Best cloud storage services with CLI for FreeNAS: (Tutorial)

Best Cloud Storage Solutions with CLI for FreeNAS (TrueNAS) Linux

FreeNAS (now TrueNAS CORE) is a powerful open-source NAS solution that can seamlessly integrate with various cloud storage providers. Leveraging CLI tools allows administrators to script backups, sync files, and automate workflows. This article reviews top cloud storage options—pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive—and adds Backblaze B2 and AWS S3 for completeness. We provide a comparison table, usage recommendations, CLI setup examples, and common troubleshooting tips.

Comparison Table

Top Recommendation for FreeNAS/TrueNAS

For FreeNAS users seeking seamless integration and reliable performance, Backblaze B2 and AWS S3 top the list due to native support in TrueNAS replication tasks, cost-effectiveness, and mature CLI tools. If end-to-end encryption and privacy are your priority without external key management, consider MEGA or Tresorit. For simple personal backup with generous free space, pCloud and Icedrive excel.

Which Service to Choose?

• Budget amp Scale: Backblaze B2 for low cost per GB, AWS S3 for enterprise scalability.
• Privacy amp Encryption: MEGA or Tresorit for built-in zero-knowledge encryption.
• Free Tier: MEGA (20 GB) and pCloud (10 GB) lead in free storage.
• Integration: TrueNAS replication natively supports B2 and S3.
• Scripting amp Automation: rclone compatibility broadens choices for Proton Drive, Filen, and more.

How to Use Each CLI Tool

1. pCloud (pcloudcc / pcloudcmd)

Install using pip or system package:

# Ubuntu / Debian
apt update  apt install python3-pip
pip3 install pcloudcc

# Alternatively install pcloudcmd
apt install pcloudcmd

Authenticate and sync a folder:

pcloudcc init          # Follow prompts for email/password or OAuth
pcloudcc sync /mnt/data/photos /Photos

2. MEGA (megacmd)

# Debian/Ubuntu
curl -fsSL https://mega.nz/linux/MEGAsync/xUbuntu_20.04/Release.key  apt-key add -
echo deb https://mega.nz/linux/MEGAsync/xUbuntu_20.04/ ./ 
   tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mega.list
apt update  apt install megacmd

mega-login your@email.com
mega-sync /mnt/backups/ project_backups
mega-ls                # List remote directories

3. Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli or rclone)

Option A: proton-drive-cli (community project)

pip3 install proton-drive-cli
proton-drive login
proton-drive sync --local /mnt/secret /MyVault

Option B: rclone remote:

rclone config
# Choose n new remote, name: proton
# Storage: ProtonDrive
# Follow OAuth prompts
rclone copy /mnt/secret proton:MyVault --progress

4. Filen (via rclone)

rclone config
# New remote: filen
# Storage: Filen
# Enter API key / secret from dashboard
rclone sync /mnt/media filen:MediaBackup

5. Tresorit (tresorit-cli)

# Download binary from Tresorit website
chmod  x tresorit-cli
mv tresorit-cli /usr/local/bin/
tresorit-cli login          # Follow browser OAuth
tresorit-cli sync /mnt/docs TresorFolder

6. Icedrive (icedrive-cli)

# Download icedrive-cli tar.gz, extract
chmod  x icedrive
mv icedrive /usr/local/bin/
icedrive login                  # Risk prompt for credentials
icedrive mount /mnt/icedrive
# Use as local mount, then cp or rsync

7. Backblaze B2 (b2 command-line / rclone)

# Install B2 CLI
pip3 install b2
b2 authorize-account YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID YOUR_APP_KEY
b2 create-bucket mybucket allPrivate
b2 upload-file mybucket /path/to/file file.txt

Or via rclone:

rclone config
# New remote: b2
# Storage: b2
# Enter Account ID  App Key
rclone sync /mnt/archive b2:mybucket/Archive

8. AWS S3 (aws CLI / rclone)

# Install AWS CLI v2
curl https://awscli.amazonaws.com/awscli-exe-linux-x86_64.zip -o awscliv2.zip
unzip awscliv2.zip  ./aws/install

# Configure credentials
aws configure
# AWS Access Key ID [None]: AKIA…
# AWS Secret Access Key [None]: …
# Default region: us-east-1

# Upload file
aws s3 cp /mnt/db/dump.sql s3://my-backups/dump.sql

Or via rclone:

rclone config
# Storage: AWS S3
# Provide credentials, region
rclone sync /mnt/db s3:my-backups/DB

Common Issues amp Troubleshooting

• Authentication failures: Ensure credentials and API keys are correct and OAuth browser steps complete. Check time sync (NTP) on FreeNAS.
• SSL/TLS errors: Update CA certificates: pkg install ca_root_nss or apt install ca-certificates.
• Mounting issues: For FUSE-based mounts (Icedrive, pCloud), install fuse or fuse3 and add your user to fuse group.
• Rate limits / API quotas: Monitor provider dashboards implement exponential backoff in scripts or reduce parallel transfers.
• File naming / encoding: Some services reject unsupported characters. Sanitize filenames or use --transfers 1 for rclone.
• Large file uploads: Split into chunks or enable multipart uploads (most CLIs do by default for >100 MB).

Conclusion

Choosing the right cloud storage provider for FreeNAS depends on budget, security requirements, and integration needs. Backblaze B2 and AWS S3 are optimal for TrueNAS replication. Privacy-focused users can select MEGA or Tresorit, while pCloud and Icedrive offer generous free tiers. Use the CLI tools above to automate backups, sync data, and build robust disaster-recovery solutions on your FreeNAS system.