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Templates

Dunning email templates. Warm, short, and paid.

Six failed payment emails you can copy today: a heads-up before a card expires, the first notice, a reminder, a final notice, a paused account and a thank you. Each comes with when to send it and why it works.

The schedule at a glance

EmailWhen to send it
Card expiring soon14 days before renewal
First notice after a failed chargeDay 0, when the charge fails
Friendly reminderDay 3 or 4
Final notice before pausing3 days before you pause
We paused your accountThe day you pause
Thank you after recoveryThe moment it is paid

Time each email after a retry, so it can say what happened. Stop every email the moment the invoice is paid.

The emails

Copy, adjust, send.

01

Card expiring soon

When to send it

14 days before the renewal date, and once more 3 days before if the card is still the same.

Why it works

The cheapest failed payment is the one that never happens, and an expiry date tells you it is coming.

Subject Your card ending {card_last4} expires soon
Preview Update it before {renewal_date} so {product_name} keeps running.
Hi {first_name}, The card we have on file for {product_name}, ending {card_last4}, expires at the end of {expiry_month}. Your next payment of {amount} is due on {renewal_date}. You can add your new card here, it takes about a minute: {update_link} Thanks, {sender_name}
02

First notice after a failed charge

When to send it

The same day, as soon as the charge fails.

Why it works

Hearing about it straight away, while nothing is switched off, is when fixing it feels smallest.

Subject Your payment for {product_name} did not go through
Preview Nothing is switched off. Updating your card takes a minute.
Hi {first_name}, We tried to charge {amount} for your {product_name} subscription today, and the payment did not go through. It happens, usually because a card expired or the bank said no. Nothing is switched off. You can update your card or pay the invoice here: {update_link} We will try your card again on {next_retry_date}. Thanks, {sender_name}
03

Friendly reminder

When to send it

3 or 4 days after the first failure, once the first retry has also failed.

Why it works

A second, shorter note catches the people who saw the first one and meant to deal with it later.

Subject A quick reminder about your {product_name} payment
Preview {amount} is still open. One link to settle it.
Hi {first_name}, A quick reminder that the {amount} payment for {product_name} is still open. We tried your card again on {last_retry_date} and it did not go through. If your card has changed, you can add the new one here: {update_link} If something else is going on, reply to this email and we will sort it out together. {sender_name}
04

Final notice before pausing

When to send it

3 days before the date you pause or cancel, often 10 to 14 days after the first failure.

Why it works

A clear date and a clear consequence give people a reason to act now, without a threatening tone.

Subject Your {product_name} account will be paused on {pause_date}
Preview Update your card before {pause_date} to keep your account active.
Hi {first_name}, We have not been able to collect {amount} for {product_name} since {charge_date}, and this is our last reminder. If the payment is not settled by {pause_date}, we will pause your account. Your data stays safe, and everything comes back the moment the invoice is paid. Update your card or pay here: {update_link} If you need more time, or would rather cancel, just reply. We would much rather hear from you. {sender_name}
05

We paused your account

When to send it

On the day the account is paused, and not again after it.

Why it works

Saying what stopped, what is safe and how to come back turns a lockout into an easy return.

Subject Your {product_name} account is paused
Preview Your data is safe. Settle {amount} to pick up where you left off.
Hi {first_name}, We could not collect the {amount} payment for {product_name}, so your account is paused as of today. Nothing has been deleted. To switch everything back on, update your card and settle the invoice here: {update_link} Your account comes back as soon as the payment goes through. If you meant to stop, there is nothing to do, and thank you for being with us. {sender_name}
06

Thank you after recovery

When to send it

As soon as the payment succeeds, whether a retry went through or the customer updated the card.

Why it works

It closes the loop and tells the customer every reminder has stopped.

Subject Thanks, your {product_name} payment went through
Preview You are all set. Here is your receipt.
Hi {first_name}, Thanks for sorting that out. We received your payment of {amount}, and your {product_name} subscription is up to date. Your receipt: {invoice_link} Nothing else to do. If you ever have a question about billing, just reply to this email. {sender_name}

The placeholders

Anything in braces is filled in per customer. Map each one to the field your billing tool sends.

{first_name}
The customer's first name, or the company name when you have no person.
{product_name}
What they subscribe to, as they know it.
{amount}
The open amount with its currency, for example $49.00.
{update_link}
One link to a page where they can update the card and pay in the same sitting.
{invoice_link}
The paid invoice or receipt.
{card_last4}, {expiry_month}
The last four digits of the card on file and the month it expires.
{renewal_date}, {charge_date}
The next renewal, and the day the first charge failed.
{next_retry_date}, {last_retry_date}
When the card will be tried again, and when it was last tried.
{pause_date}
The date the account will be (or was) paused.
{sender_name}
A real person's name reads better than a department.

yRecurring sends these for you, retries at a sensible time, and stops the moment it is paid.

Retry schedules and recovery emails come on every plan, with a hosted page where the customer updates the card and pays in one go.

See revenue recovery Read the recovery guide

Questions about dunning emails

How many failed payment emails should I send?

Three or four about a failed charge is plenty: one when it fails, a reminder a few days later, and a final notice before anything changes, then one note if you pause. More than that reads as pressure and teaches people to ignore you. The expiry heads-up and the thank you are extra, and both are welcome.

When should the retries happen?

Space them over one to two weeks rather than retrying every day. Many declines are temporary, such as a limit or funds that arrive with a payday, so a retry a few days later often goes through without the customer doing anything. Time each email to follow a retry, so it can say what happened.

Should I pause or cancel when a payment is never recovered?

Pausing keeps the customer's data and makes coming back one payment away, which suits most subscriptions. Cancelling is cleaner for low-touch products. Whichever you pick, decide it once as a policy and say it plainly in the final notice.

Can I use these templates in yRecurring?

Yes. yRecurring's emails are editable templates with a preview and a test send, so you can paste these in, adjust the wording to your voice and map the placeholders to the fields yRecurring fills in.

Do the emails need a link?

One link, straight to the fix. A page where the customer can update the card and settle the open amount without signing in does more for recovery than any wording.

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