Never write another “just following up” email.
A good payment reminder is short, specific and impossible to take offence at — and the best one is sent by software, not typed by you at 9pm. Below are five ready-to-send reminder emails covering every stage, from a heads-up before the due date to a final notice, plus the way to stop writing them entirely.
5 copy-paste templates · Subject lines included · Or automate the lot
Why reminders work — Most overdue invoices aren't refusals — they're buried in an inbox. A reminder that lands the day after the due date usually gets paid without any awkwardness, because it's obviously routine rather than personal.
Set the schedule once and InvoiceSonic nudges every overdue invoice for you — politely, on time, without you drafting a thing.
Know the moment your client views the invoice, so you know whether you're reminding someone who has seen it or resending one that got lost.
Mark an invoice paid and the reminders stop instantly. No client ever gets chased for money they've already sent.
The wording assumes the invoice was missed, not ignored — the tone that gets paid and keeps the client.
Switch reminders off for any single invoice — for the client you'd rather chase personally, or not at all.
Due dates and late-fee wording go on the invoice itself, so every reminder is backed by terms the client already agreed to.
Copy these, swap the brackets for your details, and send.
Subject: Invoice [#0001] — due this Friday Hi [Name], Quick heads-up that invoice [#0001] for [$amount] is due on [date]. Nothing needed if it's already scheduled — just flagging it so it doesn't sneak up. Thanks, [Your name]
Subject: Invoice [#0001] due today Hi [Name], Just a note that invoice [#0001] for [$amount] falls due today. Payment details are on the invoice — attached again here to save you digging for it. Thanks, [Your name]
Subject: Reminder: invoice [#0001] now past due Hi [Name], This is a friendly reminder that invoice [#0001] for [$amount] was due on [date] and hasn't come through yet. If it's already on its way, please ignore this. If anything about the invoice needs fixing, tell me and I'll sort it today. Thanks, [Your name]
Subject: Second reminder — invoice [#0001], [X] days overdue Hi [Name], Invoice [#0001] for [$amount] is now [X] days past its due date and I haven't heard back on my earlier reminder. Could you confirm when payment will be made? If there's a problem with the invoice or the timing, I'd genuinely rather know than keep sending these. Thanks, [Your name]
Subject: Final reminder — invoice [#0001] Hi [Name], Invoice [#0001] for [$amount] is now 30 days overdue and my previous reminders have gone unanswered. Please arrange payment by [date]. If I haven't heard from you by then, I'll follow the steps set out in my payment terms — which I'd much rather avoid. Thanks, [Your name]
A reminder only carries weight if the deadline was clear from the start. Set payment terms on the invoice itself — due date, how to pay, and late-fee wording if you use one.
InvoiceSonic sends the reminders for you: evenly spaced, on time, and worded so nobody bristles. You only step in if the final reminder is ignored.
When the reminder ladder runs out, move to the overdue-invoice playbook — late fee, letter of demand, small claims. Most invoices never get past the second reminder.
Turn on automatic reminders and InvoiceSonic chases every overdue invoice for you — politely, on schedule, until it's paid.
Start freeName the invoice number, the amount and the due date in the first line, attach the invoice again, and ask one clear question — when will payment be made. Keep it under a hundred words and assume the invoice was missed rather than ignored; that keeps the tone right, and it's usually the truth.
A schedule that works: an optional heads-up a few days before the due date, a friendly reminder one to three days after it passes, a second reminder at one to two weeks, and a final reminder at thirty days. Spacing them out keeps you professional and predictable rather than naggy.
Give them an easy out — “in case it got buried” or “ignore this if it's already on its way”. A polite reminder isn't about softening the request; it's about making payment the easy next step. Attach the invoice, restate the payment details, and keep the whole thing short.
Yes. InvoiceSonic sends reminders on a schedule for any overdue invoice and stops the moment it's marked paid, and you can switch them off for individual invoices. Automating them fixes the real failure mode — not sending reminders at all because it feels awkward.
After the final reminder the job changes from reminding to collecting: apply the late fee if your terms allow it, send a letter of demand, and consider small claims for amounts worth the filing fee. See our overdue invoice guide for that ladder — but send the reminders first, because most invoices are paid before any of it is needed.
Overdue invoice: what to do · How to ask for payment politely · How to write an invoice email · Recurring invoices · Invoice app · Free invoice generator