Guide · Getting paid
Payment reminder texts for contractors
Most late invoices aren't refused. They're forgotten. A short, friendly text with the link fixes most of them.
Send the first reminder the day the invoice is due, a second one three to five days later, and a firmer one at about two weeks. Every reminder should say who you are, the amount, the job, and include the link to pay. Keep it friendly until the last one: most customers who pay late forgot, and a reminder that's easy to act on gets paid the same day. Text from your own number so they recognize it.
The five texts
1. The day it's due
Hi Dana, it's Mike from Ridgeline Plumbing. Just a reminder the invoice for the water heater ($1,840) is due today. You can pay by card or bank here: [link]. Thanks again!
2. Three to five days late
Hi Dana, Mike again from Ridgeline. I haven't seen payment come through for the water heater invoice ($1,840, due March 14). Here's the link in case it got buried: [link]. Let me know if you have any questions about it.
3. About two weeks late
Hi Dana, the invoice for the water heater ($1,840) is now two weeks past due. Can you let me know when you'll be able to pay? If something's wrong with the work or the bill, tell me and I'll sort it out. Link: [link]
4. Final notice
Hi Dana, this is my last reminder about the water heater invoice ($1,840, due March 14). Please pay by March 31 at [link] or call me to set up a plan. After that I'll have to move it to the next step.
Only say what you'll actually do. "The next step" can be a written demand letter, small claims court, or a mechanic's lien, and each has its own rules and deadlines in your state. Don't threaten anything you haven't checked.
5. When they offer to pay part
Thanks Dana, $900 today works. That leaves $940. Can we put the rest on April 15? I'll send a new link for the balance.
What to avoid
- Don't leave out the link. "Your invoice is overdue" with nothing to tap means they have to find the original, and they'll put it off again.
- Don't text late at night or many times a day. One reminder at a time, during business hours. It keeps things friendly, and some states limit how often and when you can contact someone about a debt.
- Don't guess at fees. Add a late fee only if the customer agreed to it before the work. See invoice payment terms.
- Don't argue by text. If the customer says something's wrong with the work, call them. Disputes get worse in writing.
Know whether they've seen it
A reminder lands differently if you know the customer never opened the invoice. In Settle, each estimate and invoice shows when it was sent and when the customer opened it, and a Resend button reopens Messages on your phone with the pay link, so a reminder takes a few seconds. The customer pays by card, Apple Pay or bank, and the money goes to your own Stripe account. Settle doesn't send texts for you; every message comes from your own number.
When should I send a payment reminder?
On the due date, again three to five days later, and a firmer one at about two weeks. If the invoice is due on receipt, the first reminder can go out a day or two after the job.
How do I politely ask a customer for payment?
Say who you are, the job, the amount and the due date, include a link to pay, and thank them. Assume they forgot. Most did.
Is it OK to send a payment reminder by text?
Yes, for a customer who has been texting with you about the job. Keep it short, send it during business hours, and don't send several in a row.
What do I do if a customer still won't pay?
Send a final notice with a date, then look at your options: a demand letter, small claims court, or a mechanic's lien. Liens have strict notice deadlines that start from when the work began or finished, so check your state's rules early.
Send your next invoice with a pay link.
Free on iPhone. Unlimited estimates and invoices. 7 days of Pro to try the voice drafts, and you cancel in two taps.
Download on the App StoreiPhone, iOS 17 or later. Questions? Text Nina: (818) 945-9686