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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-05-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000796655</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ANTS SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ANTS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001345311</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Zdarsky Constantin</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/OTIM HANLON, ALLEY,MAASS,ROGERS&amp;LINDSA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>P. O. BOX 431</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PALM BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33480-0431</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-05-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1300000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.5</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6310000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Mr. Zdarsky owns 4,460,000 shares of common stock of ANTs software inc. and has warrants to purchase 1,850,000 shares of ANTs software inc. common stock  resulting in a total beneficial ownership of 6,310,000 shares of common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>During the period from February 2000 to November 2004 Mr. Zdarsky purchased 310,000 shares of ANTs software inc. (the Company) common stock on the open market.

On 12/7/2004 Mr. Zdarsky purchased 500,000 units with each unit consisting of one share of restricted common stock of the Company and a warrant to purchase one share of restricted common stock of the Company.

On 2/28/2005 Mr, Zdarsky exercised a warrant and purchased 500,000 shares of restricted common stock of the Company.

On 4/30/2005 Mr. Zdarsky purchased 850,000 units with each unit consisting of one share of restricted common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of restricted common stock of the Company.

On 11/15/2005 Mr. Zdarsky purchased 1,000,000 units with each unit consisting of one share of restricted common stock and a warrant to purchase one share of restricted common stock of the Company.

On 5/1/2006 Mr. Zdarsky purchased 1,300,000 shares of restricted common stock of the Company.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Constantin Zdarsky</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-05-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
