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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-06-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001206576</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COWHERD J ANDREW</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6400 SO. FIDDLER'S GREEN CR SUITE 1000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ENGLEWOOD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.12</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-06-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-06-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-06-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant to reporting person of option to purchase 5,000 shares of Quovadx common stock under the Company's Amended and Restated 1997 Stock Plan due to the reporting person's service as chair of a standing committee of the Company's Board of Directors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares underlying the option, listed in column 5, shall vest on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the date of grant or the date of the 2005 annual meeting of the Company's stockholders; however, in the event of a change of control, 100% of the optioned shares shall vest immediately.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Linda K. Wackwitz, as Attorney-in-Fact for J. Andrew Cowherd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-06-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

