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Email templates

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Failed payment email templates

Most failed subscription payments are not cancellations. Cards expire, banks decline unusual charges, limits get hit. These five dunning emails tell the customer what happened, what to do, and when access changes, without sounding like a collections letter.

Templates
5
Templates
Typical retry window
Day 0–14
Typical retry window
Link: update payment
1
Link: update payment

Quick answer

When to send
The first email goes out as soon as your billing provider reports the failed charge. Reminders follow your retry schedule, and the final notice goes out before access changes, never after.
Goal
Get the customer to update their payment method before the subscription is cancelled, with as little friction and embarrassment as possible.

The templates

Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details. Words in double curly braces, like {{name | 'there'}}, are Lumail variables: they are filled per subscriber at send time, and the value after the pipe is the fallback when the field is empty.

  1. 01Day 0 · as soon as the charge fails

    The first decline

    A calm, factual notice right after the charge fails.

    Subject line
    Your payment for [Product] didn't go through
    Preview text
    No action lost yet. Updating your card takes a minute.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, We tried to charge [amount] for your [Product] [plan] subscription, but the payment didn't go through. This usually happens when a card expires or the bank flags a recurring charge. Your account still works normally. To keep it that way, update your payment method here: [Button: Update payment method] We'll retry the charge automatically on [date]. If you've already updated your card, you can ignore this email. Questions? Reply and we'll help. [Company] billing

    Why it works: Opening with the likely, innocent cause keeps the tone neutral. Saying the account still works removes panic and makes the single action feel easy.

  2. 02Day 3 · after the second failed retry

    The reminder

    A second nudge after a retry also fails.

    Subject line
    Action needed: update your payment for [Product]
    Preview text
    Your card was declined again. Here's the direct link.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, We retried your [Product] payment of [amount] and it was declined again. To avoid any interruption, please update your payment details: [Button: Update payment method] If your bank blocked the charge, a quick call to them usually fixes it. Then we'll take care of the retry. [Company] billing

    Why it works: Short and direct. The bank tip addresses a common cause the customer can fix without changing cards.

  3. 03Day 7 · before the last retry

    The final notice

    States exactly when and how access will change.

    Subject line
    Your [Product] account will be paused on [date]
    Preview text
    Update your payment before then to keep your [data / access].
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, We still haven't been able to collect your payment of [amount] for [Product]. On [date], your account will be paused. Here's what that means: - [What stops working, e.g. "Scheduled emails won't be sent"] - [What is kept, e.g. "Your data stays safe for 30 days"] Updating your payment method takes about a minute: [Button: Update payment method] If you meant to cancel, no action is needed. If something else is going on, reply and we'll work it out. [Company] billing

    Why it works: Specific consequences and a specific date are more persuasive than vague warnings, and telling people their data is kept lowers anxiety.

  4. 04Day 14 · when the subscription is paused or cancelled

    Account paused

    Confirms the pause and how to restore access.

    Subject line
    Your [Product] account is paused
    Preview text
    Your data is safe. Restoring access takes a minute.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, We couldn't collect your payment, so your [Product] account is now paused. Your [data, projects, files] are saved until [date]. To restore access, update your payment method and we'll reactivate your account right away: [Button: Restore my account] If you've decided [Product] isn't for you, we'd appreciate one line on why. Just reply. [Company] billing

    Why it works: The account is still recoverable here, so the email focuses on how quickly access comes back rather than on what was lost.

  5. 05Immediately · when a retry or new card succeeds

    Payment recovered

    Confirms the problem is fixed.

    Subject line
    You're all set: payment received
    Preview text
    Thanks for updating your details. Nothing else to do.
    Variables:{{name}}built-in field
    Body
    Hi {{name | 'there'}}, Thanks, your payment of [amount] for [Product] went through. Your subscription is active and nothing else is needed. Your next charge is on [date]. [Company] billing

    Why it works: Closing the loop tells the customer the issue is resolved, so they do not worry about the earlier warnings.

Best practices

  • Send it as transactional email. Billing notices relate to an existing account the customer is paying for. Send them from your transactional stream so they arrive even if the customer unsubscribed from marketing.
  • One link, straight to the form. The link should open the payment update page, already signed in if your billing provider supports it. Every extra login step loses people.
  • Never shame, never threaten. Most declines are accidental. Write like a helpful billing team, not a collections agency.
  • Match your retry schedule. Each email should go out right after a retry fails, so the dates you quote are accurate.
  • Stop as soon as payment succeeds. A final notice after the customer fixed their card is confusing. Cancel pending dunning emails when the payment event arrives.

Send it with Lumail

  • Send from your billing webhook

    When your payment provider reports a failed charge, call the Lumail transactional email API, or the SDK, with the customer's address and the email content. Variables like {{name}} work in transactional content.

  • Use SMTP if your billing tool needs it

    Tools that only speak SMTP can send their dunning notices through Lumail's SMTP relay on the same verified domain.

  • Record recovered payments

    Send a payment event when the charge succeeds so revenue is attached to the subscriber and marketing workflows know they are a paying customer again.

Frequently asked questions

What is a dunning email?

A dunning email tells a customer that a recurring payment failed and asks them to update their payment method. A dunning sequence usually has three to five emails timed with the billing provider's retries.

Is a failed payment email transactional or marketing?

Transactional. It concerns an existing paid account and an action the customer needs to take. It should be sent through your transactional stream and should not depend on marketing consent.

How many failed payment emails should I send?

Three to five: a notice when the charge fails, one or two reminders tied to retries, a final notice before access changes, and a confirmation when payment succeeds.

What should the subject line of a failed payment email say?

Exactly what happened, in plain words: "Your payment for [Product] didn't go through." Clear billing subjects get opened. Clever ones look like phishing.

Related

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