<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-10</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000877931</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARTISOFT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>asft</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001044321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARXE AUSTIN W &amp; GREENHOUSE DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E 53RD ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55TH FL</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</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>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>301876</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>583062</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Convertible Preferred</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.045</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.045</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>792381</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>960000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to anti-dilution provisions set forth in the Purchase Agreement dated as of August 8, 2002 pursuant to which common shares had been purchased in September, 2002</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This is a joint filing by Austin W. Marxe (Marxe) and David M. Greenhouse (Greenhouse).  They share voting and investment control over all securities owned by Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P. (Cayman), Special Situations Private Equity Fund, LP (PE), Special Situations Technology Fund, L.P. (Tech) and Special Situations Technology II, L.P. (Tech II), respectively. 246,563 Common Stock (cs), 380,000 Warrants (wts) exercisable for 63,333 CS and 380,000 cvt pfd cvtble for 464,548 CS are held by Cayman, 224,179 CS, 380,000 Wts exercisable for 63,333 CS and 380,000 cvt pfd cvtble for 464,547 CS are held by PE, 18,382 CS, 32,730 Wts exercisable for 5,455 CS and 32,730 cvt pfd cvtble for 40,012 CS are held by Tech . 93,938 CS, 167,270 wts exercisable for 27,879 CS and 167,270  cvt pfd cvtble for 204,487 CS are held by Tech II.  The interest of Marxe and Greenhouse in the shares of Common Stock owned by Cayman, PE, Tech, and Tech II is limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Additional Shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the 2001 Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to adjustment provisions set forth in the Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights dated as of August 8, 2001 pursuant to which the Preferred Stock had been purchased in August and November, 2001</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Austin W. Marxe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-10-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David M. Greenhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-10-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

