Guide

Automatic payment reminders without Xero or QuickBooks

You can send automatic payment reminders without Xero or QuickBooks in three ways: a standalone reminder tool you add invoices to (Babara, Dunningly, Paidly, PayNudge), an invoicing app with reminders built in (Zoho Invoice free, Invoice Ninja Pro $14, Wave Pro $19, FreshBooks Plus £30), or, for larger teams, Chaser’s CSV import. Prices checked 27 September 2026.

This comparison is ours: we make Babara, which is in the list. Every other fact is dated and links to the vendor’s own page.

Keep your current invoicing toolAdd invoices to a standalone reminder tool: Babara (type it in or drop the PDF) or Dunningly (CSV or PDF upload).
Switch invoicing tooZoho Invoice is free with automated reminders; Invoice Ninja and Wave charge for reminders.
Spreadsheet at scaleChaser imports CSV files, priced from £199 a month.

Tools that work without Xero or QuickBooks

Tools that work without Xero or QuickBooks Checked on each vendor’s own site, 27 September 2026.
Tool	Price with automatic reminders	Where invoices come from	Reminders	Also worth knowing	Best for
Babara (us)	Free for 3 invoices at a time; Solo $12 / €12 / £10 a month for 15; Pro $29 / €29 / £25 unlimitedSource: babara.app/pricing	Standalone: type the invoice or drop its PDF. No accounting software neededSource: babara.app	Six steps from a heads-up to a final notice, in English, German or FrenchSource: babara.app	Client pay page (pay, promise a date, ask, “not me”); reads email replies and waits for promised datesSource: babara.app	Freelancers and small studios who want the client’s side handled without accounting software.
Dunningly	Free (3 clients, 15 invoices, 50 sends a month); Starter €9 a month (50 clients, 250 invoices); Pro €19; listed as early launch pricingSource: dunningly.app	Upload a CSV or PDF export from any invoicing tool; no integration or API key neededSource: dunningly.app	1st, 2nd and final notice at days you choose, in a professional, firm or urgent toneSource: dunningly.app	Built for freelancers and independent businessesSource: dunningly.app	Freelancers who export invoices from another tool and want a simple, cheap sequence.
Paidly	Free up to 5 active invoices; £9 a month up to 50; £19 unlimited (half price for the first 6 months as an early-bird offer)Source: chasing-invoices.com/pricing	Standalone reminder tool for freelancers and small agenciesSource: paidly.site	You choose the schedule and tone; escalation patterns can be customisedSource: paidly.site	AI email composer and free tools; automatic payment detection (from our earlier research) not re-confirmedunverifiedSource: paidly.site	Freelancers who want a low-cost reminder tool with an AI writing helper.
PayNudge (paynudge.app)	Free: 5 clients, 3 invoices, manual reminders; Plus €29.90 a month (up to 70 active invoices, automated email reminders); Pro €49.90Source: paynudge.app	Standalone; custom payment links such as Stripe, PayPal or SmartBillSource: paynudge.app	Automated email reminders before, on and after the due date (Plus)Source: paynudge.app	WhatsApp reminders listed on paid plans. Several unrelated products use the PayNudge nameSource: paynudge.app	Small businesses that also want WhatsApp reminders.
Uaryn	Free: 3 invoices a month with automatic reminders; Pro $9 a month, unlimited invoicesSource: uaryn.com	An invoicing platform: you create invoices in Uaryn; Stripe paymentsSource: uaryn.com	Markets “adaptive reminders” that learn from payment behaviourSource: uaryn.com	Invoicing, recurring invoices and analytics on ProSource: uaryn.com	Freelancers who want to create and chase invoices in one cheap tool.
Zoho Invoice	Free (described as forever free for UK businesses)Source: zoho.com/uk/invoice/pricing	Invoicing software: reminders work on Zoho invoicesSource: zoho.com/uk/invoice/pricing	Automated payment remindersSource: zoho.com/uk/invoice/pricing	Free email and voice support 24/5Source: zoho.com/uk/invoice/pricing	Anyone who wants free invoicing with reminders included.
Invoice Ninja	Pro $14 a month or $140 a year (auto late-payment reminder emails listed on Pro); Free up to 5 clientsSource: invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans	Invoicing software (also open source): reminders work on its own invoicesSource: invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans	Auto late-payment reminder emails (Pro)Source: invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans	Enterprise from $18 a month for 1–2 usersSource: invoiceninja.com/pricing-plans	Freelancers who want a low-cost invoicing app with reminders.
Wave	Pro $19 a month or $190 a year; automated late payment reminders are listed on Pro; Starter is freeSource: waveapps.com/pricing	Invoicing and accounting software: reminders work on Wave invoicesSource: waveapps.com/pricing	Automated late payment reminders (Pro)Source: waveapps.com/pricing	Prices shown in US dollarsSource: waveapps.com/pricing	North American small businesses that want free accounting with paid extras.
FreshBooks	UK Plus £30 a month (discount shown); automated late payment reminders are ticked on Plus, Premium and Select, not LiteSource: freshbooks.com/en-gb/pricing	Invoicing and accounting software: reminders work on FreshBooks invoicesSource: freshbooks.com/en-gb/pricing	Automated late payment reminders and scheduled late feesSource: freshbooks.com/en-gb/pricing	Plus covers up to 50 billable clientsSource: freshbooks.com/en-gb/pricing	Service businesses that want invoicing, time tracking and reminders in one place.
Chaser	Compact from £199 a month billed monthly (£179 billed yearly), 4 users, for annual revenue under £4mSource: chaserhq.com/chaser-pricing	Connects to accounting systems and ERPs, and also takes a CSV import or its APISource: chaserhq.com/features/csv-integration	Automated receivables workflows (4 on Compact) with 30 follow-up templatesSource: chaserhq.com/chaser-pricing	Feature pages for SMS, automated calls, a payment portal, payment plans, late payment fees and an AI email generatorSource: chaserhq.com/integrations	Finance teams with many customers who want a full credit-control system.

Set it up in three steps

1. List what you’re owed: invoice number, amount, due date and the client’s billing email. A PDF of each invoice is enough for tools that read PDFs.

2. Choose a tone and a schedule. A common one is a heads-up before the due date, then reminders 3, 7, 14 and 21 days late, getting clearer each time.

3. Give the client an easy way to answer: a payment link, bank details, and a way to say “I’ve paid” or “I’ll pay on the 15th” that stops the reminders.

If your clients are in Germany or France

German business letters usually go Zahlungserinnerung, 1. Mahnung, 2. Mahnung, letzte Mahnung, and French ones relance, then mise en demeure. Babara writes both, formally, and can mention the late-payment interest the law allows. See our German and French pages for templates.

Who wrote this

We make Babara, one of the tools listed. Every other fact comes from the vendor’s own site on the date shown, with a link. Out of date? Email hello@babara.app.

Before the first reminder

Good questions.

Can I automate payment reminders without accounting software?

Yes. Standalone tools such as Babara, Dunningly and Paidly send reminders for invoices you add yourself, and free invoicing apps such as Zoho Invoice include automated reminders.

What is the cheapest way?

Free plans: Zoho Invoice (if you invoice in it), Babara (3 invoices at a time), Dunningly (15 invoices) and Paidly (5 active invoices). Paid plans for freelancers start around €9–12 a month.

Do I need to connect my bank?

Not for the tools listed here: you mark invoices paid, or the client tells you. Babara never touches the money: clients pay through your own link or bank details.

Can the reminders be in German or French?

Babara writes reminders, the pay page and thank-yous in English, German or French, per client, following each country’s usual steps.

Consider the awkward part handled.

Good work
deserves payment.

Let Babara take care of the follow-up.

Start chasing less

Your clients won’t know what hit them. (A very polite email.) Free for your first 3 invoices.