EcoFlow RIVER 3 vs EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max

Side-by-side on the specs that decide it — surge, capacity, runtime and price.

Both models' specs verified against manufacturer listings · Last updated July 29, 2026

The short answer

EcoFlow RIVER 3 costs $60 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.

EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max holds 109% more energy (512Wh vs 245Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max has 400W more surge headroom (1000W vs 600W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
EcoFlow RIVER 3 is 5.4 lb lighter (7.8 lb vs 13.2 lb).

⚠️ Before you buy

Neither of these will start a sump pump or well pump — both surge below the ~3,400W those motors need. If home backup with pumps is your use case, look at higher-surge models instead of either of these.

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

EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max

Double the River 2's capacity and output for $100 more. The sweet spot of EcoFlow's small line for anyone eyeing the occasional small appliance.

Best for: Campers who want headroom over a pure device charger without the size of a 1kWh unit.

Where it falls short:

Still not enough output for heaters or compressors
220W solar input is modest

Spec	EcoFlow RIVER 3	EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
Price	$239	$299
Capacity	245 Wh	512 Wh
Continuous output	300 W	500 W
Surge output	600 W	1000 W
Battery	LiFePO4	LiFePO4
Rated cycles	3,000	3,000
Weight (lighter wins)	7.8 lb	13.2 lb
Max solar	110 W	220 W
Recharge time (faster wins)	1h	1h

Runtime head-to-head

Appliance	EcoFlow RIVER 3	EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
Refrigerator	❌	7.3 hrs
Mini fridge	6.6 hrs	13.8 hrs
Chest freezer	❌	5.4 hrs
CPAP machine	5.2 hrs	10.9 hrs
Sump pump	❌	❌

EcoFlow RIVER 3
Price → EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
Price →