Popular r/smallbusiness thread A small business owner on Reddit put it bluntly: “We send invoices and receipts to regular clients, same addresses for years, and they're suddenly ending up in junk.”
It's not just this one business. Email deliverability has been getting worse for years. Gmail and Outlook are aggressively filtering anything that looks automated. Your invoice reminders, no matter how politely worded, are competing with spam.
SMS doesn't have a spam folder. That's why it works.
Free plan available · Pro from $29/mo
SMS delivery currently available in Australia and New Zealand. Email reminders work globally.
This isn't opinion. The data is overwhelmingly clear on which channel gets your invoice noticed.
Sources: Gartner, Campaign Monitor
Think about when you last ignored a text vs. when you last ignored an email. That instinct is exactly why SMS works for invoices.
Your reminder appears as a notification on their phone. Not buried in a tab they'll check "later." 98% of texts are opened.
A text feels more immediate than an email. That's not rude. It's the right level of urgency for a payment that's already overdue.
Your client reads the text, taps the payment link, pays. Done. No opening a laptop, logging into email, finding the original invoice.
Email deliverability is getting worse every year. Your carefully crafted reminder competes with Nigerian princes. SMS bypasses all of that.
Texts are reserved for important, personal communication. A payment reminder via SMS signals: "This matters. Please pay attention."
You don't have to choose one. Use email for the first gentle nudge, then switch to SMS when it matters. ChaseBot lets you mix both.
Here's what a typical SMS reminder flow looks like in ChaseBot. Every message is fully customizable. These are just starting points.
Hi {{name}}, just a heads up, invoice {{invoice_number}} for {{amount}} is due today. Pay online: {{link}}
Hi {{name}}, invoice {{invoice_number}} ({{amount}}) is now 3 days past due. Quick reminder to get this sorted when you can: {{link}}
Hi {{name}}, your payment of {{amount}} for invoice {{invoice_number}} is 7 days overdue. Please arrange payment today: {{link}}
Hi {{name}}, this is a final reminder for invoice {{invoice_number}} ({{amount}}), now 14 days overdue. Please pay immediately to avoid further action: {{link}}
Or skip the templates entirely. Connect your Xero account, pick the default flow, and ChaseBot sends these automatically. When the invoice gets paid in Xero, reminders stop. No manual work.
Three steps. No calls to set up. No training sessions. No spreadsheets to migrate.
One-click OAuth. All outstanding invoices sync automatically. Takes 30 seconds.
Choose when to send SMS vs email. Customize every message. Set the timing between steps.
ChaseBot sends reminders on schedule. When a client pays, it detects the payment and stops automatically.
ChaseBot is a full invoice reminder software platform. SMS reminders are just one part of it. You also get email reminders, a reminder flow builder, a dashboard with collection analytics, and deep Xero integration.
This comes up a lot. Popular r/freelance thread A freelancer on Reddit asked whether it's wrong to send invoice reminders after a client called them “pushy.” The fear of damaging the relationship is real. Here's the thing:
You personally write an email or text asking for money. It feels personal because it is. The client knows you sat down and specifically thought about their unpaid bill. It's uncomfortable for both of you.
An automated system sends a polite, consistent message on schedule. The client understands it's a system, not a personal confrontation. It's the same reason nobody gets offended by an electricity bill reminder. They know it's automated.
The best part: you control the tone entirely. Start friendly. Escalate gradually. And because it's automated, the awkwardness disappears. You're not chasing them. Your system is doing its job.
Most tools charge extra for SMS or sell you credit packs. ChaseBot includes SMS on every plan, even the free one.
No credit card required. No per-SMS fees. Ever.
Stop hoping your email reminders get read. Start knowing they do. SMS invoice reminders from ChaseBot, set up in 30 seconds, included free.
Try SMS reminders free