What are the best payment methods to avoid overdue invoices when freelancing?

Debt Collection & Unpaid Invoices
1

Been chasing payments for months now and honestly getting tired of it. Some clients just ignore invoices completely.

Wondering if switching up payment methods might help. Currently doing mostly bank transfers and the occasional check, but maybe there’s something better out there that actually gets people to pay on time.

2

PayPal works pretty well because you can set it to auto charge clients every month or send payment requests that feel more urgent than regular invoices.

But honestly, the method doesn’t matter much if you don’t have clear terms. I tell clients payment is due in 7 days, not 30. Shorter deadlines make people take it seriously.

3

Same here. Cash up front or no deal usually.

4

I just ask for cash upfront for small jobs. Saves me the headache of chasing people around later.

5

Payment method won’t fix clients who just don’t want to pay. The real issue is usually your process, not how they send money.

Here’s what actually works:

  • Get partial payment upfront - at least 25-50%
  • Net 15 terms instead of Net 30 - creates urgency
  • Follow up on day 16 - don’t wait weeks
  • Add late fees to your contract - 1.5% per month minimum

For methods, I like ACH transfers because they’re automatic once set up. PayPal works too but takes a cut.

The clients ignoring you completely? Drop them. Seriously. No payment method will fix someone who has zero intention of paying.

6

Square invoices changed everything for me. When clients get that invoice, they can literally pay with a card right from their phone in 30 seconds. No logging into bank accounts or writing checks.

I switched after losing two months of revenue to a client who kept saying “I’ll send the check tomorrow.” With Square, I can see exactly when they opened the invoice. If they don’t pay in 3 days, I know they’re avoiding it, not just busy.

The 2.9% fee stings a little but it’s worth it. I get paid same day instead of waiting weeks for checks to clear. Plus clients can’t use the “I don’t have my checkbook” excuse anymore.

Still do the deposit thing like others mentioned, but for the final payment, making it dead simple to pay has cut my overdue invoices by probably 80%.