How to Follow Up on an Unpaid Invoice: A Timing Guide
What to send, and when, so you get paid without souring the relationship.
Most advice about chasing an invoice is about what to write. Timing matters just as much: a reminder that goes out too early can feel pushy, and one that goes out too late lets a simple oversight turn into an awkward silence. Here's a practical way to think about the timing, and where to change it to suit your own clients.
Looking for ready-to-send wording? See our payment reminder email templates. This guide is about the when.
Before the due date: make it easy to pay
The best follow-up is the one you never need. A clear invoice with the due date, the amount, and a working payment link or bank details removes most reasons for a delay. If a client's payment process is slow, say a monthly payment run, knowing that up front tells you when "late" really means late.
A simple three-step cadence
There's no universal right answer, and what suits a long-standing client differs from what suits a new one. But a three-step rhythm, with a gentle nudge, a firmer follow-up, and a final reminder, is a sensible starting point. Here's one common version, counted from the due date:
Day 1 after the due date: the gentle nudge
Send it the day after, not the week after. Assume it slipped through: a missed email, a forgotten date. Keep it short and friendly, and include the payment link so acting on it takes seconds. Most overdue invoices get resolved here.
Around day 7: the follow-up
If a week has passed with no reply, it's reasonable to be a little more direct. Mention the original due date, restate the amount, and ask for a payment date or whether there's an issue you can help with. This is also a good moment to check the invoice actually reached the right person.
Around day 14: the final reminder
Two weeks overdue is where tone should become clearly firm, while staying professional. State what's outstanding, ask for payment by a specific date, and say what happens next if you don't hear back. Keep it factual, not emotional.
Adjust the timing to the client
- Long-standing, reliable clients. You might stretch the first reminder out a few days. A quick check-in often lands better than an automated-sounding nudge.
- New clients. Sticking closer to the standard cadence is reasonable. How a new client handles their first invoice often shows how the relationship will go.
- International clients. Allow for bank transfer time, public holidays, and time differences. A reminder landing in the middle of their night is easy to miss. If a client says they've already sent payment, see what to do when a client says they've paid.
- Large invoices. Consider a quick personal message alongside the formal reminder. Bigger amounts often need someone to sign off, which takes longer.
When to switch from email to a call
If two or three written reminders get no reply, repeating the same channel rarely changes the outcome. A short call or a direct message is much harder to ignore than another email. After that point, our guide on what to do when an international client doesn't pay covers the next steps.
Don't send a reminder at the wrong moment
- If the client has said they've paid. Pause until you've checked. A "final notice" sent to someone who paid yesterday does more harm than the delay.
- If the invoice is being disputed. An automated nudge in the middle of a disagreement looks tone-deaf. Sort out the question first.
Making the timing automatic
The hard part isn't knowing the cadence, it's remembering to follow it when you're busy. PingToPay sends a calm three-stage sequence on your own schedule (the defaults are days 1, 7 and 14, and you can change them), with a copy of every email sent to you. Each reminder includes an "I've already paid" link for the client, and you can pause any invoice yourself while you sort something out. Free for your first 5 overdue invoices.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Payment practices and your rights vary by country and contract, so check the rules that apply to you.