Head-to-head test
EcoFlow RIVER 2 vs EcoFlow RIVER 2 240
EcoFlow RIVER 2 vs EcoFlow RIVER 2 240: one machine, two tank sizes — 256Wh against 243Wh, with the same 300W inverter, ports, manual and 5-year warranty. The 13Wh gap changes no outcome on this page. EcoFlow's own store now sells the 240, so buy that unless the original turns up new for less.
Full profiles: EcoFlow RIVER 2 → · EcoFlow RIVER 2 240 →
Written by Wenny ZhengUpdated
Portable Power Tester, Station Arena Test Desk
Spec deltas
EcoFlow sells the RIVER 2 in two tank sizes and gives them nearly the same name. The original holds 256Wh. The RIVER 2 240 holds 243Wh, which is three more than its name admitsB1B5. That is the entire difference: one manual covers both, and its specification table agrees with itself on every other lineB0B1.
So don't read this as old against new, or cheap against good. Same 300W inverter, same 600W X-Boost ceiling, same two AC outlets, same 60W USB-C port, and 7.8 pounds against 7.7. If one of them can run your gear, so can the other, for about 5% more or less time.
What separates them is where you can buy one. As of September 2026 EcoFlow's own store lists the 240 and has dropped the originalB0. The rest of this page is for the person who has found a 256Wh unit somewhere else and wants to know whether it's worth chasing. Mostly, it isn't.
What the Numbers Reveal
Each conclusion stated first — the numbers behind it on one line, the full analysis below.
Capacity
A difference that changes no pass and no fail is a difference in margin, not in capability. If 243Wh can't do your job, 256Wh can't either, and the answer is the next size up rather than the older SKU.
RIVER 2: 256Wh rated, 218Wh usable at the flat 85%RIVER 2 240: 243Wh rated, 207Wh usableAfternoon Off-Grid needs 100Wh: 118Wh spare on the RIVER 2, 107Wh spare on the 240CPAP Overnight needs 320Wh: the RIVER 2 falls 102Wh short, the 240 falls 113Wh short
Why it mattersAnyone hunting down a leftover original to get the bigger one is chasing about 5% of a small tank.
Spread over 3,000 cycles, that 39kWh is the same 13Wh a cycle, and the saving is three cents per lifetime kWh. Real, and tiny: worth taking when the original is sitting new on a shelf you trust, not worth buying from a seller you'd hesitate to return to.
Lifetime energy at 3,000 rated cycles: 768kWh for the RIVER 2, 729kWh for the 240Cost per lifetime kWh at typical prices: $0.27 against $0.30Both carry a 5-year warranty and the same 3,000-cycle rating
Why it mattersDecide on the seller and the stock first, and let the spec line break the tie only if there still is one.
Everything written about living with a RIVER 2, including that it runs louder under load than the RIVER 3A1, was written about this box too. The field record transfers whole; only the runtime figures need trimming by about 5%.
EcoFlow publishes one manual for both units, and its specification table differs only in capacityB0B1Reviewers describe the RIVER 2 as noticeably louder under load than the newer RIVER 3A1No owner report or hands-on test of the 240 is on recordB0
Why it mattersIf a RIVER 2 review talked you into one, it talked you into the 240.
The specific dimensions that decide these two units — everything else is a tie.
Runtime: Will It Power Your Gear?
Selected because: The tank is the only line on the spec sheet where these two differ, so this is the whole comparison.
Take any runtime figure for the RIVER 2 and shave about 5% off it. That's the 240. A load the original carries for eight hours, the 240 carries for roughly half an hour less.
Neither number makes this a big battery. With 218Wh and 207Wh usable, both are afternoon-and-evening units: phones, a laptop, lights, a router through a short outage. Tank size was never the reason to pick one of these over the other. It's the reason to pick a RIVER 2 of either kind over something larger, or not.
Your Life, Your Pick
Selected because: Every job lands the same way on both units, which is the clearest proof that a 13Wh gap decides nothing.
Six of the seven jobs end the same way on both: not enough tank, and not close. The tailgate fails twice over, since its 400W peak is past the 300W continuous rating on either unit, so the load would start on the 600W surge and then drop.
The seventh job, an afternoon off-grid, is the one these are built for, and both clear it on under half the tank. Seven rows, zero disagreements. That's what a tie looks like when you lay it out.
Lifetime Value
Selected because: The original is slightly cheaper to own per kilowatt-hour, and this shows how slightly.
Both packs are rated for at least 3,000 cycles, so at one full cycle a day either one lasts a little over 8 years. The original delivers 768kWh across that life and the 240 delivers 729kWh. At typical prices that comes to $0.27 a kilowatt-hour against $0.30.
You would have to care a great deal about three cents to let it choose your seller.
What the Specs Don't Tell You
Selected because: Nothing separates them here either, down to the same 5-year warranty.
The warranty card has nothing to report, and that's the point: five years on both, from the same maker. The only warranty question on this page is about who sold it to you. A leftover original from a marketplace listing is a good buy only if it's new and the warranty comes with it.
Strengths & trade-offs
EcoFlow RIVER 2
Strengths
- +Larger battery capacity
Trade-offs
- –No major technical downsides compared to rival.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 240
Strengths
- +Lighter by 0.1 lb
Trade-offs
- –No major technical downsides compared to rival.
Will It Power Your Gear?
Scenario math and per-appliance runtimes, modeled from the spec record.
Scenario verdicts
We ran the math on seven real-world scenarios. Here's which unit survives your actual life.
SCN-01 · 2 nights · needs 2,100Wh
Weekend Camping
Two nights off-grid with essential comfort
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 2,100Wh: the RIVER 2 comes up 1,882Wh short (about 10% covered), the RIVER 2 240 1,893Wh (10%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Phone Charger 15W×6h · LED Lights 40W×8h · Box Fan 75W×14h · CPAP Machine 40W×16h
SCN-02 · 8 hours · needs 1,645Wh
8-Hour Blackout
Keep the essentials running through a night without power
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 1,645Wh: the RIVER 2 comes up 1,427Wh short (about 13% covered), the RIVER 2 240 1,438Wh (13%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Fridge 150W×8h · Router + Modem 20W×8h · LED Lights (4 bulbs) 40W×6h · Phone Charger 15W×3h
SCN-03 · 8 hours · needs 320Wh
CPAP Overnight
Sleep therapy without interruption — the #1 medical use case
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 320Wh: the RIVER 2 comes up 102Wh short (about 68% covered), the RIVER 2 240 113Wh (65%). Either gets you most of the way, so this is a scenario you plan around rather than one you should rule them out for.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD CPAP Machine 40W×8h
SCN-04 · 8 hours · needs 910Wh
Remote Workday
Full work day off-grid without power anxiety
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 910Wh: the RIVER 2 comes up 692Wh short (about 24% covered), the RIVER 2 240 703Wh (23%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Laptop 60W×8h · External Monitor 30W×8h · Router + Modem 20W×8h · Phone Charger 15W×2h
SCN-05 · 4 hours · needs 670Wh
Tailgate Party
Game day power for the crew
Neither unit
Neither unit can hold the 400W peak this scenario needs — the RIVER 2 on its 300W continuous rating, the RIVER 2 240 on its 300W, so capacity never gets a say. This is the wrong size of unit for the job rather than a close call.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Blender 400W×0.5h · LED TV (55") 80W×4h · Bluetooth Speaker 15W×4h · Phone Charger (×3) 45W×2h
SCN-06 · 24 hours · needs 4,685Wh
Van Life Daily
A full day of mobile living — the ultimate endurance test
Neither unit
Neither unit covers this scenario's 4,685Wh: the RIVER 2 comes up 4,467Wh short (about 5% covered), the RIVER 2 240 4,478Wh (4%). This is well outside what either unit is for; the right answer here is a larger station, not a choice between these two.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Mini-Fridge 150W×24h · Laptop 60W×4h · Phone Charger 15W×3h · LED Lights 40W×5h · Fan 75W×8h
SCN-07 · an afternoon · needs 100Wh
Afternoon Off-Grid
Phones and a speaker at the park, beach, or campsite — the small-unit job description
Either unit
Both pass with room to spare: two phones and a speaker take 100Wh, leaving 118Wh on the original and 107Wh on the 240. It's the one job either unit is sized for, and they do it identically.
Battery budget usedlower = more headroom
LOAD Phone Charger (×2) 30W×2h · Bluetooth Speaker 10W×4h
The Load Test
RUNTIME = (Wh × 0.85) ÷ LOAD
None of the scenarios above exactly yours? Build it. Toggle what you'd plug in; both units are tested against the combined draw.
Essentials
Comfort & Convenience
High-Draw Appliances
Test duration
8h
Continuous draw
205W
Projected runtime
For this load: RIVER 2 runs 1.1h vs 1h.
Planning for more than this? Describe your whole setup and get it sized →
Modeled from the spec record — same math as the tables below. Methodology
Runtime by appliance
Real-world runtime estimates for common appliances, modeled at 85% inverter efficiency.¹
Essentials
The basics you need runningscale 0–14.5hComfort & Convenience
Makes off-grid life actually enjoyablescale 0–2.9hHigh-Draw Appliances
These reveal the real limits¹ Runtime = (capacity × 0.85) ÷ appliance watts. Within each group, all bars share one time scale (the group's longest runtime), so lengths are comparable across appliances; identical runtimes collapse into a single blue/orange bar. Actual runtime varies with battery age, temperature, and simultaneous loads — see methodology.
Conclusion
September 19, 2026
Verdict: the RIVER 2
EcoFlow documents these two in a single manual, and the specification table splits them on exactly one line: 256Wh for the RIVER 2, 243Wh for the RIVER 2 240B1. Everything else is shared: the 300W inverter with its 600W X-Boost ceilingB2, the ports, the ≤30ms switchoverB3, the hour-long wall chargeB4, the 5-year warranty. That 13Wh is about 5% of the tank, and it moves no job on this page from fail to pass or back. So this is a tie decided by the shelf. As of September 2026 EcoFlow's own store sells the 240 and no longer lists the originalB0. Buy the 240 from EcoFlow. If a seller you trust still has the original new for less, that's the same box with a slightly deeper tank, and you should take it.
Editor-assigned confidence, based on cited owner research and spec analysis.
Written by Wenny Zheng, Portable Power Tester · Station Arena Test Desk · Updated September 19, 2026
Black Friday · 26 days out
Price to beat:RIVER 2 240 $199
The lowest we have recorded. A Black Friday price above it is a sale this unit has already had.
Measured Data
Benchmark scores and the full spec record, side by side.
Benchmark scores
Full specifications
ᵈ Derived: price ÷ rated capacity. See the data behind our comparisons →
Comparison ToolAdd more power stations, side by sideOpen Tool →How these numbers are produced
Numeric verification
Every figure on this page traces to our spec database or arithmetic on it — no estimated numbers.
Owner claims
Statements about owner experience are cited to published reviews — see Sources & Research Notes below.
Runtime model
Runtime = (rated capacity × 0.85 inverter efficiency) ÷ device wattage. Solar recharge estimates assume panels deliver 70% of rated output. Cold weather, battery age, and stacked loads reduce real-world results.
Power Score
Computed from 14 published spec dimensions, weighted per use-case bench. Higher is better; a unit must meet a bench's minimum threshold to be rated.
See the full weight table and data sourcing on our methodology page →Class ranking (the star rating)
Each unit's star score is a category ranking, not customer reviews — no buyer opinions feed it. We score every station on size-independent quality (value, output, portability, endurance, ports, warranty, and more), then percentile-rank it against the other units in its capacity class, so a class-leading compact unit and a class-leading whole-home unit can both earn 5★. Here, RIVER 2 rates 3.9/5 (38th percentile of 25 Personal-class units), and RIVER 2 240 rates 3.8/5 (29th percentile of 25 Personal-class units).
How the class ranking is computed →Test Notes & Caveats
Hidden gotchas and advantages we spotted that you won't find on the product page.
Warranty: identical, so check the seller
Five years on both, from the same maker. The warranty only becomes a question if you buy a leftover original from a marketplace listing: make sure it's new and that the cover comes with it.
Ownership Analysis
What happens after you buy — true cost of ownership, brand trust, and growth potential.
Lifetime value
Service lifeyears at one full cycle per day
Lifetime energy delivered
Cost per delivered kWh
│ warranty ends · Reaching the cycle rating means ~80% capacity remains — degraded, not dead.
Analyst note
The RIVER 2 is no longer sold, so there is no price to work its cost per kWh from, and this comparison doesn't quote one. On what you can actually buy today, the RIVER 2 240 works out at $0.29/kWh over its rated life. If you already own the RIVER 2, the hardware comparison still holds: over its rated life the RIVER 2 delivers about 768 kWh and the RIVER 2 240 about 729 kWh. One thing to know reading the table: both carry the same 3,000-cycle rating, so the lifetime rows are sticker price and capacity in disguise — the wear horizon is identical and decides nothing here.
Growth path
RIVER 2
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 256Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 110W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Limited ports. You'll likely need a power strip or splitter.
RIVER 2 240
FIXED CAPACITYFixed at 243Wh, with no expansion — so size it for your needs up front rather than planning to add capacity later.
Accepts up to 110W of solar. Limited to a single portable panel.
Limited ports. You'll likely need a power strip or splitter.
Realistic full solar rechargeat 70% of rated panel output — see methodology
Analyst note
Growth only counts if you can still buy in, and the RIVER 2 is no longer sold, replaced by the RIVER 2 240 beside it. That leaves the RIVER 2 240: it is sealed at 243Wh, so buy the size that covers you now. The RIVER 2's fixed 256Wh still matters if you already own one, but it isn't a reason to pick it over the RIVER 2 240.
What Owners Report
Patterns from published owner reports and long-term reviews — every claim cited to its source below.
EcoFlow RIVER 2
Field data on the RIVER 2 is thin and mostly comparative: it comes from review sites setting it against the RIVER 3 rather than from long-term ownersA0. The consistent note is noise. Reviewers describe it as noticeably louder under load than the RIVER 3, and EcoFlow publishes no decibel figure for itA1. The rest is approval of the basics it shares with the newer unit, the 300W output, LiFePO4 cells and an hour-long fast chargeA2, and a verdict that it's still a reasonable pick for indoor use when every dollar countsA3.
“Shares the same core platform as the RIVER 3 — 300W output, LiFePO4 chemistry, and roughly 60-minute fast charging — and remains a popular, proven budget small-format unit.”
Sources
backuppowerhub.com · ecoflow.com · versus.com
EcoFlow RIVER 2 240
No owner of a RIVER 2 240 is on record, and no independent test of it turned up; everything we hold is EcoFlow's own documentationB0. That matters less than it sounds. The manual is shared and splits the two units only on capacityB1, so the reports above describe this hardware as well, fan includedA1B0.
“Capacity: 256Wh, 20Ah 12.8V (RIVER 2); 243Wh, 19Ah 12.8V (RIVER 2 240).”
Sources
manuals.ecoflow.co · us.ecoflow.co
Sources & Research Notes
Every owner claim in this report is traceable to a published source. The bracketed references above resolve here.
Recurring owner themes
- The RIVER 2 is the older, cheaper unit on the same core platform — reasonable for budget indoor use but louder and less refined than the RIVER 3. [RIVER 2 · 2 entries]
- A1
“The RIVER 2's spec data doesn't include a specific dB rating, and owner reports suggest it's noticeably louder under load than the newer RIVER 3.”
backuppowerhub.com — EcoFlow RIVER 2 vs RIVER 3 · 2026 · [negative]
- A2
“Shares the same core platform as the RIVER 3 — 300W output, LiFePO4 chemistry, and roughly 60-minute fast charging — and remains a popular, proven budget small-format unit.”
ecoflow.com / versus.com — RIVER 2 vs RIVER 3 · 2026 · [positive]
- A3
“For strictly indoor use where every dollar counts, the RIVER 2 is still a reasonable choice — but it lacks the RIVER 3's refinements like waterproofing, faster UPS, and quieter operation.”
backuppowerhub.com — RIVER 2 vs RIVER 3 recommendation · 2026 · [mixed]
- B1
“Capacity: 256Wh, 20Ah 12.8V (RIVER 2); 243Wh, 19Ah 12.8V (RIVER 2 240).”
manuals.ecoflow.com — "EcoFlow RIVER 2 & RIVER 2 240 Portable Power Station User Manual" (EcoFlow's own manual, updated 2026-05), Specifications table · 2026-05 · [mixed]
- B2
“The rated power of the product is 300W and the peak power is 600W. With the X-Boost feature, the product's AC output sockets can power devices rated at 600W or below.”
manuals.ecoflow.com — "EcoFlow RIVER 2 & RIVER 2 240 Portable Power Station User Manual" (EcoFlow's own manual, updated 2026-05), FAQ · 2026-05 · [mixed]
- B3
“In case of a sudden blackout, the product can automatically switch to battery-powered supply mode within 30ms.”
manuals.ecoflow.com — "EcoFlow RIVER 2 & RIVER 2 240 Portable Power Station User Manual" (EcoFlow's own manual, updated 2026-05), EPS section · 2026-05 · [mixed]
- B4
“X-Stream fast charging, 360W max: fully charged in 1 hour. Solar, 110W max: fully charged in 3 - 6 hours.”
manuals.ecoflow.com — "EcoFlow RIVER 2 & RIVER 2 240 Portable Power Station User Manual" (EcoFlow's own manual, updated 2026-05), charging section · 2026-05 · [positive]
- B5
“Capacity 243Wh. Net Weight 7.7lbs. AC Output 120V 50Hz/60Hz, 300W (Surge 600W). <30ms EPS auto-switch for essential devices.”
us.ecoflow.com — "EcoFlow RIVER 2 (240) Portable Power Station" product page, read 2026-09-18 with the variant confirmed · 2026-09 · [mixed]
Research compiled September 19, 2026.
Who Should Buy Which
Buy the RIVER 2 if you…
- →You've found a new 256Wh RIVER 2 from a seller you'd buy from anyway, and it costs less than the 240. Take it: same box, 13Wh more.
- →You already own one and wondered whether the 240 is an upgrade. It isn't. It's a slightly smaller tank in the same case.
Buy the RIVER 2 240 if you…
- →You're buying from EcoFlow's own store, where the 240 is the one on the shelfB0.
- →You want the small RIVER 2 for phones, a laptop and lights, and would rather not spend an evening tracking down the last original for a 5% bigger tank.
If neither fits
If your list includes a CPAP night, a full workday or anything with a compressor, close both tabs. Neither tank covers the 320Wh our overnight profile asks for, never mind a fridge. Look at units with twice this capacity or more, which starts with the RIVER 2 Max line. The RIVER 3 Plus adds inverter rather than tank, so it doesn't solve this one.
The Bottom Line
Same inverter, same ports, same manual, same 5-year warranty, and 13Wh between them. We call it a tie because it is one, and let the shelf decide: EcoFlow's store sells the 240B0, so that's the one to buy.
The original is the better box by about 5%, and it's worth taking only if it comes to you: new, from a seller you trust, for less. Don't go looking. The afternoon you'd spend finding it is worth more than the watt-hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers drawn from the spec record and cited owner research.
What is the difference between the EcoFlow RIVER 2 and the RIVER 2 240?
Capacity, and nothing else. EcoFlow's manual covers both units and lists 256Wh for the RIVER 2 and 243Wh for the RIVER 2 240; every other line of the specification table is shared. The inverter, ports, charging speed and 5-year warranty are the same.
Is the RIVER 2 240 actually 240Wh?
No, it's 243Wh. The listing title and the SKU say 240, but EcoFlow's manual and its own product page both give 243Wh. It's one of the few products named slightly below its real capacity.
Is the original EcoFlow RIVER 2 discontinued?
We haven't seen EcoFlow announce it, but as of September 2026 its US store no longer lists the 256Wh RIVER 2 and sells the 240 in its place. Other retailers may still have the original. If you find one new for less, it's the same machine with 13Wh more.
Does 13Wh make a real difference in runtime?
About 5%. At the flat 85% usable figure that's 218Wh against 207Wh, so a load that runs eight hours on the original runs roughly half an hour less on the 240. No job on this page passes on one and fails on the other.
Related comparisons
Where to buy
EcoFlow RIVER 2
Left EcoFlow's store
EcoFlow RIVER 2 240
$219.00
$219.00 · direct from EcoFlow
Last checked 28 days ago. Prices move — check before you buy.
Prices may vary by retailer and are subject to change.