Payment Reminder Messages: 30+ Templates for WhatsApp, SMS and Email

The goods went out, the invoice went out, and the money did not come in. Now you have to ask for it without sounding desperate or rude, and without losing a customer you want to keep. Most people put it off because they cannot find the words. This page gives you the words: more than 30 payment reminder messages for every stage, from a friendly heads-up before the due date to a final notice, written for WhatsApp, text and email.

Every message uses placeholders in {curly braces}. Swap them for your own details and send. Keep the structure the same each time, so your customer learns to recognise your reminders and can act on them in a few seconds.

What every payment reminder needs

A reminder works when the customer can pay from it without writing back to ask a question. That means six things, every time, even in a two-line WhatsApp message.

One more habit: always offer a way out. “If you have already paid, send me the reference” or “if there is a query on the invoice, tell me”. Most late payments are forgotten, not refused, and an easy exit lets the customer fix it without losing face.

Before the due date

A friendly note three to five days before the due date is the cheapest reminder you will ever send. Nothing is late yet, so nobody feels chased.

1. Friendly heads-up

Hi {name}, a quick heads-up that invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is due on {due date}. Payment details are on the invoice. Any questions, just reply here. Thanks, {your name}, {company}

2. With the invoice re-attached

Hi {name}, sharing invoice {invoice no.} again so it is easy to find. {amount}, due on {due date}. PDF attached. Let me know if anything needs correcting before it goes for payment. {your name}

3. Checking it is in the payment run

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) is due on {due date}. Could you confirm it is in this week's payment run? If it needs a PO number or approval from someone else, tell me and I'll send whatever is missing. {your name}

4. For a customer who pays on delivery or on a fixed day

Hi {name}, just so it is on your list: {amount} for invoice {invoice no.} falls due on {due date}, your usual payment day. Bank details: {bank name} · {account no.} · {branch or routing code} Thanks, {your name}

On the due date

Send it in the morning. Keep it short and neutral. The invoice is due today, which is a fact, not a complaint.

5. Due today

Good morning {name}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is due today. Payment details are on the invoice. Please share the payment confirmation once done. Thanks, {your name}

6. Due today, with bank details

Hi {name}, a reminder that {amount} for invoice {invoice no.} (order {order no.}) is due today, {due date}. Bank details: {bank name} · {account no.} · {branch or routing code} Reference: {invoice no.} Thank you, {your name}, {company}

7. Due today, asking for a date

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) is due today. If it is not going out today, could you let me know the date it will be paid? That helps us plan. {your name}

Overdue by 1 to 7 days

Still polite. Assume it slipped. The goal is to get a reply, either a payment or a date.

8. Gentle first overdue reminder

Hi {name}, a gentle reminder that invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} was due on {due date} and is now {days} days overdue. If it has already gone out, please send the payment reference and I'll match it at our end. Thanks, {your name}

9. Checking for a problem

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) was due on {due date} and we haven't received payment yet. Is there a query on the invoice or the delivery? If something is wrong, tell me and I'll sort it today. {your name}, {phone}

10. Asking who handles payments

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is {days} days past its due date of {due date}. If someone else in your team handles payments, could you share their name and number? I'll follow up with them directly. Thanks, {your name}

11. Asking for a payment date

Hi {name}, following up on invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}), due on {due date}. Could you confirm the date we can expect payment? Bank details are on the invoice. Thank you. {your name}, {company}

Overdue by 30 days or more

Between the first week and the first month, repeat the 1 to 7 day messages weekly and pick up the phone at least once. By 30 days, the tone gets firmer. Firm means specific: amount, days late, previous reminders, a date you need payment by. It does not mean angry.

12. Firm, with history

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is now {days} days overdue (due {due date}). We sent reminders on {date 1} and {date 2}. Please arrange payment by {new date}, or call me on {phone} if there is a reason it cannot be paid. {your name}, {company}

13. Several invoices outstanding

Hi {name}, your account currently shows {amount total} outstanding across {count} invoices, the oldest from {date}. I've attached a statement listing each one. Please let me know which invoices are scheduled and when, or flag any you dispute. {your name}

14. Offering a payment plan

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) is {days} days overdue. If paying in full right now is difficult, we can agree a plan, for example {part amount} by {date 1} and the balance by {date 2}. Tell me what works and I'll confirm it in writing. {your name}

15. Credit on hold (stated, not threatened)

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is now {days} days overdue. Until it is cleared, new orders on your account will need payment before dispatch. Once it's paid, normal credit terms resume straight away. Any questions, call me on {phone}. {your name}, {company}

Final notice

A final notice states what happens next and when. No insults, no capital letters, no threats you will not carry out. Name one factual next step and a date, and then do it. If your terms include late payment interest, or your country gives suppliers a legal right to charge it, you can mention it here. Rules vary by country, so check with your accountant before you rely on them.

16. Final notice before stopping supply

Final notice: invoice {invoice no.}, {amount}, due {due date}, now {days} days overdue. We have reminded you on {date 1}, {date 2} and {date 3}. If payment is not received by {final date}, we will stop further deliveries on your account until the balance is cleared. To discuss, call {your name} on {phone}. {company}

17. Final notice before formal recovery

{name}, this is a final notice for invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}), unpaid since {due date}. If we do not receive payment or an agreed payment plan by {final date}, we will pass the account to {our collections agency / our lawyer} without further notice. We would much rather settle this directly. Please call me on {phone}. {your name}, {company}

18. Final notice with interest (only if your terms allow it)

{name}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is {days} days overdue. Under our terms of {terms reference}, late payment interest of {rate} applies from {due date}. Please pay {amount} by {final date} and we will waive the interest. After that date it will be added to your account. {your name}, {company}

Partial payment received

Thank them for what arrived, then state the balance clearly. Never leave a part-payment unacknowledged, or the customer may think the account is settled.

19. Thanks, balance still due

Hi {name}, thank you, we received {amount paid} on {date} against invoice {invoice no.}. The balance of {balance} is still open. Could you confirm when it will follow? {your name}

20. Part payment, checking for a deduction

Hi {name}, we received {amount paid} against invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}). That leaves {balance} short. If this is a deduction for a shortage or a damaged item, please send the details so I can issue a credit note. Otherwise please arrange the balance by {date}. {your name}

Thank-you after payment

A one-line thank-you closes the loop and makes the next reminder easier to send. It also gives the customer a record that the invoice is settled.

21. Simple thank-you

Hi {name}, payment of {amount} for invoice {invoice no.} received today. Thank you, your account is clear. {your name}

22. Thank-you after a long delay

Hi {name}, we received {amount} for invoice {invoice no.}. Thanks for sorting it out, we appreciate it. Your account is back on normal terms, so feel free to send the next order whenever you are ready. {your name}

Email versions

Email suits larger customers with an accounts team, and anything you might need to show later. Put the invoice number in the subject line so it can be found in a search.

23. Email before the due date

Subject: Invoice {invoice no.} due on {due date} Dear {name}, This is a friendly reminder that invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is due for payment on {due date}. A copy is attached. Payment details: {bank name} Account: {account no.} Branch / routing code: {code} Reference: {invoice no.} If you need anything else to process it, such as a PO number or a revised invoice, please let me know. Kind regards, {your name} {company} · {phone}

24. Email, first overdue reminder

Subject: Overdue: invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) Dear {name}, Our records show that invoice {invoice no.} for {amount}, due on {due date}, is now {days} days overdue. A copy is attached. If payment has already been made, please send the remittance details and we will match it. If there is a query on the invoice, reply to this email and we will resolve it promptly. Kind regards, {your name} {company} · {phone}

25. Email, 30+ days overdue

Subject: Second reminder: invoice {invoice no.} now {days} days overdue Dear {name}, Invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} was due on {due date} and remains unpaid despite our reminders of {date 1} and {date 2}. A statement of your account is attached. Please arrange payment by {new date}, or contact me to agree a payment plan. Until the account is up to date, new orders will be supplied on payment before dispatch. Kind regards, {your name} {company} · {phone}

26. Email, final notice

Subject: Final notice: invoice {invoice no.}, payment required by {final date} Dear {name}, Despite reminders on {date 1}, {date 2} and {date 3}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} (due {due date}) remains unpaid. If full payment or an agreed payment plan is not in place by {final date}, we will {stop supply on the account / refer the debt for formal recovery}. We would prefer to resolve this directly. Please call me on {phone} or reply to this email. Regards, {your name} {company}

SMS and short versions

A standard text message holds 160 characters. These four fit once filled in with normal names and numbers. They also work as WhatsApp messages for customers who prefer short ones.

27. Short, before due

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} for {amount} is due on {due date}. Thanks! {your name}, {company}

28. Short, due today

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) is due today. Please send the payment ref once paid. {your name}

29. Short, overdue

Hi {name}, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) was due {due date}. Please advise payment date or call {phone}. {company}

30. Short, final

{name}: invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) is {days} days overdue. Please pay by {final date} to keep supply open. {phone}

Tone by relationship

The same message lands differently with a customer of ten years and one you met last month. Adjust the tone, never the facts.

Long-standing customer. Use first names, ask about the problem before asking for money, and call before you send anything firm. A good customer paying late often has a cash-flow issue they are embarrassed to raise. Message 14, the payment plan, keeps the relationship and usually gets the money too.

New customer. Be more formal and more precise from the start. Send the before-due reminder every time, and agree the payment terms in writing with the first order. A new customer who is 30 days late is telling you something about how they treat suppliers. Move to message 15 sooner.

Customer with an accounts department. Write to the accounts team by email and copy the person who placed the order on WhatsApp. The buyer cannot pay you, but they can walk over to the person who can.

Timing and channel

Send reminders on working days, in working hours, in the customer’s time zone. A reminder at 10pm reads as pressure even when the words are polite.

WhatsApp gets read quickly and feels personal, which is why it works for the early stages. Email is easier to forward to an accounts team and easier to produce later if a dispute goes further. Use WhatsApp to get attention and email to keep the formal record. For the final notice, send both.

Whatever the channel, keep reminders for one customer in one thread, with the same invoice number in every message. The same rule applies to order messages; our order confirmation templates for WhatsApp follow it from the first order to the payment reminder.

Payment reminders in other languages

Many suppliers write to customers in the customer’s language. Below are three reminders in Hindi and three in Arabic: before the due date, overdue, and final notice. Have a native speaker on your team read them once and adjust the wording to how you normally write.

Hindi

31. भुगतान तिथि से पहले (before the due date)

नमस्ते {नाम} जी, याद दिलाना था कि इनवॉइस {इनवॉइस नंबर} ({राशि}) की भुगतान तिथि {तारीख} है। भुगतान की जानकारी इनवॉइस पर दी गई है। कोई सवाल हो तो बताइए। धन्यवाद, {आपका नाम}, {कंपनी}

Hinglish: Namaste {name} ji, yaad dilana tha ki invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) ki due date {date} hai. Payment details invoice par hain. Dhanyavaad, {your name}.

32. बकाया भुगतान (overdue)

नमस्ते {नाम} जी, इनवॉइस {इनवॉइस नंबर} ({राशि}) का भुगतान {तारीख} को देय था, जो अभी तक हमें प्राप्त नहीं हुआ है। कृपया जल्द से जल्द भुगतान कर दें। अगर भुगतान हो चुका है, तो कृपया रेफ़रेंस नंबर भेज दें, हम अपनी तरफ़ से मिलान कर लेंगे। धन्यवाद, {आपका नाम}

Hinglish: Namaste {name} ji, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) ki payment {due date} ko due thi, abhi tak nahi aayi. Agar payment ho gayi hai to reference bhej dijiye. Dhanyavaad.

33. अंतिम सूचना (final notice)

नमस्ते {नाम} जी, इनवॉइस {इनवॉइस नंबर} ({राशि}) अब {दिन} दिन से बकाया है। हमने {तारीख 1} और {तारीख 2} को भी याद दिलाया था। कृपया {अंतिम तारीख} तक भुगतान कर दें। ऐसा न होने पर हमें आपके खाते पर नए ऑर्डर तब तक रोकने होंगे, जब तक बकाया राशि का भुगतान नहीं हो जाता। बात करने के लिए मुझे {फ़ोन} पर कॉल करें। {आपका नाम}, {कंपनी}

Hinglish: Namaste {name} ji, invoice {invoice no.} ({amount}) ab {days} din se pending hai. Kripya {final date} tak payment kar dijiye, warna humein naye orders hold karne padenge. Koi baat ho to {phone} par call kijiye.

Arabic

34. قبل تاريخ الاستحقاق (before the due date)

مرحباً {اسم العميل}، نود تذكيركم بأن الفاتورة رقم {رقم الفاتورة} بمبلغ {المبلغ} تستحق الدفع بتاريخ {تاريخ الاستحقاق}. تجدون تفاصيل الدفع في الفاتورة. شكراً لتعاونكم، {اسمك} - {اسم الشركة}

35. فاتورة متأخرة (overdue)

مرحباً {اسم العميل}، نود إفادتكم بأن الفاتورة رقم {رقم الفاتورة} بمبلغ {المبلغ} قد تجاوزت تاريخ استحقاقها في {تاريخ الاستحقاق}، ولم نستلم الدفعة حتى الآن. نرجو التكرم بالسداد في أقرب وقت ممكن. وإذا كنتم قد سددتم المبلغ، يرجى إرسال رقم المرجع لنقوم بمطابقته. مع الشكر، {اسمك}

36. إشعار نهائي (final notice)

السادة {اسم الشركة العميلة} المحترمين، لا تزال الفاتورة رقم {رقم الفاتورة} بمبلغ {المبلغ} غير مسددة منذ {عدد الأيام} يوماً، رغم تذكيراتنا بتاريخ {التاريخ 1} و{التاريخ 2}. نرجو سداد المبلغ في موعد أقصاه {التاريخ النهائي}، وإلا سنضطر إلى إيقاف الطلبات الجديدة على حسابكم إلى حين تسوية الرصيد. للتواصل: {رقم الهاتف} مع التحية، {اسمك} - {اسم الشركة}

Common mistakes

• No invoice number. “Please clear the pending amount” forces the customer to work out what you mean, and they will put it off.
• The wrong amount. Check for part-payments and credit notes before you send. One wrong figure and the customer has a reason to argue instead of pay.
• Threats you won’t carry out. If you say supply stops on Friday and it doesn’t, every later reminder is weaker.
• Reminding by voice only. Calls are good, but follow each one with a message that repeats what was agreed: “As discussed, {amount} by {date}.”
• Going quiet after one reminder. One reminder is rarely the end of it. Decide the next date before you send, and put it in your calendar.

Sending reminders without retyping

The templates above work from any phone. The slow part is filling them in: finding the invoice number, checking the amount, working out how many days late it is. If you sell through OrderBookApp, the Payments screen does that part for you.

Every customer who owes you appears with their paid, not yet due and overdue totals, and you can filter to just the overdue ones. Each invoice row shows its order number, invoice number and due date, with an overdue one marked in red.

Tap the reminder button on an invoice and the message is already written: customer name, invoice and order numbers, amount, due date and, if you have filled in your bank details in Settings, how to pay. You see the exact text first, then copy it, share it, or open it in your own WhatsApp. Nothing is sent until you press send. The WhatsApp button appears when the customer has a phone number on file.

The app writes one standard reminder. For a firmer stage, copy it and add a line from the templates above. When a customer owes on several invoices, send a statement instead of five separate messages; our statement of account format shows what to put on one. And if your orders still live in a chat thread, start with how to track orders on WhatsApp, because a reminder is only as good as the record behind it.

Frequently asked questions