What should the first line of a late reminder say?

Name the client, the invoice number, the amount, and the days overdue, then ask for payment or flag any blocker. Specificity makes the email impossible to defer.

How long should a reminder email be?

Short — three to five sentences. The client is busy; a long, emotional email gets skimmed and postponed. State the facts and the next step.

Is it okay to mention a late fee?

Only if the late fee was agreed in writing beforehand, and only in the final notice. Dunner is not legal advice — confirm enforceability with a qualified professional before invoicing penalties.

Should I apologize for reminding?

No. A reminder is normal business. A light 'just a nudge' is fine; over-apologizing signals the payment is optional. Stay neutral and professional.

Can Dunner write all three versions for me?

Yes. Give it the client, amount, days overdue, and tone, and it returns three ready-to-send emails — friendly, firm, and final — so the cadence actually happens.

How to write a late-payment reminder email (friendly → firm → final)

The one structure that works

Every reminder should answer four things in the first two lines: who (the client), what (the amount + invoice number), how late (days overdue), and what to do (pay the link). Get those right and the tone takes care of itself.

Friendly (0–14 days overdue)

Assume good intent. A friendly reminder sounds like a gentle nudge from a partner, not a collector:

"Hi [Client], just a gentle nudge — invoice [Number] for [Amount] is a few days past due. No rush, but if anything is stuck on your end let me know and I'll resend the link."

Keep it short. One link. No guilt.

Firm (15–30 days overdue)

Now set a boundary. A firm reminder is clear that the invoice is late and names a soft deadline:

"Hi [Client], following up on invoice [Number] ([Amount]), now [Days] days overdue. Could you settle by [Date]? If there's a problem with the work or the link, tell me and we'll sort it."

Firm is not angry — it is specific and time-bound.

Final (before any late fee)

The final notice is the last step before escalation. It is direct and references the next action (late fee or pause of work), but stays professional:

"Hi [Client], final reminder: invoice [Number] for [Amount] is [Days] days overdue. Please settle by [Date]. After that, [late fee / paused work] applies per our agreement."

Common mistakes

Jumping to final too early — burns the relationship and can harden resistance.
Vague amounts — "the invoice" with no number invites another delay.
Guilt or threats — lowers the chance of a clean payment and can breach a professional tone.

Authoritative references

Freelancers Union: https://www.freelancersunion.org/
U.S. Small Business Administration: https://www.sba.gov/
SCORE: https://www.score.org/