi Daniel, invoice #1063 ($2,400.00) is due today. Already paid? Thank you, please ignore this."
- Overdue: "Hi Daniel, invoice #1063 for $2,400.00 was due Nov 19 and is still open. When can we expect payment? Happy to resend the invoice."
- Account balance (regular customers): "Hi Daniel, your balance with us is $4,200.00 as of today. The oldest open item is invoice #1036. I can send the full statement if helpful."
- After a promise: "Thanks for confirming payment by Friday, Daniel. I have noted $2,400.00 for Nov 27."
For customers who buy from you every week, a reminder about the account balance works better than one per invoice — that is how most wholesalers, contractors and trade suppliers collect. The balance comes from the client ledger; the detail behind it is a statement of account.
Payment reminder mistakes that delay payment
- No amount or date — "please settle your account" gets put aside; "$2,400.00 due Nov 19" gets paid.
- Wrong balance — a reminder that ignores a payment or return already made. Check the ledger before every reminder.
- Too late — the first reminder 30 days after the due date tells the customer that late is acceptable.
- Angry wording — the customer forwards it to their manager instead of to accounts payable.
- No follow-up — one reminder and then silence. Put the next date in your calendar or app when you send each one.
Ways to send payment reminders compared
| Option | Best for | Reminders | Channel | Platforms | US App Store ratings (Oct 21, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account Ledger by Ofisx | Small businesses that sell on account and collect a running balance | Balance and reminder sent from the customer's ledger; due-date alerts tell you who to remind | WhatsApp, plus a PDF statement per customer | iPhone (US App Store); Android on Google Play in Turkey only | New in the US store — no ratings yet |
| Intuit QuickBooks | Businesses that invoice every sale in QuickBooks | Reminders for unpaid invoices issued in QuickBooks | iPhone, Android, web | 272,947 ratings, 4.7 | |
| Zoho Books | Small businesses invoicing in Zoho | Reminders for unpaid invoices issued in Zoho Books | iPhone, Android, web | 5,260 ratings, 4.8 | |
| Wave | Very small businesses that invoice in Wave | Reminders for unpaid invoices issued in Wave | iPhone, Android, web | 6,665 ratings, 4.4 | |
| Your own email, phone and a calendar | A handful of customers | The templates on this page, sent by hand | Email, text, WhatsApp, phone | Any | — |
The options in detail
Account Ledger by Ofisx
Account Ledger keeps a ledger for each customer — sales on credit, payments, partial payments, returns and the running balance — so the amount in the reminder is always the current one. Due-date alerts show what is coming up or overdue; from the customer's card you can send their balance and a reminder by WhatsApp and share the full ledger as a PDF statement.
It does not send automatic email sequences or take card payments; reminders are sent by you, from the app.
Intuit QuickBooks
QuickBooks can remind customers about open invoices it issued, as part of full accounting. Best when your invoicing and books are already there.
Zoho Books
Zoho Books sends payment reminders for its own invoices and keeps customer statements inside a full accounting package.
Wave
Wave handles invoicing and bookkeeping and can remind customers about overdue Wave invoices.
Your own email, phone and a calendar
Costs nothing and lets you write to each customer personally. The weak point is the balance: it has to come from an up-to-date ledger or spreadsheet, or the reminder will be wrong.
How to get paid with fewer reminders
- Agree the terms before the sale — Payment terms on the quote or invoice (Net 15, Net 30, due on receipt) make every later reminder a reminder of something already agreed.
- Check the balance first — Open the customer's ledger before each reminder so payments and returns already made are counted.
- Remind before the due date — The pre-due reminder is the cheapest one: no one is late yet, and it catches lost invoices early.
- Ask for a date, not just payment — "When can we expect it?" gets an answer you can follow up on. Note the promised date in the ledger.
- Escalate on a schedule — Friendly, then direct, then formal — on fixed days, so every customer is treated the same.
- Hold credit before you chase harder — Pausing new orders on account until the balance is paid usually works faster than any letter. See how to track accounts receivable for spotting the accounts to watch.
Limits — what Account Ledger does not do
- Account Ledger does not send automatic email reminder sequences or text messages by itself; you send the WhatsApp reminder from the customer's card.
- It does not issue invoices with online payment links or take card payments.
- In the US the app is on the App Store for iPhone; the Android version is on Google Play in Turkey only for now.
- It is a paid subscription after the free trial; the App Store shows current plans and prices.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a payment reminder?
Address the customer by name, state the invoice number or account balance, the amount and the due date, say how to pay, attach the invoice or statement and give a contact for questions. Keep it short and factual.
How do you politely remind someone to pay?
Send a friendly note a few days before the due date or on the day, assume they forgot, include the amount and date, and offer to resend the invoice. Example: "Friendly reminder: invoice #1063, $2,400.00, is due Nov 19. Thanks!"
When should I send a payment reminder?
A common schedule is 3–5 days before the due date, on the due date, 7 days after, 14–21 days after, and a final notice at about 30 days past due.
Can I send a payment reminder by text or WhatsApp?
Yes, to customers who already message with you. Keep it to one screen with the amount and the date, and use email when you need to attach the invoice or a statement.
What should a final payment reminder say?
That the invoice is a stated number of days past due despite earlier reminders (give the dates), a deadline for payment, and the next step you will take — such as holding further credit. Only state steps you will actually take.
Is there an app that sends payment reminders?
QuickBooks, Zoho Books and Wave can remind customers about unpaid invoices issued in them. Account Ledger by Ofisx keeps a ledger per customer and sends their current balance and a reminder by WhatsApp, with due-date alerts; it has a free trial and then a subscription.
Should a reminder be per invoice or for the whole balance?
Per invoice for occasional customers; for regular customers who buy on account, remind them of the total balance and attach a statement showing each sale and payment.