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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-04-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000818813</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BITSTREAM INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BITS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001429608</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Stedman Trent</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>799 CENTRAL AVENUE, SUITE 350</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HIGHLAND PARK,</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60035</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-04-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>449100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>see footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-04-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>72394</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>72394</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1135462</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On April 9, 2010, Highland Park Partners Fund LP, as to which HPP GP LLC served as the general partner, distributed all of the 449,100 shares of Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;), that it directly beneficially owned, pro rata, to its partners, including Mr. Stedman.  Mr. Stedman disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares reported on this Form 4, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">By Highland Park Partners Fund LP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">By NV North American Opportunity Fund.  Mr. Stedman is a member of New Vernon Investment Management LLC (into which Millennium Group LLC merged), which is the investment manager of NV North American Opportunity Fund.  By virtue of his relationship to NV North American Opportunity Fund and New Vernon Investment Management LLC, Mr. Stedman may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own certain of the shares of Common Stock directly beneficially owned by NV North American Opportunity Fund.   Each of NV North American Opportunity Fund, New Vernon Investment Management LLC, Highland Park Partners Fund LP, HPP GP LLC and Mr. Stedman disclaim beneficial ownership of all shares reported on this Form 4, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Trent Stedman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ New Vernon Investment Management LLC, by Trent Stedman, member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ NV North American Opportunity Fund, by New Vernon Investment Management LLC, the investment manager, by Trent Stedman, member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Highland Park Partners Fund LP, by HPP GP LLC, general partner, by Trent Stedman, sole member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ HPP GP LLC, by Trent Stedman, sole member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
