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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-06-15</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2017-06-19</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001447669</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TWILIO INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TWLO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001665731</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kirkpatrick Lee</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TWILIO INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>375 BEALE STREET, SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.8952</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>58485</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sales reported were effected pursuant to a 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reported price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $25.44 to $26.06 per share, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to the issuer, any security holder of the issuer, or to the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This Form 4A is being filed to amend the weighted average price range in footnote 2 above. No new transactions are being reported in this Form 4A.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">A portion of these shares represent Restricted Stock Units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) previously reported on a Form 4 filed February 14, 2017. Each RSU represents the contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's Class A common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Mariam Sattar as attorney in fact for Reporting Person</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
