Payment Reminder Before Due Date (Gentle Nudge Templates)

Most businesses wait until invoices are overdue to follow up. By then, you're playing catch-up—chasing late payments, sounding desperate, and damaging relationships. There's a better way: send a gentle reminder before the due date arrives.

Pre-due reminders aren't pushy—they're helpful. You're giving customers a heads-up so they can prioritize your invoice before it slips through the cracks. And the results speak for themselves: businesses that send pre-due reminders see 30-40% fewer late payments, according to payment processing research.

This guide gives you 30+ pre-due payment reminder templates for email and SMS, timing strategies (T-1, T-2, or T-3 days before due), the psychology of why early reminders work, and A/B testing calendars so you can find what resonates with your customers. Whether you're a solo freelancer or managing AR for a growing business, you'll have professional reminders ready in minutes.

For the complete payment reminder system including overdue follow-ups and automation, see our payment reminder guide. For polite wording when invoices are already late, check our polite payment reminder templates. New to reminders? Start with our appointment reminder fundamentals and text message basics.

Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels

Is It OK to Send a Payment Reminder Before the Due Date?

Yes—send a courteous reminder 1-3 days before the due date. Reference the invoice number, amount, and a pay link, and invite questions. Keep the tone helpful and avoid implying lateness.

Pre-due reminders work because they solve the real problem: most customers aren't avoiding payment—they forgot, got busy, or your invoice is buried under 200 emails. A gentle nudge puts you top-of-mind before the due date hits.

The Data: Why Pre-Due Reminders Work

According to Bill.com payment data, businesses that send pre-due reminders see:

• 30-40% reduction in late payments (customers pay on or before the due date)
• 12-15 day improvement in average days sales outstanding (DSO)
• Higher customer satisfaction: 82% of customers prefer a heads-up reminder to a "you're late" message
• Less awkward follow-up: Fewer overdue chases mean less friction in the relationship

The psychology is simple: people want to pay, but cash flow management and prioritization are hard. Your reminder says "this is important" before they've already missed the deadline and feel guilty.

When Pre-Due Reminders Work Best

• New customers: They're unfamiliar with your payment process and need guidance
• High-value invoices: $5,000+ often requires budget approval—give them lead time
• Net 30/60/90 terms: Long payment windows mean invoices get forgotten; a reminder helps
• Busy seasons: Q4, tax time, industry-specific rush periods when your customers are overwhelmed
• Multiple vendors: If customers juggle 20+ invoices, a reminder puts you ahead in priority

When to Skip Pre-Due Reminders

• Established customers with perfect payment history (don't over-communicate)
• Very small invoices (<$200) where reminder cost exceeds value
• Customers who've explicitly asked for minimal communication
• You sent an invoice less than a week before the due date (they just got it)

Timing Strategy: T-1, T-2, or T-3?

Should you remind them 1 day before, 2 days before, or 3 days before the due date? The answer depends on your invoice value, payment terms, and customer type.

Recommended Timing by Invoice Value

• Under $500: T-1 day only (one simple reminder)
• $500-$2,000: T-1 day (or T-2 if new customer)
• $2,000-$5,000: T-2 days + due-day morning
• $5,000-$10,000: T-3 days + T-1 day
• Over $10,000: T-5 days (initial heads-up), T-2 days (formal reminder), due-day morning

Time-of-Day Optimization

Best send times for pre-due reminders:

• 9-11am: Catches them at desk, before inbox overwhelm (highest open rates)
• 2-4pm: After lunch, before end-of-day rush (good for T-1 reminders)
• Avoid: Before 8am (too early), 12-1pm (lunch), after 6pm (intrusive), Friday PM (gets lost in weekend)

Email Templates: T-1 Day (Due Tomorrow)

These are your highest-performing reminders. Send the morning before the due date (9-11am recipient's timezone).

Template 1: Casual Friendly (Small Invoices)

Template 2: Professional (Established Customers)

Template 3: With Reattachment

Template 4: Appreciation Focus

Template 5: With Next Steps

Template 6: With Value Reminder

Template 7: SMS-Style (Super Brief Email)

For longer, more detailed polite templates when invoices are already overdue, see our polite payment reminder guide.

Email Templates: T-2 Days (Due in 2 Days)

Use these for larger invoices or when you want to give customers more lead time.

Template 8: Professional T-2

Template 9: With Payment Options

Template 10: For New Customers

Email Templates: T-3 Days (Due in 3 Days)

Use these for high-value invoices or complex approval processes.

Template 11: Large Invoice T-3

Template 12: For Complex Approval Processes

SMS Templates: Pre-Due Text Reminders

SMS gets 98% open rates and works great for due-tomorrow reminders. Keep it under 160 characters.

SMS T-1 Day (Due Tomorrow)

SMS T-2 Days

SMS T-3 Days

For 80+ SMS templates including overdue messages, see our payment reminder SMS guide.

Industry-Specific Pre-Due Templates

Different industries need different tones and contexts. Here are variants for common scenarios.

For Freelancers/Consultants

For SaaS/Subscriptions

For Agencies (Retainer/Recurring)

For Trades/Service Businesses

A/B Testing Your Pre-Due Reminders

Not all customers respond the same way. Test different approaches to find what works best for your audience.

Variables to Test

30-Day A/B Testing Calendar

Week 1-2: Test Timing

• Group A (50% of customers): Send T-1 day
• Group B (50% of customers): Send T-2 days
• Track: % paid on or before due date
• Winner: Use for all customers going forward

Week 3: Test Subject Lines

• Group A: "Quick heads-up: Invoice INV-X due tomorrow"
• Group B: "Reminder: Invoice INV-X due [Date]"
• Track: Open rate and payment rate

Week 4: Test Tone

• Group A: Casual ("Hi Sarah, just a heads-up...")
• Group B: Professional ("This is a reminder...")
• Track: Response rate and customer feedback

What to Measure

• Open rate: Did they see your reminder?
• Click-through rate: Did they click the payment link?
• Payment rate: Did they pay on or before the due date?
• Response rate: Did they reply with questions or confirmation?
• Customer feedback: Do they appreciate the reminder or find it annoying?

The Psychology of Pre-Due Reminders

Understanding why pre-due reminders work helps you write better ones. It's not about nagging—it's about helping.

Why Customers Appreciate Pre-Due Reminders

1. Cognitive Load Reduction

Your customer is tracking dozens of obligations. A reminder reduces their mental load: "Oh right, that's due tomorrow. Let me handle it now." You're helping them manage their to-do list.

2. Avoids Guilt and Embarrassment

People don't want to be late. Late payments create guilt ("I'm a bad client") and embarrassment ("What do they think of me?"). A pre-due reminder prevents these negative emotions entirely.

3. Signals Importance and Professionalism

Businesses that send reminders signal they're organized and professional. It shows you value the relationship enough to communicate proactively. Customers respect that.

4. Provides a Call to Action

Without a reminder, "pay invoice" sits on an ever-growing list. A reminder with a one-click link creates urgency: "I can do this right now in 30 seconds." You're removing friction.

Framing Your Reminder as Helpful, Not Pushy

Helpful language:

• "Just a heads-up..." (implies you're doing them a favor)
• "Quick reminder..." (acknowledges their time is valuable)
• "I wanted to make sure this was on your radar..." (collaborative tone)
• "If anything looks off, let me know..." (invites questions)
• "Thanks so much!" (expresses gratitude, not demand)

Pushy language (avoid):

• "You need to pay..." (demanding)
• "Don't forget..." (implies they're forgetful)
• "This is due..." (stating the obvious, sounds impatient)
• "Payment is expected..." (formal and cold)
• "Make sure you..." (parent-to-child tone)

Do's and Don'ts of Pre-Due Reminders

DO:

• Keep it brief: 5-7 sentences max. They know what an invoice is.
• Lead with the reminder: "Invoice X due tomorrow" in sentence 1, not buried in paragraph 3.
• Include a one-click payment link: Make it effortless. Above-the-fold placement.
• Offer help proactively: "If you need anything, just reply." Shows goodwill.
• Use their first name: "Hi Sarah" is warmer than "Dear Customer."
• Thank them: "Thanks!" or "Thanks for your business!" ends on a positive note.
• Test different approaches: What works for one audience may not work for another.

DON'T:

• Apologize: "Sorry to bother you..." undermines your message. You have nothing to apologize for.
• Mention late fees or consequences: They're not late yet! Save that for overdue reminders.
• Be vague about the deadline: "Due soon" is weak. Say "due tomorrow" or "due March 30."
• Send too many pre-due reminders: One is helpful, two is okay for large invoices, three is annoying.
• Use "urgent" or "action required": It's not urgent yet—they still have time.
• Forget to include invoice details: Number, amount, and due date are non-negotiable.
• Send too early: T-5 or T-7 days is overkill for most invoices.

Automating Pre-Due Reminders

Manually sending pre-due reminders doesn't scale. Here's how to automate while keeping it personal.

QuickBooks Online

1. Go to Settings → Account and Settings → Sales
2. Under "Reminders," toggle ON "Automatic invoice reminders"
3. Set timing: Check "Before the due date" and select "1 day before" (or 2-3 days)
4. Click "Edit template" and paste your pre-due template
5. Use merge fields: {Customer}, {InvoiceNo}, {BalanceDue}, {DueDate}, {PaymentUrl}
6. Test by creating a dummy invoice and setting due date to tomorrow

Full setup guide: QuickBooks automatic reminders

Xero

1. Settings → Invoice Settings → Invoice Reminders
2. Toggle "Send automatic reminders" ON
3. Under "Before due date," select "1 day" (or 2-3)
4. Click "Edit template" and customize your message
5. Use placeholders: [FirstName], [InvoiceNumber], [AmountDue], [DueDate], [PaymentLink]
6. Preview and test

Full setup guide: Xero payment reminders

Stripe

1. Dashboard → Settings → Email Receipts → Invoice Reminders
2. Enable "Before due date" reminder
3. Set to 1 day before (or custom timing)
4. Customize email template with your messaging
5. Stripe auto-inserts invoice link and details

Full setup guide: Stripe invoice reminders

Manual Alternative (Small Volume)

If you send <20 invoices per month:

• Save your favorite template in Gmail/Outlook as a canned response
• Set a recurring calendar reminder: "Check invoices due tomorrow"
• Each morning, review upcoming due dates and send template
• Takes 5-10 minutes per day; good enough for low volume

When Customers Respond to Pre-Due Reminders

Pre-due reminders often generate responses. Here's how to handle common replies.

Response: "Thanks for the reminder!"

Your reply:

Short and sweet. Don't over-communicate.

Response: "Can I pay half now and half next week?"

Your reply:

Response: "I need updated billing information"

Your reply:

Response: "I already paid this"

Your reply:

Then investigate immediately. If they did pay, apologize and update your records. If not, clarify politely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Preventing Late Payments Today

Pre-due reminders aren't about nagging—they're about helping your customers stay organized while protecting your cash flow. A simple "heads-up, invoice due tomorrow" prevents more late payments than a dozen frustrated overdue follow-ups.

Your action plan:

1. Pick 2-3 templates from this guide that match your tone and audience
2. Decide on timing: T-1 day works for 90% of invoices
3. Set up automation in QuickBooks/Xero/Stripe (or manual calendar reminders)
4. Test for 30 days and track payment-on-time rates
5. A/B test timing or subject lines if you want to optimize further
6. Combine with due-day and overdue reminders for complete coverage

The businesses that get paid fastest don't chase late payments—they prevent them. Start with pre-due reminders and watch your DSO drop.

Related guides:

• Complete Payment Reminder System (Email, SMS, Letters, Automation)
• Polite Payment Reminder Email Templates
• 1st, 2nd, 3rd Reminder Sequence
• Payment Reminder SMS Templates