Chasing late payments is one of the worst parts of freelancing. You've done the work, sent the invoice, and now you're stuck writing awkward emails trying to get paid without burning a client relationship.
These tools make the process faster, more professional, and more effective. I've split them into free tools you can use right now and paid solutions for when the problem is serious or ongoing.
| Tool | Type | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment Reminder Generator | Free tool | Free | Quick chase emails |
| Late Payment Interest Calculator | Free tool | Free | Knowing your legal rights |
| Should I Chase This Invoice? | Free tool | Free | Decision support |
| Invoice Email Template Pack | Templates | £7 | Complete chase sequence |
| Getting-Paid Toolkit | Templates + guides | £19 | Full payment protection |
| Chaser | Software | From £50/mo | Automated chasing at scale |
| GoCardless | Payment collection | 1-2% per transaction | Preventing late payments |
What it does: Generates professional payment reminder emails based on your invoice details. Choose from friendly, firm, or final notice tone — it produces the exact email text you can copy and send.
Best for: When you need to send a chase email right now and don't want to spend 20 minutes agonising over the wording.
How it works: Enter the client name, invoice number, amount, and how overdue it is. Select your preferred tone. Get a professionally worded email in seconds.
What it does: Calculates exactly how much statutory interest and fixed compensation your client owes under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
Best for: Adding teeth to your chase emails. When a client sees "You owe £500 plus £47.82 in statutory interest and £40 compensation," they take it seriously.
Key feature: Uses the current Bank of England base rate automatically. Shows the daily interest accrual so the client knows it's growing.
What it does: A decision tool that analyses your specific situation — invoice amount, days overdue, client relationship, chase history — and gives you a clear action plan with urgency scoring.
Best for: When you're not sure whether to escalate, wait, or write it off. Removes the emotional guesswork.
What it does: 12 copy-paste email templates covering the entire chase sequence — from Day 0 (invoice sent) through to Day 60 (debt collection handoff). Plus 5 bonus templates for tricky situations (client ghosting, partial payment, payment plan negotiation).
Best for: Freelancers who chase invoices regularly and want a complete, professional sequence ready to go. Much faster than writing from scratch each time.
What's included: 34-page PDF with 12 core templates, 5 specialist templates, tone calibration guide, and UK late payment rights summary.
What it does: Comprehensive payment protection system covering contracts, invoicing, chasing, and recovery. Includes email templates, contract clauses, letter before action wording, small claims guidance, and HMRC penalty appeal templates.
Best for: Freelancers who want to prevent late payments (better contracts and terms) AND recover them when they happen. The full system rather than just chase emails.
What it does: Automated invoice chasing software. Connects to your accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage) and automatically sends payment reminders on a schedule you set.
Best for: Businesses sending 20+ invoices per month who need automated, hands-off chasing. Overkill for most solo freelancers.
Downside: Monthly subscription adds up. At £50/month, you need to be recovering significantly more than that in late payments to justify the cost.
What it does: Direct Debit collection. Instead of sending invoices and waiting, you set up Direct Debit with clients and collect payment automatically on the due date.
Best for: Retainer clients and recurring work. Eliminates late payments entirely by collecting money before it becomes overdue.
Downside: Requires client cooperation to set up the Direct Debit mandate. Some clients resist. Transaction fees eat into margins on small invoices.
| Your situation | Recommended approach |
|---|---|
| One overdue invoice, need to act now | Payment Reminder Generator (free) + Interest Calculator |
| Chase invoices a few times per year | Invoice Email Template Pack (£7) |
| Late payments are a recurring problem | Getting-Paid Toolkit (£19) — fix contracts AND chasing |
| 20+ invoices/month, need automation | Chaser or similar software (£50+/mo) |
| Retainer clients, want to prevent entirely | GoCardless Direct Debit collection |
The Invoice Email Template Pack gives you 12 professional chase emails — from friendly reminder to final demand. Copy, paste, send, get paid.
Landolio helps UK freelancers and small businesses get paid and stay compliant. Home · Blog · Free tools