QuickBooks Online: 3 emails, one schedule
QuickBooks Online lets you schedule up to three automatic invoice reminder emails, set up to 90 days before or after the invoice due date. You pick the intervals, write a template, and QBO sends on autopilot.
Two constraints shape how this works in practice.
Automatic reminders only fire for invoices you have already emailed to the customer. Hand someone a paper invoice on a job site, or send it through a different channel, and QBO will not follow up. It has no record of delivery.
The reminder template applies as a standard for all invoice reminders. A homeowner who always pays on time gets the same cadence and wording as the general contractor who is 45 days late on three invoices. Any rule changes apply only to future reminders.
QuickBooks Online Advanced users can build workflows for more complex reminder logic, but that tier is priced for mid-size businesses, not solo contractors.
QuickBooks Desktop: review-and-approve, no autopilot
Desktop takes a different approach. Instead of fully automated sends, it lets you know when statements or invoices are available to send, then requires you to review and approve them before they go out.
Desktop does offer customer group segmentation: define groups by location, open balance, or customer type, and set different reminder schedules for each. But "review and approve" means you are still manually triggering every batch. Skip a week, and nothing goes out.
Neither Desktop nor Online supports SMS. Both are email only.
Nudge: 9 touchpoints, SMS and email, per-client rules
Nudge is invoice reminder automation built for contractors and freelancers. It connects to QuickBooks or runs standalone, covers SMS and email channels, and stops automatically when an invoice is marked paid. No accounting, reporting, or expense features.
| Feature | QuickBooks Online | Nudge |
|---|---|---|
| Reminders per invoice | 3 | 9 |
| Channels | Email only | SMS and email |
| Scheduling | One schedule, all clients | Per-client schedules |
| Tone progression | Same message every time | Friendly → firm → final notice |
| Requires prior email delivery | Yes | No |
| Customer exclusions | No | Yes |
| Stops when paid | Yes | Yes |
The default 9-touchpoint schedule
Nudge's default reminder schedule spans the full invoice lifecycle:
- 7 days before due date
- 3 days before due date
- 1 day before due date
- On the due date
- 3 days overdue
- 7 days overdue
- 14 days overdue
- 30 days overdue
- 60 days overdue
Early messages are friendly. The 14-days-overdue message shifts firmer, and the 60-days-overdue message serves as a final notice. You write each message in your own words, and Nudge lets you set different rules for different clients, or exclude someone entirely. A reliable client might get only the day-before reminder. A slow payer gets all nine.
Every reminder can go out as a text message, an email, or both.
Pricing side by side
Nudge Basic: $9.99/month. Email reminders, 200 SMS per month, up to 100 active customers. 14-day free trial.
Nudge Pro: $19.99/month. Up to 10,000 SMS per month, unlimited customers. 14-day free trial.
QuickBooks Online Simple Start: $38/month, currently $19/month for the first three months. One user, full accounting (invoicing, expense tracking, reports, tax categorization), and the three email reminders described above.
QuickBooks is an accounting suite. Nudge is a reminder add-on. If you already pay for QuickBooks, Nudge adds $9.99 or $19.99/month on top for the SMS and escalation features QuickBooks does not include.
How the QuickBooks + Nudge sync works
Nudge syncs directly with QuickBooks, pulling in invoices and customer data automatically. The setup:
- Connect your QuickBooks account in Nudge
- Nudge imports your open invoices and customer contact info
- Set your reminder schedule (use the default 9-touchpoint sequence or customize per client)
- Nudge sends SMS and email reminders on schedule
- Mark an invoice paid in QuickBooks, and Nudge stops the reminders
QuickBooks stays your system of record for accounting, invoicing, and tax prep. Nudge runs the follow-up sequence that QuickBooks caps at three emails.
Running Nudge without QuickBooks
Nudge works on its own without QuickBooks. In standalone mode, you add invoices manually (client name, amount, due date) and Nudge handles the rest. The tradeoff: no automatic invoice sync, no expense tracking, no tax reporting. You get the reminder engine only.
Nudge runs on web, Android, and iOS.
SMS compliance: TCPA consent required
Automated text messages fall under TCPA regulations. Nudge requires you to confirm that each customer has explicitly agreed to receive SMS payment reminders before any texts go out. You are responsible for documenting how consent was obtained. This applies to any tool that sends automated texts, not just Nudge.
For more on invoice follow-up strategy, see our guides on invoice payment reminders, how to collect payment from clients, and SMS vs email invoice reminders.