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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-04-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001142512</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ZIPREALTY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ZIPR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001410721</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Yakominich Robert John</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2000 POWELL STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EMERYVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94608</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, Sales</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-04-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1052</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.81</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16291</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.90</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2012-03-05</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-03-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>45000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>45000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.90</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-03-04</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-03-03</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.17</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-09-09</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-09-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.20</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-08-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-07-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.68</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-08-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-08-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>130000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>130000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares include 5,000 shares of restricted stock granted on March 4, 2010, of which 2,500 vested on April 1, 2011, and 2,500 shall vest on April 1, 2012, less 1,052 shares surrendered herein to satisfy a tax withholding obligation,in accordance with the terms of the related Restricted Stock Award Agreement. This vesting schedule is subject to the employee remaining in a service relationship with the Company on such dates and also to change-of-control terms contained in separate agreement(s).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">One-fourth of the shares subject to the option shall vest and become exercisable on March 5, 2012, and one forty-eighth of the shares shall vest and become exercisable on the first day of each calendar month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">One-fourth of the shares subject to the option vested and became exercisable on March 4, 2011, and one forty-eighth of the shares shall vest and become exercisable on the first day of each calendar month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">One-fourth of the shares subject to the option vested and became exercisable on September 9, 2010, and one forty-eighth of the shares shall vest and become exercisable on the first day of each calendar month thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Pursuant to the option exchange program of ZipRealty, Inc. (&quot;Issuer&quot;), Issuer canceled a 10-year option granted to the reporting person with an exercise price between $4.59 and $7.99 per share. In exchange for every three Eligible Options surrendered at this exerise price, the reporting person received two New Options with a seven-year life at an exercise price of $3.20 per share, which was the closing sale price of Issuer's common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market on July 24, 2009. The New Options vest at the rate of 1/36 per month on the first date of each month until fully vested, subject to the reporting person remaining a service provider to Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">One-fourth of the shares subject to the option vested and became exercisable on August 20, 2008, and one forty-eighth of the shares shall vest and become exercisable on the first day of each calendar month thereafter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Samantha Harnett, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-04-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
