Number Slate has gone out of business--we keep this review as it was when they were open for posterity.
Number Slate is a solid, medium-sized DVD rental service with little to distinguish itself, and turns you into their shipping center. First off, they are missing several industry standard functions, like critic reviews and trailers.
Their navigation system also leaves something to be desired, with few options for search for instance. They also did not list Coming Soon or New Release categories ; we can understand why, as demand for these films is highest, and by advertising that they're out this increases demand, and no doubt frustration when there are long delays. Still, the option should be there.
We will give them credit for having a very long list of genres, certainly well over 100 and more than we could easily count. Plus, their title information is at least very good, with a large box photo, year, length, genre, encoding, screen format, features, cast and crew, synopsis, review, and often the ability to buy the disc new or even a poster. If only their system lived up to this excellent title info, which is among the best in the business.
They have an innovative, if time consuming and annoying, shipping method to cut down on their costs. When you're done with a film, you notify Number Slate and then they send you the address and name of the next person waiting for that film, which you write on the envelope, put on your own stamp, and mail. These have to be 60 cent stamps by the way, though at least you can buy the, from Number Slate. Now I know this saves time and money for them, but at the expense of their own customers. We simply don't like the idea of strangers having our address and relying on them to send DVDs, and what if they get lost in the mail--no, too odd a shipping system for us.
You can even bid on movies to make it more likely you'll get it, something we haven't seen elsewhere. Otherwise, you simple click Join Circle, and essentially get in line to see it.
Number Slate was founded in April 2001 with the goal of giving everyone access to more movies for less money.
Prices: Number Slate only has one subscription plan, 1 disc out for $9.95, plus the 60 cent postage for each swap. They offer a two-week free trial.
Used to be an average online DVD rental service in which you do the shipping for them, peer-to-peer style; neat idea, 
DVD Rental Basics