8 payment reminder messages for every due date
Reviewed in October 2026
A good payment reminder message names the customer, the amount and the due date. It gives one way to pay and nothing else. Below are eight messages for WhatsApp and SMS, one for each moment from a week before the due date to the last notice. Copy them as they are or change the tone to fit your business.
7 days before the due date
A week before. Works as a friendly heads-up.
Hi [Name], this is [Business]. A friendly heads-up that your [concept] of [amount] is due on [due date]. You can pay here when it suits you: [payment link]. Thank you!
3 days before the due date
Three days before. The most effective reminder for people who pay on time.
Hi [Name], a quick reminder from [Business]. Your payment of [amount] for [concept] is due on [due date]. Pay by [payment method] or with this link: [payment link].
On the due date
The morning of the due date.
Good morning [Name]. Today is the due date for your [concept] of [amount]. Here is the link to pay: [payment link]. If you have already paid, please ignore this message.
SMS version for the due date
For customers without WhatsApp. Kept under 160 characters.
[Business]: [Name], your payment of [amount] is due today. Pay at [short link]. Already paid? Please ignore this text.
3 days after the due date
Three days late. Assume it was forgotten.
Hi [Name], [Business] has not received your payment of [amount] that was due on [due date]. It may have slipped through. You can pay here: [payment link]. If you already paid, reply with the reference and the record will be updated.
7 days after the due date
A week late. Ask for a date.
Hello [Name], your payment of [amount] for [concept] is now 7 days overdue. Can you tell me the date you will pay? Reply here and I will note it. Link to pay: [payment link].
Promise to pay reminder
The day before the date the customer promised.
Hi [Name], a reminder that you said you would pay [amount] on [promised date]. Here is the link so it is at hand: [payment link]. Thank you for keeping it.
Last notice
After 15 to 30 days. Firm and polite, with a clear next step.
Hello [Name]. This is the last reminder from [Business] about [amount] for [concept], due since [due date]. Please pay by [deadline date] at [payment link] or reply to agree a payment plan. After that date the account will [pause service / move to a formal demand].
Thank-you message after the payment
Close every cycle with a short thank-you. Customers who get one tend to pay the next time without a reminder.
Hi [Name], payment of [amount] received on [date]. Thank you! Your receipt is attached and your balance is now [balance].
What not to put in a payment reminder
- Threats you will not carry out. They cost credibility and can break the law.
- Messages to family, an employer or a group chat. Write only to the customer.
- The debt in a public place. Never post it on social media or a shared group.
- Messages at night. In the United States the FDCPA treats 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. as convenient for third-party collectors. It is a good limit for any business.
- Several reminders on the same day. One per moment is enough.
- Wording that looks like a court notice. A reminder is a reminder.
How to make a reminder work
- Send it from your business number so the customer sees your name.
- Put the amount and the date in the first line.
- Add one payment link or one account number. Two options slow the payment down.
- Keep WhatsApp messages under 60 words. Long texts get read later.
- Ask for a date after the due date passes. A promised date is easier to follow up.
Let the reminders go out on their own
Makatea sends these same messages on WhatsApp and email on the day you choose. Each one goes out with the customer's name, amount and due date.
When a customer pays, Makatea records it and stops the sequence. When a customer promises a date, Makatea waits until then. Start free for 14 days with no card.
Free on Makatea: proforma invoice template · promissory note template · rent receipt template · free receipt template
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a polite payment reminder?
Name the customer, the amount and the due date. Add one way to pay and say thank you. Leave out blame.
When should I send the first reminder?
Three days before the due date. It catches the customers who pay on time but forget.
Is it OK to send payment reminders on WhatsApp?
Yes, to your own customers who gave you their number. Send it from your business account and keep it to the payment.
How many reminders should I send?
Four to six per invoice works for most businesses. Spread them from before the due date to the last notice.
What if the customer says they already paid?
Ask for the payment reference and check it. Thank them and update the record the same day.
Can these messages go out automatically?
Yes. Makatea sends them on their dates and stops when the customer pays.
How do I write a payment reminder message?
Greet the customer by name, give the amount, the due date and how to pay, and keep it short. Before the due date, keep the tone friendly; after it, state the overdue amount and a new date. The 8 texts on this page follow that order.
What is a payment reminder?
A short message that tells a customer, before or on the due date, what they owe, when and how to pay. It is not a demand: its job is to keep the payment from being forgotten.
Your recurring collections on autopilot
Makatea sends the reminders over WhatsApp and email, records every payment and tells you who to follow up with first.
14 days free · No card
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