<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-31</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001092283</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>E CENTIVES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ECEN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001008317</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRIEDLI PETER</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FRIEDLI CORPORATE FINANCE AG</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>FREIGUTSTRASSE 5</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ZURICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>V8</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>8002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13(d) Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001161600</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>INVENTURE INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FRIEDLI CORPORATE FINANCE AG</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>FREIGUTSTRASSE 5</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ZURICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>V8</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>8002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13(d) Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001161597</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PINE INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FRIEDLI CORPORATE FINANCE AG</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>FREIGUTSTRASSE 5</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ZURICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>V8</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>8002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13(d) Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001134883</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VENTURETEC INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FRIEDLI CORPORATE FINANCE AG</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>FREIGUTSTRASSE 5</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ZURICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>V8</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>8002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Member of 13(d) Group</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series C Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2739986</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>27399869</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2739986</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares of Series C Preferred Stock convert to common stock on a one-for-ten basis.  This conversion rate is subject to adjustment in certain circumstances as provided in the Certificate of Designations providing for the terms of the Series C Preferred Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares of Seires C Preferred Stock convert to common stock at any time at the option of the holder.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">There is no expiration date applicable to the Series C Preferred Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The reporting persons are member of a 13(d) Group.  InVenture, Inc. holds 1,391,514 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, Peter Friedli holds 548, 773 shares of Series C Preferred Stock,  Venturetec holds 799,699 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, and Pine, Inc. holds no shares of Series C Preferred Stock.  Peter Friedli, as the President of each of InVenture, Inc. and Venturetec, Inc., and as the Investment Manager of Pine, Inc., shares investment and voting power with each of those entities and may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by such entities.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Peter Friedli</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>InVenture, Inc., by Peter Friedli, its President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Pine, Inc., by Peter Friedli, its Investment Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Venturetec, Inc., by Peter Friedli, its President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
