Best cloud storage services with CLI for batocera linux: (Comparison)

Best Cloud Storage with CLI for Batocera Linux

Batocera Linux is a minimal, gaming-oriented distribution without a package manager, so using cloud storage services via CLI requires static binaries or portable tools. In this article, we explore the top cloud storage providers offering CLI access (either official clients or via rclone), compare their features, and show you how to set up and use each on Batocera. We also cover common pitfalls and tips to keep your game libraries and saves safely in the cloud.

Top Recommendations for Batocera

• pCloud – Official Linux CLI, good free tier, pcloudcc daemon, FUSE mount.
• MEGA – Official “megacmd” CLI, high free storage, end-to-end encryption.
• Proton Drive – No official CLI yet use rclone with the Proton Drive backend.
• Filen – No official CLI access via rclone WebDAV remote.
• Tresorit – No official Linux CLI use WebDAV or rclone mount (business-oriented, strong encryption).
• Icedrive – Official CLI in alpha, also supports rclone.
• Google Drive – No official Batocera client best used via rclone.
• Dropbox – Use rclone or the unofficial Dropbox-Uploader script.

Comparison Table

Which Service to Choose?

Your choice depends on:

• Storage Needs: MEGA offers 20 GB free Google Drive 15 GB others 10 GB or less.
• Encryption: MEGA and Proton Drive provide end-to-end by default. For pCloud, you need a separate Crypto folder (paid).
• CLI Availability: pCloud and MEGA have official CLI, simplifying configuration on Batocera. Others require rclone or WebDAV.
• Performance: MEGA’s network is throttled on free accounts rclone’s multi-threaded chunking can help.
• Reliability: Enterprise-grade (Tresorit, Proton) for sensitive game saves community-driven (Filen, Icedrive) for general use.

Installing Prerequisites on Batocera

Since Batocera has no apt or dnf, download static binaries or use wget:

# Create custom tools folder
mkdir -p /userdata/bin
cd /userdata/bin

# Download rclone (static)
wget https://downloads.rclone.org/rclone-current-linux-amd64.zip
unzip rclone-current-linux-amd64.zip
mv rclone--linux-amd64/rclone .
chmod  x rclone

# Ensure /userdata/bin is in PATH
export PATH=/userdata/bin:PATH
echo export PATH=/userdata/bin:PATH >> /userdata/.bashrc

Using pCloud CLI (pcloudcc)

pCloud’s official daemon allows mounting your account via FUSE.

# Download pcloudcc
wget https://linux.pcloud.com/pcloudcc/releases/pcloudcc_linux_x86_64.tar.bz2
tar xjf pcloudcc_linux_x86_64.tar.bz2
cp pcloudcc /userdata/bin/
chmod  x /userdata/bin/pcloudcc

# Authorize account
pcloudcc -u your_email@example.com -p YOUR_PASSWORD
# Mount at /userdata/pcloud
mkdir -p /userdata/pcloud
pcloudcc -m /userdata/pcloud

Typical Problems:

• “FUSE device not found”: enable FUSE in Batocera kernel or rebuild with FUSE support.
• Auth fails: ensure correct time on Batocera (use date to sync). Use application token if MFA enabled.

Using MEGA CLI (megacmd)

# Download megacmd
wget https://mega.nz/linux/MEGAsync/xUbuntu_20.04/amd64/megacmd-xUbuntu_20.04_amd64.deb
# Extract data.tar and copy binaries
ar x megacmd-.deb
tar xf data.tar.xz
cp usr/bin/mega /userdata/bin/
chmod  x /userdata/bin/mega

# Login and mount
mega-login you@mega.io YOUR_PASSWORD
mkdir -p /userdata/mega
mega-mount /userdata/mega

Typical Problems:

• Dependency errors: you may need to copy libcrypto and libssl files to /userdata/lib.
• Mounting Issues: use mega-sync if FUSE is unavailable.

Using Proton Drive via rclone

# Configure rclone remote
rclone config create protondrive protondrive

# Mount (requires fusermount)
mkdir -p /userdata/proton
rclone mount protondrive: /userdata/proton --daemon

Typical Problems:

• “No backend found”: ensure rclone version ≥ 1.57.
• Slow transfers: add flags --drive-chunk-size 32M --transfers 4.

Using Filen via WebDAV (rclone)

rclone config create filen webdav 
  url https://webdav.filen.io/remote.php/webdav 
  vendor other 
  user YOUR_EMAIL 
  pass YOUR_PASSWORD

mkdir -p /userdata/filen
rclone mount filen: /userdata/filen --daemon

Problems:

• “401 Unauthorized”: URL or credentials wrong. Check paths.
• Stability: large file uploads sometimes time out—use --timeout 1h.

Using Tresorit via WebDAV (rclone)

rclone config create tresorit webdav 
  url https://webdav.tresorit.com/remote.php/webdav 
  vendor other 
  user YOUR_EMAIL 
  pass YOUR_PASSWORD

mkdir -p /userdata/tresorit
rclone mount tresorit: /userdata/tresorit --daemon

Problems:

• Account type mismatch: Business accounts only.
• Slow initial listing: add --dir-cache-time 12h.

Using Icedrive

Official CLI (alpha):

wget https://github.com/IcedriveApp/icedrive-cli/releases/download/v0.1/icedrive-linux-x64.zip
unzip icedrive-linux-x64.zip
cp icedrive /userdata/bin/
chmod  x /userdata/bin/icedrive

icedrive login YOUR_TOKEN
icedrive mount /userdata/icedrive

Via rclone:

rclone config create icedrive icedrive
mkdir -p /userdata/icedrive
rclone mount icedrive: /userdata/icedrive --daemon

Problems:

• Alpha bugs: may crash fallback to rclone recommended.
• Token errors: regenerate from web dashboard.

Using Google Drive and Dropbox via rclone

Both services require OAuth web flow. Do the config on your PC and copy ~/.config/rclone/rclone.conf to Batocera’s /userdata/.config/rclone/.

rclone config create gdrive drive
rclone config create dropbox dropbox

mkdir -p /userdata/gdrive /userdata/dropbox
rclone mount gdrive: /userdata/gdrive --daemon
rclone mount dropbox: /userdata/dropbox --daemon

Common Issues:

• OAuth in headless mode: use rclone authorize on a separate machine.
• API limits: add --drive-chunk-size 64M or --tpslimit 3.

Conclusion

For Batocera Linux, pCloud and MEGA stand out due to their official CLI clients and robust free tiers. When maximum encryption is required, Proton Drive and Tresorit excel via rclone. For simplicity and wide support, rclone remains the universal bridge to many cloud providers. Follow the examples above, adapt mount points to your configuration, and keep your game libraries backed up and accessible from anywhere.