Payment reminder SMS: 20 examples and templates

A timely payment reminder prevents a large share of late payments without calls or letters. Here are 20 payment reminder SMS examples ready to adapt, organized by moment and by industry, plus the rules that make them work. If the payment is already overdue, see our guide to SMS debt collection messages.

What a payment reminder is and how it differs from collections

A payment reminder is a friendly notice sent before the due date or on the day itself: it states the amount, the date and how to pay. It does not demand a debt; it helps the customer avoid one. A collection message, by contrast, is sent once the payment is already late and follows a different sequence, which we explain in SMS for debt collection.

Many late payments are not about unwillingness but about forgetting or disorganization. SMS is the most direct channel to fix that because it reaches any mobile phone with no app or mobile data: according to INEGI’s ENDUTIH 2025 survey, 84.6% of people aged six and over in Mexico use a mobile phone.

What a good payment reminder should include

A recognizable sender, always the same one. We explain the options in alphanumeric sender, short code or long number.
The exact amount and due date, so the customer does not have to look up their statement.
A way to pay: a link on your brand’s domain, a reference or the CLABE account number. Avoid generic link shorteners, widely used in fraud; see how to protect your customers from smishing.
A contact or a possible reply for questions.
No sensitive data: never ask for passwords, PINs or codes, and do not include the full card or account number.
A single segment: up to 160 characters in GSM7. Accented vowels and emojis cut the limit to 70; see GSM7 vs UCS-2: SMS character limit.

20 payment reminder SMS examples

All of them fit in a single SMS. Brands, amounts and links are fictitious; for messages in Spanish, see the Spanish version of this article, which avoids accented vowels to stay within GSM7.

Before the due date

“ShopX: hi Ana, a reminder that your $1,250.00 payment is due on 15/10. Pay at shopx.mx/pay or in store. Thank you.”
“South Finance: your $2,340.00 instalment is due in 5 days (20/10). Pay in the app or with reference 552190 at OXXO.”
“Fit Gym: your October membership ($690.00) is due on Friday. Renew at reception or at gimfit.mx/pay and keep training.”
“City Water: your $384.00 bill is due on 25/10. Pay online at aguamun.mx or at banks and stores with reference 004517.”

The day before and the due date

“South Finance: your $2,340.00 payment is due tomorrow. If you have already paid, please ignore this message. Ref: 552190.”
“InternetYa: your $499.00 payment is due today. Avoid service suspension by paying at internetya.mx/pay. Questions: 55 1234 5678.”
“Sol Insurance: today is the last day to pay your $1,980.00 premium and keep your policy active. Pay at segurossol.mx/pay.”
“North School: October tuition ($3,500.00) is due today. Pay on the parents portal or at the office to avoid late fees.”

Payment received confirmation

“ShopX: we received your $1,250.00 payment. Thank you, your account is up to date. Receipt: 88213.”
“South Finance: we confirm your $2,340.00 payment of 20/10. Your next due date is 20/11.”

Loans, lenders and cards

“CrediYa: hi Luis, payment 6 of 12 for $1,150.00 is due on 05/11. Pay in the app or in store with reference 7781.”
“South Finance: your card has a minimum payment of $850.00 due on 28/10. Check your statement in the app.”

Tuition and schools

“North School: a reminder that November tuition ($3,500.00) is due on the 10th. Pay on the parents portal with no late fees.”
“Valley University: your enrolment payment is due on 20/01. Find your reference on the student portal.”

Rent and maintenance fees

“Centro Realty: a reminder that November rent ($9,800.00) is due on the 5th. Transfer to the CLABE in your lease.”
“Las Palmas Condo: the October maintenance fee ($1,200.00) is due on 10/10. Pay in the condo app or at the office.”

Utilities: internet and gas

“InternetYa: your $499.00 bill is due on 18/10. Pay at internetya.mx/pay or switch on automatic payment.”
“Centro Gas: your $620.00 balance is due on 22/10. Pay at gascentro.mx/pay and avoid reconnection fees.”

Insurance

“Sol Insurance: your car policy renews on 30/10. Pay $4,200.00 at segurossol.mx/pay or reply CALL and we will contact you.”
“Sol Insurance: your $1,980.00 premium is due in 3 days. If you have already paid, ignore this message. Questions: 55 8765 4321.”

Looking for templates for other moments of the customer relationship? See 30 SMS message examples and templates.

When to send it: the recommended sequence

A simple sequence works in almost any business: a first reminder 3 to 5 days before the due date, a second notice the day before or on the morning of the due date, and a confirmation once the payment is received. Send at reasonable hours, between 8 am and 8 pm, and stop as soon as the customer pays. If the payment does not arrive, move on to the collection sequence.

How to automate reminders

From a file: upload the daily list of due dates with name, amount and date, and schedule the send. We explain it in how to send bulk SMS from Excel or CSV.
From your system: your billing platform triggers each reminder with a call to the SMS API and stops it as soon as the payment is recorded.
With customer replies: with a numeric sender, customers can reply PAID or HELP and the reply reaches your system; see two-way SMS.
With delivery confirmation: the delivery report (DLR) tells you which reminders arrived and which numbers need checking.

Rules to follow in Mexico

A payment reminder is a service message arising from your contractual relationship with the customer, not an advertising message. It therefore does not require the consent that campaigns need, but it must be covered by your privacy notice under Mexico’s Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties. If you add a promotion, the message becomes advertising and must respect PROFECO’s REPEP registry; we cover it in SMS marketing regulations and consent in Mexico.

Mind the tone: no threats or intimidating language. If the account is handed to a collection agency, the agency must follow the rules CONDUSEF sets for collection agencies.

Sources

“Comunicado de prensa 32/26: Encuesta Nacional sobre Disponibilidad y Uso de Tecnologías de la Información en los Hogares (ENDUTIH) 2025”, INEGI, June 16, 2026. Read source
“Ley Federal de Protección de Datos Personales en Posesión de los Particulares”, Cámara de Diputados, March 20, 2025. Read source
“Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor”, Cámara de Diputados. Read source
“Se publican nuevas reglas para los despachos de cobranza”, CONDUSEF. Read source
“3GPP TS 23.038: Alphabets and language-specific information”, ETSI / 3GPP. Read source

Frequently asked questions

Do I need consent to send payment reminders by SMS?

Not marketing consent: it is a service message arising from the contractual relationship. It must be covered by your privacy notice and must not include promotions.

How many days before the due date should I send the reminder?

Between 3 and 5 days before the due date, with a second notice the day before or on the morning of the due date.

Can I include a payment link in the SMS?

Yes, on your brand’s domain. Avoid generic link shorteners, which are associated with fraud and reduce trust.

How do I avoid reminding customers who have already paid?

Connect the send to your system through the API so it stops when the payment is recorded, or update the list the same day. Adding “if you have already paid, please ignore this message” prevents annoyance.

Need an enterprise SMS platform?

Grupo Tecnophone provides enterprise SMS messaging in Mexico, an API with sandbox and encryption, per-message delivery reports and a console for campaigns. Talk to an expert or read the developer documentation.