<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-10</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001080306</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PORTAL SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PRSF</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001080308</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LABUDA DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10200 S DE ANZA BLVD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CUPERTINO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95014</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>SVP &amp; CTO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right-to-Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.63</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-10-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>65000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>14.63</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-06-01</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-04-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>65000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1/48th of this option first becomes exercisable on 6/1/03.  The remainder of the option vests in 47 equal monthly installments.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>David S. Labuda by Mitchell Gaynor, Attorney-inFact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-13</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

