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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-11-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001314475</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SPARK NETWORKS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LOV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001595563</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>402 CAPITAL LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5015 UNDERWOOD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OMAHA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68132</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001595560</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JACOBS IAN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5015 UNDERWOOD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OMAHA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68132</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5795</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>54163</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Ian V. Jacobs directly</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1215950</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By 402 Fund, LP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1432838</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By SCA Partners, LP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5795</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5795</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Ian V. Jacobs directly</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Spark Networks, Inc.'s (&quot;Issuer&quot;) common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the &quot;Common Stock&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The filing of this Form 4 shall not be construed as an admission that Mr. Jacobs, the managing member of 402 Capital, LLC (&quot;402 Capital&quot;), or 402 Capital, is or was for the purposes of Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the beneficial owner of any of the shares of Common Stock, owned by 402 Fund, LP (the &quot;Fund&quot;) or SCA Partners, LP (&quot;SCA&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As previously reported on the reporting persons' Form 3 and Form 4s with respect to the Issuer, (i) the Fund holds 1,215,950 shares of Common Stock, and 402 Capital and Mr. Jacobs report the shares held by the Fund because as the investment manager of the Fund, and the managing member of 402 Capital, respectively, they control the disposition and voting of the securities, and (ii) SCA holds 1,432,838 shares of Common Stock, and 402 Capital controls the voting and disposition of the Common Stock held by SCA, of which 402 Capital is the investment manager. An affiliate of 402 Capital, for which Mr. Jacobs is the managing member, serves as the general partner of SCA and receives an allocation of net profits from SCA. Mr. Jacobs reports the shares held indirectly by 402 Capital because, as the managing member of 402 Capital at the time of purchase, Mr. Jacobs controlled the disposition and voting of the securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to Rule 16a-1, each of Mr. Jacobs and 402 Capital disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of their respective pecuniary interests.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Twenty-five percent (25%) of the restricted stock units subject to the award vest on each three month anniversary of the grant, such that one hundred percent (100%) of the award shall be vested upon the one year anniversary of the grant. In addition, all of the restricted stock units subject to the award vest fully upon a change in control.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Not applicable.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>s/ Ian V. Jacobs, Managing Member of 402 Capital, LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-11-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ian V. Jacobs</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-11-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
