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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000763901</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>POPULAR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BPOP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001289698</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Ferre Maria Luisa</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 11924</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JUAN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>00922-1924</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>PUERTO RICO</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Par Value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36156.307</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Par Value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12139</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>The Luis A. Foundation, Inc.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>65</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock Par Value $0.01 per share</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>65</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5902</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 357.89 shares acquired pursuant to reinvestment of dividends paid by the Corporation in transactions exempt from Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Ms. Ferre is the President and a Trustee of The Luis A. Ferre Foundation, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Restricted stock units convert into common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Reflects Restricted Stock Units (RSUs&quot;) received by the reporting person as a result of dividend equivalents accrued with respect to outstanding RSUs granted to the reporting person. Dividend equivalents are accrued at the same rate and at the same time as dividends are paid to ordinary shareholders. Dividend equivalents on RSUs are subject to the same terms and conditions as the underlying RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Restricted stock units are converted into an equivalent number of shares of common stock and issued to the reporting person on the 15th of August following the date of termination of service as a director.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Marie Reyes-Rodriguez, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-10-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
