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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-02-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001122388</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELLIE MAE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ELLI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001637313</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TYRRELL JOSEPH P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELLIE MAE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4420 ROSEWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PLEASANTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94588</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Corporate Strategy</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-02-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10324.0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37424</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Constitutes shares to be issued following the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors certification on February 25, 2016 of the achievement of performance goals under 2015 performance share awards. Shares of common stock will be issued on or about March 25, 2016 with 25% of the shares vesting on each of the date of issuance, February 25, 2017, February 25, 2018 and February 25, 2019, subject to continuous service through such dates.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ LeeAnn Linck, Attorney-in-Fact For: Joseph T. Tyrrell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-02-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
