A “gratis incassobureau” usually means that you pay no fee upfront. It does not necessarily mean that the collection is free, that you keep every euro recovered, or that legal escalation is included. The provider may recover its fee from statutory collection costs, a success fee or a separate charge after the amicable phase.
For a single overdue invoice, compare the complete route instead of the headline price.
What “free” can mean
| Phrase | What to verify |
|---|---|
| No cure no pay | Is there a fee only after recovery, and how is it calculated? |
| Free submission | Is the case review, communication or escalation charged later? |
| Costs for the debtor | Are those costs legally recoverable and who keeps them? |
| Free pre-collection | What exactly is sent, by whom and under which registration? |
For Dutch consumers, a creditor or collection provider must follow the applicable notice and cost rules. The Inspectorate explains the 14-day notice and statutory cost limits. A calculator result is not a substitute for checking the underlying claim, agreement and current law.
A lower-cost alternative: recover earlier
Many invoices do not need a formal collection agency. The customer may have missed the email, used the wrong payment method or need a short payment plan. An earlier workflow can solve that with less friction:
- Send a friendly reminder with the original invoice.
- Add a direct payment link and the exact open balance.
- Give the customer a clear reply and payment-plan route.
- Pause the workflow when payment or a dispute is recorded.
- Escalate only the unresolved, documented cases.
This is not a promise that every invoice will be recovered. It is a way to make the first useful action quick and measurable.
What PayRequest Recover includes for Business
Business customers get PayRequest Recover as part of the billing workflow, without a separate €24.50 dossier fee. It connects:
- invoices and open balances;
- email and SMS reminders;
- direct payment links;
- customer-portal payment and response actions;
- payment plans and case notes;
- a handoff-ready history for a qualified collection partner.
Use PayRequest Recover when you want to manage the early stages yourself. Use accounts receivable for the team overview and customer portal for customer self-service.
When you still need an incassopartner
Choose a registered, suitable partner when the reminders and agreed plan have failed, the claim is properly documented, and you want to outsource the next stage. Check its registration, terms, complaint route, fees, treatment of disputed claims and whether court or bailiff work is separate.
PayRequest should not be presented as a substitute for a legal professional or a bailiff. A payment platform can make the case history clearer and the first payment action easier; it cannot decide whether a disputed claim is legally enforceable.
The honest answer to “what is free?”
The lowest-cost workflow is usually the one that resolves a valid invoice before it becomes an external case. That requires clear invoices, reminders that contain the right information, a useful payment route and a customer relationship that can still respond.
Start with the free PayRequest plan for your normal payment workflow, then review Business when you need Recover and wider billing operations included in one plan. Create an account and give the next overdue invoice a clear next step.
