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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-12-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001433195</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APPFOLIO INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>APPF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001645662</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Investment Group of Santa Barbara, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O IGSB, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1485 E VALLEY ROAD, SUITE H</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA BARBARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93108</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3554584</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3554584</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By IGSB IVP III, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>993627</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>993627</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By IGSB Internal Venture Fund III, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Investment Group of Santa Barbara, LLC (&quot;IGSB&quot;) is the manager of IGSB IVP III, LLC (&quot;IVP III&quot;).  On December 1, 2021, three of the investment funds of IVP III were dissolved, resulting in the termination of each of those investment funds and the distribution of an aggregate of 3,554,584 shares of AppFolio Class B Common Stock (&quot;Class B Shares&quot;) held by those investment funds, pro-rata to their investors.  No consideration was paid by any of the investors in those investment funds for the Class B Shares distributed to them.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Class B Share is convertible, at any time at the option of the holder, into one share of Appfolio Class A Common Stock (the &quot;Class A Shares&quot;).  In addition, Class B Shares that are sold or otherwise transferred will convert automatically, on a one share-for-one share basis, into Class A Shares, except for (i) any transfer by a partnership or limited liability company that was a registered holder of Class B Shares prior to June 30, 2015 that is made to anyone who was a partner or member of any such partnership or limited liability company prior to June 30, 2015, and (ii) any transfer to a &quot;qualified recipient&quot; (as defined in AppFolio's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">(Continued from Footnote 2)  AppFolio's Class B Shares do not have an expiration date.  However, all of the outstanding Class B Shares will convert automatically into Class A Shares, on a one share-for-one share basis, on the date when the number of the Company's outstanding Class B Shares represents less than 10% of the sum of AppFolio's outstanding Class A and Class B Shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">IGSB also is the manager of IGSB Internal Venture Fund III, LLC (&quot;IVF III&quot;).  On December 1, 2021, four investment funds of IVF III were dissolved, resulting in the termination of those investment funds and the distribution of an aggregate of 993,627 shares of AppFolio Class B Shares held by those investment funds, pro-rata to their investors.  No consideration was paid by any of the investors in those investment funds for the Class B Shares distributed to them.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Investment Group of Santa Barbara, LLC A California limited liability company, By:  Timothy K. Bliss, Member &amp;Vice President, By:   /s/  Kimberly Shea, Attorney-in-Fact
for Timothy K. Bliss</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-12-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
