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

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-08-01</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000896878</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTUIT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>INTU</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001412321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Goodarzi Sasan K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O INTUIT INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2700 COAST AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MOUNTAIN VIEW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94043</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, Consumer Tax</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5290</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>42.78</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-08-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>90000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>56.52</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-07-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>23526</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>63.11</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-07-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>53000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2014-08-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3333</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit (performance-based vesting)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2014-09-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>24000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit (performance-based vesting)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2014-09-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>24000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit (performance-based vesting)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-09-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F10"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>24657</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit (performance-based vesting)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-09-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F11"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25107</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F12"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3523</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F13"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>9000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit (performance-based vesting)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2016-09-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F14"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>43000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit (performance-based vesting)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2016-09-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F15"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>47000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">One third of the options vested on 8/9/2012; thereafter, 2.778% of the options vest monthly such that the options are fully vested on 8/9/2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">One third of the options vested on 7/25/2013; thereafter, 2.778% of the options vest monthly such that the options are fully vested on 7/25/2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">One third of the options will vest on 7/24/2014; thereafter, 2.778% of the options vest monthly such that the options are fully vested on 7/24/2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents vesting date for Restricted Stock Units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Restricted Stock Units do not expire; they either vest or are cancelled prior to vest date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">1-for-1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The maximum number of units subject to the award is presented in the table; the number of units that vest may be 0%-100% of this number (&quot;awarded units&quot;), depending upon performance.  Following the achievement by the issuer of certain pre-established 3-year operating goals, the awarded units will vest on 9/1/2014.  Vested restricted stock units will be paid in an equal number of shares of Intuit Inc. common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The maximum number of units subject to the award is presented in the table; the number of units that vest may be 0%-100% of this number (&quot;awarded units&quot;), depending upon performance.  Following the achievement by the issuer of certain total shareholder return objectives, the awarded units will vest on 9/1/2014.  Vested restricted stock units will be paid in an equal number of shares of Intuit Inc. common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Dividend rights accrue on the underlying shares for this award and settle in cash upon vesting and issuance of those shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">The maximum number of units subject to the award is presented in the table; the number of units that vest may be 0%-100% of this number (&quot;awarded units&quot;), depending upon performance.  Following the achievement by the issuer of certain pre-established 3-year operating goals, the awarded units will vest on 9/1/2015.  Vested restricted stock units will be paid in an equal number of shares of Intuit Inc. common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">The maximum number of units subject to the award is presented in the table; the number of units that vest may be 0%-100% of this number (&quot;awarded units&quot;), depending upon performance.  Following the achievement by the issuer of certain total shareholder return objectives, the awarded units will vest on 9/1/2015.  Vested restricted stock units will be paid in an equal number of shares of Intuit Inc. common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F12">1,761 units will vest on 7/1/2014 and 1,762 units will vest on 7/1/2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F13">One third of the Restricted Stock Units vest on each of 7/1/2014, 7/1/2015, and 7/1/2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F14">The maximum number of units subject to the award is presented in the table; the number of units that vest may be 0%-100% of this number (&quot;awarded units&quot;), depending upon performance.  Following the achievement by the issuer of certain pre-established 3-year operating goals, the awarded units will vest on 9/1/2016.  Vested restricted stock units will be paid in an equal number of shares of Intuit Inc. common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F15">The maximum number of units subject to the award is presented in the table; the number of units that vest may be 0%-100% of this number (&quot;awarded units&quot;), depending upon performance.  Following the achievement by the issuer of certain total shareholder return objectives, the awarded units will vest on 9/1/2016.  Vested restricted stock units will be paid in an equal number of shares of Intuit Inc. common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Benjamin Schwartz, under power-of-attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-08-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
