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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-12-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000938113</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APOLLO GOLD CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AGT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001377673</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ST ANDREW GOLDFIELDS LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1540 CORNWALL RD SUITE 212</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OAKVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>A6</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>L6J 7W5</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>ONTARIO, CANADA</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>2008-12-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>46500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.1196</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25050361</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sales were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.  117,000 shares were sold on the TSX and 399 shares were sold on AMEX.  The sales took place within 6 months of the acquisition by the reporting person of 2,400,000 units, each consisting of one share and one-half warrant of the issuer, on July 24, 2008, at a price of $0.49 per unit.  No short-swing swing profits were realized in respect of these sales under section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, based on the market price of Apollo Gold stock on July 24, 2008 of $0.40 per share (as required under Exchange Act Rule 16b-6).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Calculated based on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's noon buying rate on December 4, 2008 of US$1.00 = Cdn$1.2540.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Linda Weinzettl, Corporate Secretary of St Andrew Goldfields Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-12-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
