-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Ubijqcy9YatE9IXNTTxIB7PO6Fj1O4fJrdOgmLCrpCaKW+T8vLXbw9nC3XC/olDc
 gfYZbd71SIQxnYXuGmLJ6g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000909450-03-000115.txt : 20030808
<SEC-HEADER>0000909450-03-000115.hdr.sgml : 20030808
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030808153541
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000909450-03-000115
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030807
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030808

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BITSTREAM INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000818813
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-COMPUTER PROGRAMMING SERVICES [7371]
		IRS NUMBER:				042744890
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		215 FIRST ST
		CITY:			CAMBRIDGE
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02142
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6174976222

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		215 FIRST ST
		CITY:			CAMBRIDGE
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02142

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GRUBER & MCBAINE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000909450

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-21541
		FILM NUMBER:		03831814

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		50 OSGOOD PLACE PENTHOUSE
		CITY:			SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94133
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4159811039

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		50 OSGOOD PLACE
		CITY:			SAN FRANCISCO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94133

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GRUBER & MCBAINE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT/GRUBER JON D ET AL
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19951108
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-08-07</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000909450</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRUBER &amp; MCBAINE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>50 OSGOOD PLACE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94133</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>2003-08-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.93</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>542300</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnerships and Investment Advisory Accounts</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This form is filed by Gruber &amp; McBaine Capital Management, LLC (GMCM), a limited liability company that is an investment adviser for client accounts and a general partner of investment limited partnerships; Jon D. Gruber (Gruber) and J. Patterson McBaine (McBaine), who are managers, members and portfolio mangers of GMCM; and Eric B Swergold (Swergold), who is a member and portfolio manager of GMCM.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This total is the number of shares beneficially owned after the transactions reported in accounts and investment partnerships in which the reporting persons have some pecuniary interest; the total excludes shares held in other client accounts managed by GMCM in which the reporting persons have no pecuniary interest.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">By GMCM, as an investment adviser for client accounts and a general partner of investment partnerships, and by Gruber and McBaine as managers, members and portfolio managers of GMCM, and by Swergold as a member and portfolio manager of GMCM. GMCM, Gruber, McBaine and Swergold have pecuniary interest in those client accounts and partnerships that in the agregate represent less than the total number of shares shown in Items 4 and 5. Each such reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities with respect to which indirect beneficial ownership is reported, except to the extent of that reporting persons pro rata pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>GRUBER &amp; MCBAINE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC  By:	/s/ J. Patterson McBaine, J. Patterson McBaine, Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-08-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----