ChurnNote

Stripe card update template

A Stripe card update email customers actually act on.

When a card expires or gets replaced, the email asking the customer to update it is the difference between a recovered subscriber and silent churn. Here's a plain-text template that converts, plus the link to use and the mistakes to avoid.

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Quick answer

Send a plain-text card update email from your own address with one fresh Stripe hosted invoice link and one clear instruction. Keep it short and friendly, send a couple of follow-ups, and only mention that access will pause in the final email. Stop the moment the card is updated.

The template

Subject

your card on file for [product] needs updating

Body

Hey [first name], The card on file for [product] didn't go through on your last renewal, usually just an expired or replaced card. You can update it here in a few seconds: [hosted invoice link] That's all that's needed, your account stays active. Let me know if you hit any trouble. [your name]

For the full follow-up cadence, see the Stripe dunning emails sequence.

FAQ

What link do I put in a Stripe card update email?▼
A fresh Stripe hosted invoice URL, or a customer portal session link, so the customer can update their card and pay the open invoice without leaving Stripe. Generate a new link per email; hosted invoice links can expire, and a dead link kills recovery.
What makes a card update email get ignored?▼
Three things: it looks like an automated billing notice (branded HTML, payment-processor tone), it doesn't clearly say what to do, or it links to a generic billing page instead of a one-click update. Plain text from a real person, with one clear link, fixes all three.
How many card update emails should I send?▼
Three over about five days (T+0, T+48h, T+120h), then stop. The first email recovers most of the easy cases; the later ones catch people who missed the first. Stop the moment the payment succeeds so you never email someone who already fixed it.
Should I mention that access will pause?▼
Yes, in the final email, factually and without threat. A gentle 'your access will pause in a day or two if this isn't updated' creates the urgency that converts the last group, as long as the earlier emails were friendly and low-pressure.
How does ChurnNote automate this?▼
ChurnNote listens for invoice.payment_failed, sends the card update emails from your domain with fresh hosted links on the right schedule, and stops automatically when the card is updated. Flat $12/mo, and it works on Lemon Squeezy too.

Send card update emails on autopilot.

ChurnNote sends these from your domain with fresh hosted links the moment a payment fails, and stops when the card is updated. Flat $12/mo.

Run the free Churn Leak ReportStart ChurnNote for $12/mo

Related

Stripe dunning emailsStripe failed payment recoveryinvoice.payment_failed webhookStripe decline code explainerDunning email templatesStripe churn recovery