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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-03-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001013857</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PEGASYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PEGA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001680115</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STILLWELL KENNETH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PEGASYSTEMS INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE ROGERS STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02142</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO, SVP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <value></value>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                    <value>12009</value>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-04</value>
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                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2018-03-02</value>
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            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>142</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
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                <value></value>
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                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
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            <expirationDate>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
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                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                    <value>2641</value>
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                <value></value>
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                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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                <value>2019-03-05</value>
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            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </expirationDate>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1704</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6820</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 5% vesting on March 2, 2019, with a release date of March 4, 2019, the first business day following the vesting. The original grant was 2,841 restricted stock units, with 20% vesting on March 2, 2018, and the remaining 80% vesting in equal quarterly installments over the remaining 4 years.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents 100% vesting on March 5, 2019. The original grant was 2,641 restricted stock units, which were granted on March 5, 2018. As part of the Company's 2018 Corporate Incentive Plan (CICP), Mr. Stillwell elected to receive his half of his annual bonus in RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the weighted average of sale prices, from $64.92 to $65.00. The individual has provided the Company, and undertakes to provide to the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any security holder of the Company, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents 20% vesting on March 5, 2019. The original grant was 8,524 restricted stock units, with 20% vesting on March 5, 2019, and the remaining 80% vesting in equal quarterly installments over the remaining 4 years.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Does not include shares of common stock subject to unvested restricted stock units and/or options awards.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive, following vesting, one share of the issuer's common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Once vested, the shares of common stock are not subject to expiration.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Janet Mesrobian, Esq., Attorney-In-Fact for Kenneth Stillwell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-03-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
