RIVER 2
- 11Wh more battery
- 5 years of warranty
- loads stay under 300W
RIVER 3
- a router on a 20ms switchover
- a laptop on 100W USB-C
- an IP54 battery pack
Prices and stock checked by our price engine on November 13, 2026 at 3:29 AM EST. Each product is rechecked several times a day; the time refreshes when you load the page.
The RIVER 3 is the better-built box. The RIVER 2 has the better warranty. And EcoFlow US no longer sells either.
The EcoFlow RIVER 2 stores 256Wh and delivers 300W from two AC outlets at 7.7 lb, with a 60W USB-C, an EPS under 30ms and a 5-year warranty. The EcoFlow RIVER 3 stores 245Wh and delivers the same 300W at 7.8 lb, with a 100W USB-C, a switchover under 20ms, an under-30dB rating and an IP54 battery pack, but only 24 months of warranty. If you own one, there’s little reason to switch; if you’re buying new, the RIVER 2 (240) takes the RIVER 2’s place and the RIVER 2 Max 500 the RIVER 3’s. EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4, 2026.
Below: the five differences with numbers, a 20-second calculator for your own gear, eight modeled situations, what each replacement costs today, and what published tests found on both.
The RIVER 3 wins the generation on four counts: a switchover under 20ms instead of 30ms, a 100W USB-C instead of 60W, an IP54 battery pack and a published under-30dB rating. The RIVER 2 keeps 11Wh more capacity and a 5-year warranty against 24 months. Both run the same 300W of loads. Buying today, neither is on sale at EcoFlow US: the RIVER 2 (240) replaces the RIVER 2, and the RIVER 2 Max 500, with 499Wh and 500W, replaces the RIVER 3. EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4, 2026.
- you want 5 years of cover
- you want the bigger battery
- it charges phones and a router
- a router needs under 20ms
- you charge at 100W USB-C
- you want an IP54 pack
The five differences that decide it
Both use LFP cells rated for 3,000 cycles to 80%, deliver 300W from two AC outlets with X-Boost to 600W for heating loads, take 110W of solar, refill from the wall in about an hour and weigh under 8 lb. These five gaps decide it.
Will it run your setup? Check in 20 seconds
Estimates use 85% usable capacity and 70% of rated solar output. Real results vary with temperature, inverter load, shade and appliance cycling. Fridge and freezer watts are daily averages and do not include compressor startup surges.
Runtime by appliance, one at a time
Simple energy estimates, not measured runtimes. About 218Wh usable on the RIVER 2 and 208Wh on the RIVER 3. Gough Lui got 217Wh from AC out of a RIVER 2; StorageReview got 210Wh out of a RIVER 3 at its 300W limit.
Practically a tie: the RIVER 2 holds only 4% more than the RIVER 3.
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What their replacements cost today
The RIVER 2 (240) keeps the RIVER 2’s 7.7 lb body, 300W inverter, 60W USB-C and 30ms EPS, with 243Wh. EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4, 2026, so the RIVER 2 Max 500 takes the RIVER 3’s place: 499Wh, 500W (1,000W X-Boost), 220W of solar and a 60-minute wall refill, at 13.2 lb. Both prices move often. Current EcoFlow offers on both replacements: EcoFlow Black Friday deals.
Eight modeled situations, worked out
Same formula as the calculator above: 85% of the rated capacity, no extra battery added.
Wi-Fi router through an outage
About 18 hours on the RIVER 2 and 17 on the RIVER 3 at our 85% estimate, a night and the next morning. EcoFlow says the RIVER 3 gives up to twice the runtime on light loads; its footnote ties that to lab tests with a 3W light or a Wi-Fi router, without saying what it was compared with, and no reviewer we found measured it. Both switch over fast enough for a router: under 30ms on the RIVER 2 (Gough Lui measured about 16ms), under 20ms on the RIVER 3.
CPAP, one night or more
The RIVER 2 covers about 5 hours of an 8-hour night, the RIVER 3 about 5 hours of an 8-hour night. A heated humidifier can double the draw, so halve these figures if you use one.
Full-size fridge in an outage
About 3.6 h on the RIVER 2 and 3.5 h on the RIVER 3. Both 300W inverters may struggle to start some compressors.
A weekend of laptop and phone top-ups
About 4 laptop charges from the RIVER 2 against 3 from the RIVER 3. Over USB-C you skip the inverter: 1 × 60W on the RIVER 2, 1 × 100W on the RIVER 3.
A 200W desktop PC and monitor on battery
About 65 minutes on the RIVER 2 and 62 on the RIVER 3, enough to save and shut down. Mighty Gadget’s desktop PC kept running through a RIVER 3’s switchover; on the RIVER 2, Gough Lui measured a 16ms gap, which most PCs ride through but EcoFlow only promises under 30ms.
A 600W electric grill on battery
Neither. X-Boost tops out at 600W on both, at reduced power: PhoneArena’s 600W grill overloaded a RIVER 3 in under two minutes, and T3’s toaster oven tripped a RIVER 2 after about 30 seconds.
Refill from the wall before a storm
A tie: both refill from the wall in 60 min to full, the RIVER 2 at 360W and the RIVER 3 at 320W, per EcoFlow.
Refill from solar, each at its maximum
About 3.3 hours of good sun for the RIVER 2 and 3.2 for the RIVER 3. That assumes you own panels that size; clouds and winter sun stretch both.
Six more differences, the spec sheet and the box
Smaller gaps that rarely decide the purchase, then the full specifications and what ships in the box.
RIVER 2 and RIVER 3 weight, dimensions and full specifications
Weight: 7.7 lb for the EcoFlow RIVER 2 and 7.8 lb for the EcoFlow RIVER 3. Dimensions: 9.6 × 8.5 × 5.7 in and 10 × 8.3 × 4.4 in. RIVER 3 specs come from EcoFlow Canada’s page for the same 120V model, since its US page now redirects.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 and EcoFlow RIVER 3 full specifications
Every published figure for both units, grouped. Green marks the better value.
What’s in the box
RIVER 2
- RIVER 2256Wh, 7.7 lb
- AC charging cable
- Car charging cable
- User manual
RIVER 3
- RIVER 3245Wh, 7.8 lb
- AC charging cable
- Car charging cable
- User manual
Contents as EcoFlow listed them: the US archive for the RIVER 2, EcoFlow Canada for the RIVER 3.
06 · ChargingHow fast each one refills
Shorter bar, faster refill. Each row is scaled to its slower unit.
RIVER 2: EcoFlow US archive (360W, full in 60 min); T3 measured just under an hour on a US unitRIVER 3: EcoFlow Canada (320W, full in 60 min); Bob Vila measured about an hour on a US unit
Our solar times assume panels deliver 70% of their rating; the brands’ figures assume ideal sun. Panel choice and wiring for each: RIVER 2 solar setup and RIVER 3 solar setup.
Every port, side by side
RIVER 2
RIVER 3
Practical consequence: the same two AC outlets and two 12W USB-A on both, but the RIVER 3’s USB-C delivers 100W against 60W on the RIVER 2, and its car outlet is rated 126W against 100W. On a US RIVER 2, only one of the two AC outlets is three-prong (T3).
08 · NoiseNoise: RIVER 2 vs RIVER 3
EcoFlow rates the EcoFlow RIVER 3 under 30dB at 1.5 ft in its lab; it gives no figure for the EcoFlow RIVER 2, on which TechSmart heard bursts of about 45dB while recharging.
Fans mostly run while charging or under heavy loads.Every figure we found, with its source
What reviewers heard: Mostly silent, with occasional bursts of about 45dB while recharging (TechSmart); the fan spins up during fast AC charging and heavy loads (TechRadar, Australian unit).
What reviewers heard: The fan stayed unobtrusive (StorageReview); it rarely ran at low loads but came on while charging (Mighty Gadget, UK unit).
Measured by a tester Brand figure
- The fans run hardest while fast charging, so charge during the day if the unit sits by a bed.
Cold, heat and storage: RIVER 2 vs RIVER 3
The EcoFlow RIVER 2 and the EcoFlow RIVER 3 share the same limits: charging from 32°F to 113°F, running from 14°F to 113°F. Only the RIVER 3’s battery pack carries IP54, and that doesn’t make it waterproof.
Figures from the EcoFlow US pages.- In a cold car or garage, bring it inside to charge: charge only above 32°F.
- For storage, EcoFlow’s US pages give 68°F to 86°F as the best range: keep some charge in it and top it up every few months.
App, UPS and smart features
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 switches in under 20ms; the EcoFlow RIVER 2 offers a basic EPS under 30ms, about 16ms as Gough Lui measured it. Neither takes an extra battery, and both use the EcoFlow app over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Same app on both. The gaps are the UPS and expansion.Green zone: a switch under about 16ms, which most desktop PCs ride through without restarting.
Does it work as a UPS? The EcoFlow RIVER 2 switches in under 30ms (EPS), the EcoFlow RIVER 3 in under 20ms. EcoFlow calls the slower mode EPS, a basic switchover.
Can you add a battery later? The EcoFlow RIVER 2: no extra battery port. The EcoFlow RIVER 3: no extra battery port.
Can it run a heater or kettle above its rating? Both have X-Boost for heating loads at reduced power: up to 600W on the EcoFlow RIVER 2, 600W on the EcoFlow RIVER 3. It doesn’t help motors.
How does the app connect? Both use the EcoFlow app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, with charge limits and remote control of the outputs.
Warranty and support
EcoFlow’s US warranty table lists the EcoFlow RIVER 2 at 5 years and the EcoFlow RIVER 3 at 24 months, with no registration condition. Existing units keep the term they were sold with.
Same 3,000-cycle rating; the RIVER 2 has the longer cover.Subject to each brand’s warranty terms and eligibility.
EcoFlow rates the RIVER 2 at 3,000 cycles to 80%. EcoFlow rates the RIVER 3 at 3,000 cycles to 80%. Calendar aging and heat also reduce capacity, so read the rating as a ceiling.
- If you find a RIVER 2 for sale, check that seller’s warranty: EcoFlow US no longer sells it.
- If you find a RIVER 3 for sale, check that seller’s warranty: EcoFlow US no longer sells it.
What reviewers report
We have not lab-tested these two units. Here is what 13 published reviews found, with the source, author and date for each point. Reviews of UK and EU units are flagged: those models charge from 230V outlets and have different sockets, so their charge times and outlet findings don’t carry over to US units.
RIVER 2: T3 (December 2022), TechRadar (August 2025, Australian unit), Trusted Reviews (September 2023, EU unit), Gough’s Tech Zone (goughlui.com) (March 2025, Australian unit), TechSmart (South Africa) (August 2023), tech-ish (Kenya) (April 2026)RIVER 3: StorageReview (October 2024), Bob Vila (December 2024), TechRadar (March 2025), T3 (April 2025, UK unit), RV.com (September 2024), Mighty Gadget (November 2024, UK unit), PhoneArena (February 2025, EU unit)
Usable capacity
- RIVER 2Reviewer Overall conversion losses were generally under 10% of rated capacity in the reviewer’s tests. TechRadar, Lindsay Handmer, August 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 2Reviewer Running a 50W air purifier from AC until empty yielded 164Wh, about 64% of rated capacity; DC outputs are more efficient. Trusted Reviews, David Ludlow, September 2023, EU unit
- RIVER 3Reviewer Running a 300W fan, right at the inverter limit, the testers got 210Wh out of the 245Wh battery before shutdown, about 86%. StorageReview, Corinne OBrien, October 2024
- RIVER 3Reviewer After a week of charging a laptop 3 times and a phone 4 times from one full charge, the battery still showed 57%. Bob Vila, Mark Wolfe, December 2024
Charging
- RIVER 2Reviewer Fully charged from the wall in just under an hour, drawing about 340W. T3, Richard Baguley, December 2022
- RIVER 2Reviewer A 100W panel supplied by EcoFlow delivered only about 50W on a sunny day, so a full solar charge would take a couple of days. T3, Richard Baguley, December 2022
- RIVER 2Reviewer A large USB-C laptop adapter recharged it at roughly a third of the wall-socket speed. T3, Richard Baguley, December 2022
- RIVER 3Reviewer Refilling from empty took 270Wh from the wall, with a peak draw of 322W in fast charging mode. StorageReview, Corinne OBrien, October 2024
- RIVER 3Reviewer From below 10%, a 110W solar panel on a very sunny day refilled it in a little over 3 hours; a wall outlet took about an hour. Bob Vila, Mark Wolfe, December 2024
Noise and heat
- RIVER 2Reviewer Fan stays off on USB-C but spins to high speed during fast AC charging or heavy loads, and is still audible at the 100W charge limit. TechRadar, Lindsay Handmer, August 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 2Reviewer The fan rarely turned on during testing, so the reviewer found it very quiet. Trusted Reviews, David Ludlow, September 2023, EU unit
- RIVER 2Reviewer The small fan gets noisy at high input or output power, and internal relay clicks can be noticeable. Gough’s Tech Zone (goughlui.com), Gough Lui, March 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 3Reviewer The fan, rated at 30dB by EcoFlow, stayed unobtrusive through their testing. StorageReview, Corinne OBrien, October 2024
- RIVER 3Reviewer The fan spun up when the TV system was first connected, then stopped and stayed silent during use. T3, Derek Adams, April 2025, UK unit
UPS and output
- RIVER 2Reviewer A small toaster oven and an electric heater tripped the overload after about 30 seconds; the outlet reset once unplugged. T3, Richard Baguley, December 2022
- RIVER 2Reviewer Load-tested 12V and USB ports delivered their rated power; AC held voltage at full load and X-Boost avoided shutdowns. TechRadar, Lindsay Handmer, August 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 2Reviewer Measured a gap of about 16ms when mains was cut, well inside the 30ms rating, with stable voltage at cutover. Gough’s Tech Zone (goughlui.com), Gough Lui, March 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 3Reviewer Used as a UPS for a tankless gas water heater igniter, it kept the heater lighting after the breaker was cut. Bob Vila, Mark Wolfe, December 2024
- RIVER 3Reviewer A 50-inch TV, soundbar, set-top box and lamp drew 157W at most, about 1.5 hours of TV per full charge. T3, Derek Adams, April 2025, UK unit
Daily use and issues
- RIVER 2Reviewer The US unit has two AC outlets, but only one is three-prong; the second is two-prong for ungrounded plugs. T3, Richard Baguley, December 2022
- RIVER 2Reviewer Charging some power banks from it failed; some could only charge the River 2 instead. Front buttons are easy to press by accident in a bag. TechRadar, Lindsay Handmer, August 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 2Reviewer The app lacks solar logging and a cycle counter, and the reviewer wanted output scheduling. TechRadar, Lindsay Handmer, August 2025, Australian unit
- RIVER 3Reviewer The USB ports and AC outlets have no covers, only the car outlet and input ports do, a concern in dusty places. Bob Vila, Mark Wolfe, December 2024
- RIVER 3Reviewer Small enough to fit in the bottom of a standard backpack or a Jeep rear tray. TechRadar, Collin Probst, March 2025
Practical limits before you buy
- X-Boost is for heating loads only, at reduced power: up to 600W on the RIVER 2, 600W on the RIVER 3. Motors need the continuous rating.
- EcoFlow US no longer sells the RIVER 2. Its page redirects to the store’s power station collection; the RIVER 2 (240) is the version on sale.
- Only one of the RIVER 2’s two AC outlets is three-prong, per T3’s US unit.
- A toaster oven and a heater tripped the RIVER 2’s overload after about 30 seconds in T3’s test, even with X-Boost.
- EcoFlow US no longer sells the RIVER 3. Its US page redirects to an extra battery page, and EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026); specs here come from EcoFlow Canada’s page for the same 120V model.
- The RIVER 3’s solar and car charging share one input, and its USB ports and AC outlets have no covers (Bob Vila).
- EcoFlow’s US table gives the RIVER 3 24 months of warranty, against 5 years for the RIVER 2 and for the RIVER 3 Plus that succeeded it.
- The RIVER 3’s IP54 rating covers the battery pack only, per EcoFlow: it limits splash damage, it doesn’t make the unit waterproof.
- Neither charges below freezing. In a cold car or garage, bring it inside first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the EcoFlow RIVER 2 and the RIVER 3?
Mostly the fine print. Both deliver 300W from two AC outlets, refill in about an hour and weigh under 8 lb. The RIVER 2 stores 256Wh with a 5-year warranty; the RIVER 3 stores 245Wh with 24 months, but switches over in under 20ms instead of 30ms, has a 100W USB-C instead of 60W, an IP54 battery pack and an under-30dB rating.
Is the RIVER 2 still sold?
EcoFlow US no longer sells the RIVER 2: its page now redirects to the store’s power station collection. Its closest current model is the RIVER 2 (240).
Is the RIVER 3 still sold?
EcoFlow US no longer sells the RIVER 3: its US page now redirects to an extra battery page. EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026) and hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4, 2026. Its replacement today is the RIVER 2 Max 500, with 499Wh and 500W.
How long does each run a CPAP?
About 5 hours for the RIVER 2 and about 5 hours for the RIVER 3, at 40W for 8 hours without a humidifier.
Can the RIVER 3 run a fridge?
For about 3.5 h at a 60W average, and its 300W inverter may not start every compressor. The RIVER 2 runs one for about 3.6 h.
Which one charges faster?
About the same from the wall: 60 min to full on the RIVER 2, 60 min to full on the RIVER 3.
Which one is the better UPS?
The RIVER 2 switches in under 30ms (EPS), the RIVER 3 in under 20ms. Under 10ms keeps most desktop PCs running; 20 to 30ms is fine for a router, lights or a fridge.
How much do they weigh?
7.7 lb for the RIVER 2 and 7.8 lb for the RIVER 3.
What warranty do they have?
Per EcoFlow’s US warranty table: 5 years for the RIVER 2; 24 months for the RIVER 3.
Is the RIVER 3 better than the RIVER 2?
For a UPS or a laptop, yes: the RIVER 3 switches over in under 20ms and charges at 100W over USB-C, and its battery pack is IP54. For capacity and warranty, no: the RIVER 2 has 11Wh more and 5 years of cover against 24 months. Both stop at 300W, so neither runs a coffee maker or a microwave.
Does the RIVER 3 really double the runtime?
EcoFlow says up to twice the runtime on light loads, and its footnote ties the claim to lab tests with a 3W light or a Wi-Fi router. It doesn’t say what it was compared with, and no reviewer we found measured it. For loads of a few dozen watts and up, plan on the same runtime per watt-hour as the RIVER 2.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 vs RIVER 3 Plus: which one?
The RIVER 3 Plus is a step up, not a twin: 286Wh against 256Wh, 600W from three outlets against 300W from two, a UPS under 10ms against an EPS under 30ms, and an extra battery option up to 858Wh, at 10.4 lb against 7.7 lb. Neither is on sale at EcoFlow US: EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4, 2026, and the RIVER 2 is gone.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro vs RIVER 3 Plus or RIVER 3 Max: which one?
The RIVER 2 Pro stores 768Wh and delivers 800W from four outlets at 18.2 lb, with an EPS under 30ms; EcoFlow US still sells it. The RIVER 3 Plus has 286Wh and 600W at 10.4 lb with a UPS under 10ms, and the RIVER 3 Max adds an Extra Battery 300 for 572Wh. The RIVER 2 Pro has the energy and output; the RIVER 3 Plus is the lighter, faster-switching UPS. EcoFlow US hasn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4, 2026, and EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026).
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max vs RIVER 3 Max: which one?
The RIVER 2 Max is one 512Wh box with 500W from four outlets at 13.4 lb and an EPS under 30ms. The RIVER 3 Max is a RIVER 3 Plus with an Extra Battery 300: 572Wh, 600W from three outlets and a UPS under 10ms, in two pieces. EcoFlow US listed the RIVER 2 Max as sold out on October 30, 2026, and by November 8 its US page redirected to the RIVER series; EcoFlow US no longer lists the RIVER 3 Max bundle (checked November 8, 2026).
Related comparisons and reviews
How we compared and sources
Research-based comparison. We have not physically tested these two units. RIVER 2 specs come from EcoFlow’s US page archived on August 22, 2026; RIVER 3 specs from EcoFlow Canada’s page for the same 120V model, since its US page now redirects. Usage observations are attributed to named reviewers. Checked on November 1, 2026.
- Specs: EcoFlow US, RIVER 2 (archived August 22, 2026) and EcoFlow Canada, RIVER 3 and EcoFlow US, RIVER 2 (240) and EcoFlow US, RIVER 3 Plus, read on November 1, 2026; warranty terms from the EcoFlow US warranty policy.
- EcoFlow US availability, November 1, 2026: the RIVER 2 page redirects to the store’s power station collection, and the RIVER 3 page to the RIVER 3 Max bundle. The RIVER 2 (240), the RIVER 3 Plus and the RIVER 2 Pro had US product pages. On November 8, 2026, the RIVER 3 page redirected to an extra battery page, EcoFlow US no longer listed the RIVER 3 Max bundle, and it hadn’t listed the RIVER 3 Plus since November 4.
- EcoFlow’s RIVER 3 claim of up to twice the runtime on light loads is its own lab figure (footnote: a 3W light or a Wi-Fi router); we report it as a claim, not as a measured result.
- Reviewer reports on the RIVER 2: T3, Richard Baguley, December 2022, TechRadar, Lindsay Handmer, August 2025, Australian unit, Trusted Reviews, David Ludlow, September 2023, EU unit, Gough’s Tech Zone (goughlui.com), Gough Lui, March 2025, Australian unit, TechSmart (South Africa), Mike Joubert, August 2023, tech-ish (Kenya), Hillary Keverenge, April 2026; on the RIVER 3: StorageReview, Corinne OBrien, October 2024, Bob Vila, Mark Wolfe, December 2024, TechRadar, Collin Probst, March 2025, T3, Derek Adams, April 2025, UK unit, RV.com, Kraig Becker, September 2024, Mighty Gadget, James Smythe, November 2024, UK unit, PhoneArena, Polina Kovalakova, testing by Orhan Chakarov, February 2025, EU unit.
- Runtime = capacity × 0.85 ÷ watts. Solar harvest = min(panel watts, max input) × sun hours × 0.70. Cost per lifetime kWh = price ÷ (cycles × capacity in kWh).
256Wh with 5 years of warranty, or 245Wh with a 20ms switchover and 100W USB-C. EcoFlow US sells neither: see their replacements.
Prices checked November 13, 2026 at 3:29 AM EST
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Originally published: March 22, 2026