Text to pay means sending a client a short SMS with a link that opens their invoice or a payment page, so they can pay from their phone in a few taps. For clients who never open supplier email, it is often the difference between paid this week and paid next month. This article covers when a text beats an email, the consent you need first, how to send invoices and payment links by text from the levelpartner.ai platform, and how to word the message so it gets paid instead of ignored or reported as spam.
Who pays by text
Text to pay works best for people who make the payment decision themselves and carry their phone everywhere. That describes owner-managed businesses, sole directors, landlords, home buyers and borrowers. It fits mortgage brokers and real estate teams naturally, and it works for agencies and consultants whose clients are founders.
It works less well for corporate clients who pay through an accounts payable team. The person receiving the text cannot pay; they forward it to finance, who prefer an emailed invoice. For those clients, stick to email.
Consent comes first
A text is a more personal channel than email, and the rules reflect that. In the UK, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations require prior consent for marketing texts, and even service messages should go only to numbers the client gave you for contact. In the US, consent is governed by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and carriers expect business texts from local numbers to be registered under A2P 10DLC before they deliver them reliably. Check the rules in each country you sell to.
An invoice or payment reminder is a service message, not marketing, but you still need the client's number given for contact and a clear way to opt out. Record consent on the contact, and take advice if you are unsure.
Before you start
- A phone number on the platform that can send SMS, set up in the phone settings.
- Any carrier registration your country requires, completed.
- A processor connected in Payments, so the link opens a page with a pay button.
- Mobile numbers on contacts, with consent to receive texts recorded.
- An approved short message, written in your firm's voice.
How to send an invoice by text
- Open the client's contact and check the mobile number and consent are recorded.
- Go to Conversations and open the conversation with that contact.
- Select SMS in the channel picker, then click Request Payment, the $ icon below the editor.
- Select the product, confirm the price, set a Due date and choose Live mode.
- Click Preview to check the checkout, then click Send.
- For an invoice you have already raised, open the invoice, click Send and choose SMS, or SMS and email together.
- In the invoice Settings, open Reminder Settings and pick the SMS template so overdue invoices get one text before a phone call.
Wording that gets paid
Keep it to one or two lines. Name your firm first, because unknown senders with links look like scams. State the amount and what it is for. Put the link last.
Something like: "[Firm name]: your referencing fee of the agreed amount is ready to pay. Pay securely here:" followed by the link. Avoid capitals, urgency words and anything that sounds like a bank. Do not text outside sensible hours.
The reply matters too. Clients often reply to ask a question. Replies land in Conversations on the contact, so make sure someone watches them.
Imagine a lettings team chasing holding and referencing fees by email, with about 40 overdue each month and a chasing call for each. It adds one text reminder before any phone call. If, say, three in four of those fees were then paid within a day of the text, the calls would fall to about ten a month. That share is an assumption, so test it on your own overdue list.
What it replaces and the time it takes
Text to pay replaces the reminder call, the email that sits unread and the card details read out over the phone. Once your number and template are set up, sending takes seconds. Building the text step into a reminder workflow takes about fifteen minutes. The invoice workflow guide shows where it fits.
The mistake most people make
Using text for everything. If every invoice and every reminder arrives by text, clients start to tune it out, and some will opt out entirely. Use email as the default and text for the moment it matters: the first overdue reminder, or a client who you know lives on their phone.
The second mistake is texting without the firm's name. A link from an unknown number is exactly what scam texts look like, and clients are right to ignore it.
When not to use text to pay
Do not use it for large invoices to corporate clients, for clients who have asked for email only, or for first contact with someone who does not know you. Do not use it to send invoices that need a purchase order or approval chain. Those belong in email, addressed to the accounts team.
Troubleshooting
Texts show as failed. The number is not in an international format or the carrier blocked it. Correct the number and check any sending registration is complete.
Clients say the link will not open. Their phone flagged it. Make sure the message names your firm and the link is your normal payment link, not shortened by a third-party tool.
A client replied STOP. They have opted out. Respect it, note it on the contact and use email from now on.
Replies are going unanswered. Nobody is assigned to Conversations for that number. Assign an owner and turn on notifications.
Related guides
For card setup behind the link, see card payment processing explained. For other places a pay button can live, see online payment options by type of sale. For one-off charges agreed on a call, try the express invoice.
Frequently asked questions
Is text to pay secure?
The text carries a link, not card details. The client pays on the processor's secure page. Naming your firm in the message helps the client trust the link.
Do I need the client's consent to text an invoice?
You need a number given for contact and a way to opt out, and in some cases recorded consent. Rules differ from country to country, so take advice and record consent on the contact.
Can clients reply to the payment text?
Yes. Replies arrive in Conversations on the contact, so the account lead or finance can answer from the same place.
Does it cost extra to send texts?
Yes, texts are usage. They are billed as you send them, per message segment, with no minimum, and the rate depends on the country. Check the rate for your market before sending large volumes.