Best Practices

Invoice Reminder Best Practices — Templates & Timing That Work

Nudgepe Team

January 15, 2026 • 7 min read

01.Timing: When to Send Reminders

Timing is everything. Send reminders too early and you seem impatient. Send them too late and you've already waited too long. Here's the proven schedule that maximizes on-time payments:

3 days before due date•Pre-due reminder

Gives clients time to process payment before the deadline

On the due date•Due date reminder

Many clients pay on the exact due date

3 days after due date•First follow-up

Still friendly, but acknowledges the overdue status

7 days after due date•Second follow-up

More direct, but still professional

14 days after due date•Final notice (optional)

More formal tone for seriously overdue invoices

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This cadence ensures your invoice stays visible without being annoying. Research shows that 4-5 reminders over two weeks increases on-time payment rates by 40%.

02.Subject Lines That Get Opened

Your subject line determines whether your reminder gets opened or deleted. Here are proven subject lines that get results:

1"Friendly reminder: Invoice #[number] due soon"

2"Invoice #[number] is due today"

3"Following up: Invoice #[number] payment"

4"Payment reminder: Invoice #[number]"

5"Quick payment request: Invoice #[number]"

6"Invoice #[number] — Payment due"

7"Action needed: Invoice #[number]"

8"Invoice #[number] — $[amount] due"

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Best practices for subject lines: Include the invoice number (helps clients find it), keep it under 50 characters, and match the tone to the reminder stage (friendly early, more direct later).

03.Message Templates (Copy & Paste)

Here are ready-to-use templates for different situations. Replace the placeholders with your actual data:

Friendly Pre-Due Reminder

Template #1

Subject:Friendly reminder: Invoice #[number] due soon

Hi [Client Name],

This is a friendly reminder that invoice #[number] for $[amount] is due on [date].

You can view and pay the invoice here: [payment link]

Thank you!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Friendly First Follow-Up (3 Days Late)

Template #2

Subject:Following up: Invoice #[number] payment

Hi [Client Name],

I wanted to follow up on invoice #[number] for $[amount], which was due on [date].

If you've already sent payment, please disregard this message. Otherwise, you can pay here: [payment link]

Let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks,

[Your Name]

Firm Second Follow-Up (7 Days Late)

Template #3

Subject:Payment reminder: Invoice #[number]

Hi [Client Name],

Invoice #[number] for $[amount] is now [X] days overdue.

Please arrange payment as soon as possible: [payment link]

If you're experiencing any issues, please reach out so we can find a solution.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Final Notice (14 Days Late)

Template #4

Subject:Final notice: Invoice #[number] payment required

Dear [Client Name],

This is a final notice regarding invoice #[number] for $[amount], which is now [X] days overdue.

Payment is required immediately. Please remit payment here: [payment link]

If payment is not received within 7 days, we may need to suspend services.

Please contact us if you need to discuss payment arrangements.

Sincerely,

[Company Name]

Thank You After Payment

Template #5

Subject:Thank you for your payment!

Hi [Client Name],

Thank you for your payment of $[amount] for invoice #[number].

We truly appreciate your business and prompt payment.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

04.Automating This with Nudgepe

Setting up automated reminders with Nudgepe takes about 10 minutes. Here's the step-by-step process:

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Connect your email account

Link your Gmail or Outlook account so reminders are sent from your own email address.

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Create or import invoice templates

Set up your invoice format with all necessary details.

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Choose your reminder cadence

Select when reminders should be sent (pre-due, on-due, etc.).

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Customize email templates

Use pre-built templates or create your own with variables.

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Set timezone preferences

Ensure reminders arrive at optimal times for each client.

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Test and activate

Send a test reminder, then activate automation for all invoices.

Once set up, Nudgepe automatically sends reminders according to your schedule. You can track which reminders were sent, opened, and which led to payments—all from your dashboard.

Learn more about why clients delay payments or explore our complete guide to automated reminders.

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