Payment Reminder Email Templates: Before, On and After the Due Date

A payment reminder email is a short note that asks a client to pay an invoice. The best ones are friendly, specific and easy to act on: the invoice number, the amount, the due date and a way to pay. Send one a few days before the due date, one on the due date, and follow up if the payment is late.

This page has templates for each of those moments, short reminder messages for chat, and subject lines that get opened.

When to send a payment reminder

For the later stages, use the overdue invoice email templates (7, 14, 30 and 45+ days late).

How to write a payment reminder email

1. Subject line: the invoice number and the status, for example "Invoice 1042 due Friday".
2. Greeting: use the person's name.
3. The facts: invoice number, amount, due date.
4. The ask: one clear request, such as "Could you confirm it is scheduled?"
5. How to pay: the payment link or bank details, and the invoice attached again.
6. Close: thank them and sign with your name.

Keep it under 100 words. A short email is read; a long one is saved for later.

Upcoming payment reminder email (before the due date)

This is the easiest reminder to send, because nothing is late yet. It catches problems, such as a missing purchase order, while there is still time.

Subject: Invoice [INV-2026-021] is due on [due date]

Hi [Client name],

A friendly heads-up that invoice [INV-2026-021] for [amount] is due on [due date]. I have attached it here for easy reference.

Could you confirm it is scheduled for payment? If you need anything else from me, such as a PO number or a W-9, just let me know.

Thanks,
[Your name]

For a monthly retainer or a recurring invoice:

Subject: Your [month] invoice [INV-2026-022] is due [due date]

Hi [Client name],

Your [month] invoice, [INV-2026-022], for [amount] is due on [due date]. It covers [short description of the work].

As usual, you can pay by [payment method]. Thank you!

[Your name]

Payment reminder on the due date

Subject: Invoice [INV-2026-021] is due today

Hi [Client name],

Just a reminder that invoice [INV-2026-021] for [amount] is due today. The invoice is attached, and you can pay by [payment method].

Thank you for your business!

Thanks,
[Your name]

Friendly payment reminder (just after the due date)

Use this in the first week after the due date. It assumes the payment slipped, which it usually did.

Subject: Friendly reminder: invoice [INV-2026-021]

Hi [Client name],

I hope things are going well. I noticed that invoice [INV-2026-021] for [amount], due on [due date], has not been paid yet. It may simply have slipped through. I have attached it again.

Could you let me know when it will be paid?

Thanks,
[Your name]

A second friendly reminder, when the first one got no reply:

Subject: Re: Friendly reminder: invoice [INV-2026-021]

Hi [Client name],

Following up on my note from [date] about invoice [INV-2026-021] for [amount]. Is there anything stopping it from being paid? If it should go to someone else in your team, could you share their email?

Thanks,
[Your name]

Short payment reminder messages (text, chat or LinkedIn)

Some clients answer a chat faster than an email. Keep these to one or two lines and point to the invoice you emailed.

• "Hi [Name], a quick reminder that invoice [#] for [amount] is due on [date]. It is in your inbox from [date]. Thanks!"
• "Hi [Name], invoice [#] was due yesterday. Could you check it is in the payment run this week?"
• "Hi [Name], just checking you received invoice [#] for [amount]. Happy to resend it."
• "Hi [Name], invoice [#] for [amount] is now [X] days late. When can I expect payment?"
• "Thanks for the payment of [amount], [Name]. All settled."

Note: Due On Time sends reminders by email. Messages in chat apps are ones you send yourself.

Payment reminder subject lines

Before the due date

• Invoice [#] is due on [date]
• Upcoming payment: invoice [#] for [amount]
• Heads-up: invoice [#] due next week

On the due date

• Invoice [#] is due today
• Reminder: payment for [project] due today

After the due date

• Friendly reminder: invoice [#]
• Following up on invoice [#]
• Invoice [#] is now past due
• Second reminder: invoice [#] for [amount]

Avoid subject lines that look like spam or panic: all capital letters, "URGENT!!!" or no invoice number at all.

Payment reminder mistakes to avoid

• Apologizing for asking. "Sorry to bother you" makes your invoice sound optional. You did the work; asking is normal.
• Leaving out the details. "Just checking on payment" makes the client look up the invoice. Give the number and amount.
• Sending to the wrong person. Ask who pays invoices, and copy them in.
• Waiting weeks before the first reminder. The longer an invoice sits, the harder it is to collect.
• Making threats you will not carry out. It costs you trust and gets nothing paid.

Automate your payment reminders

Templates help, but you still have to remember to send them. On the Due On Time Starter plan ($12/month), you email the invoice from the app and pick a reminder schedule. Due On Time then sends up to 3 reminder emails per invoice after the due date, and stops as soon as you mark it paid. You also see when the client opened the invoice, so you know if it was seen. The Pro plan ($27/month) adds unlimited reminders, your own schedule and an AI reminder writer. Compare plans.

Not sure what to say in the first place? Read how to ask a client for payment.