EcoFlow RIVER 3 vs Bluetti AC500
Side-by-side on the specs that decide it — surge, capacity, runtime and price.
Both models' specs verified against manufacturer listings · Last updated
The short answer
EcoFlow RIVER 3 costs $1760 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Bluetti AC500 holds 1154% more energy (3072Wh vs 245Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Bluetti AC500 has 9400W more surge headroom (10000W vs 600W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- EcoFlow RIVER 3 is 58.3 lb lighter (7.8 lb vs 66.1 lb).
- Bluetti AC500 is rated for 3,500 cycles vs 3,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
EcoFlow RIVER 3
A glorified power bank with AC outlets — and that's fine if that's what you need. 245Wh runs devices, not appliances.
Best for: Weekend campers charging phones, cameras and a laptop.
Where it falls short:
- 300W output rules out anything with a heating element
- No expansion path
Bluetti AC500
A modular home-backup system, not a portable unit — the AC500 has no internal battery at all until you add B300K packs.
Best for: Serious home-backup builds where you're designing a system, not buying an appliance.
Where it falls short:
- Requires separate battery packs to function at all — budget accordingly
- Total system cost climbs fast
| Spec | EcoFlow RIVER 3 | Bluetti AC500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239 | $1999 |
| Capacity | 245 Wh | 3072 Wh |
| Continuous output | 300 W | 5000 W |
| Surge output | 600 W | 10000 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 7.8 lb | 66.1 lb |
| Max solar | 110 W | 3000 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h | 1h 45m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | EcoFlow RIVER 3 | Bluetti AC500 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | ❌ | 43.5 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 6.6 hrs | 82.9 hrs |
| Chest freezer | ❌ | 32.6 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 5.2 hrs | 65.3 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | 3.3 hrs |