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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-09-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000920448</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BROADVISION INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BVSN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001612393</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Chu Peter</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BROADVISION, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1700 SEAPORT BLVD, SUITE 210</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>REDWOOD CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94063</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO&amp;VP.Strategy &amp; Product Mgmt</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-09-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.07</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2796</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes an aggregate of 4,001 shares purchased pursuant to the Issuer's 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on September 30, 2014, March 31, 2015 and June 30, 2015, not previously reported.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average sale price.  The prices actually received ranged from $6.01 to $6.11.  The reporting person will provide to the issuer, any security holder of the issuer, or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Peter Chu</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
