Last reviewed: May 14, 2026. This page is operational readiness guidance, not legal advice.
Keep it clear, not aggressive
A good dunning sequence reduces involuntary churn by making the next step obvious. It should always point to a secure billing portal (or checkout link), describe what will happen next, and keep support visible for billing confusion.
Email 1 (same day)
Subject: Payment issue with your [PRODUCT] subscription
Hi [CUSTOMER NAME],
We could not process your payment for [PRODUCT] on [DATE]. You can update your payment method here: [SECURE BILLING LINK].
We will retry the payment on [RETRY DATE]. If you already updated your details, no further action is needed.
For security, we will never ask for your full card details by email. Questions? Contact [SUPPORT CONTACT].
Thanks,
[TEAM NAME]
Email 2 (1–3 days later)
Subject: Reminder: update payment to keep access to [PRODUCT]
Hi [CUSTOMER NAME],
Quick reminder: your subscription payment is still failing. Update your payment method here: [SECURE BILLING LINK].
If payment is not updated, access will be [PAUSED/DOWNGRADED] on [DATE]. If you need help, reply with a description of the issue (not payment details) and we’ll help you fix it.
— [TEAM NAME]
Email 3 (final notice)
Subject: Final notice: your [PRODUCT] subscription will be canceled
Hi [CUSTOMER NAME],
We still can’t process your subscription payment. To keep your subscription active, please update your payment here: [SECURE BILLING LINK].
If payment is not updated by [DATE], we will cancel your subscription on [CANCEL DATE]. You can resubscribe any time.
— [TEAM NAME]