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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-09-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001094561</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>QUOVADX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>QVDX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001339473</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilcox Karen</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>7600 E. ORCHARD RD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300S</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWOOD VILLAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP of Human Resources</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant to reporting person of 8,000 shares of restricted Quovadx common stock under the Company's Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Plan, with such shares vesting ratably at January 5th at each of the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, provided that the reporting person continues to be an employee of the Company through each vesting date, and further provided that the first year's vesting shall be prorated from the reporting person's start date to take into account the mumber of months left in the vesting period, and with the remaining vesting from the first year added to the end of annual vesting, as follows: 667 shares on January 5, 2006, 2,000 shares on each of January 5, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and 1,333 shares on September 5, 2009.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Linda K. Wackwitz as Attorney-in-Fact for Karen Wilcox</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-09-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
