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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-18</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001084400</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PERSISTENCE SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PRSW</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237881</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SINGHAL VIVEK P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PERSISTENCE SOFTWARE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1720 SOUTH AMPHLETT BLVD., 3RD FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN MATEO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94402</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President, Engineering</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.11</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-12-18</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><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1/2 of total shares vests on 12/18/2004 and 1/24th of total shares vests monthly thereafter.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Vivek Singhal</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

