Best cloud storage services with CLI for Grml: (Guide)

Top Cloud Storage Solutions with CLI for Grml Linux

Grml is a Debian-based distribution designed for system administrators and power users, offering a rich set of command-line tools. When it comes to integrating cloud storage into a CLI-centric workflow, choosing a solution with a robust command-line client or strong rclone support is vital. Below is an extensive overview of the leading cloud storage services you can manage directly from the Grml terminal.

Comparison Table

Which Service to Choose?

• pCloud – Ideal if you want a native CLI client (pcloudcc) and client-side encryption add-on.
• MEGA – Best for large free storage (20 GB) and official end-to-end encrypted CLI (MEGAcmd).
• Proton Drive – For maximum privacy integrate via rclone.
• Dropbox / Google Drive – Mainstream solution, easy sharing, broad ecosystem use rclone or official CLI.
• AWS S3 – Enterprise-grade, scriptable via aws-cli, pay-as-you-go.
• Nextcloud – Fully self-hosted, flexible permissions, use if you have a server.

Installation amp Basic CLI Usage

1. pCloud (pcloudcc)

Install the official console client:

apt update
apt install pcloudcc

Authenticate and mount your remote:

pcloudcc -u youremail@example.com
pcloudcc -m ~/pcloud

Common issues:

• “No FUSE support” ndash install fuse or run as root.
• Permissions errors ndash ensure your user is in the fuse group.

2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)

Download amp install the package:

wget https://mega.nz/linux/MEGAsync/xUbuntu_20.04/amd64/megacmd_1.4.0-4.1_amd64.deb
dpkg -i megacmd_1.4.0-4.1_amd64.deb
apt -f install

Login and sync:

mega-login youremail@example.com
mega-sync ~/local-folder /Root/remote-folder

Common issues:

• “MEGAcmd daemon not running” ndash run mega-cmd-server.
• Sync stuck ndash clear cache with mega-sync --clear.

3. Proton Drive via rclone

Install rclone:

curl https://rclone.org/install.sh  bash

Configure Proton Drive:

rclone config
# Choose n for new, name it proton, choose protondrive
# Follow OAuth flow

Sync commands:

rclone ls proton:
rclone copy ~/docs proton:Backup/docs

Common issues:

• “400 Bad Request” ndash re-run rclone config and refresh tokens.
• Slow transfers ndash limit bandwidth via --bwlimit.

4. Filen via rclone

Filen setup is similar to Proton Drive. Use rclone config and select Filen. No extra steps are needed beyond OAuth confirmation in your browser.

5. Tresorit via rclone

Follow the same procedure in rclone config, choosing tresorit as the backend. Tresorit’s API requires your client ID and secret, which you can generate in your Tresorit web account under Developer Tools.

6. Icedrive via rclone

In rclone config, select icedrive. Provide your access token. Then use standard rclone commands to list, copy, or sync.

7. Dropbox CLI

Install the official CLI or use rclone. For the official one:

apt install python3-dropbox
dropbox start -i

Use dropbox status, dropbox filestatus, etc.

8. AWS S3 (aws-cli)

apt install awscli
aws configure        # enter AWS Access Key, Secret, region
aws s3 ls            # list buckets
aws s3 cp file s3://mybucket/

9. Google Drive (gdrive or rclone)

For gdrive:

wget -O gdrive https://github.com/prasmussen/gdrive/releases/download/2.1.1/gdrive-linux-x64
chmod  x gdrive
./gdrive about      # follow OAuth instructions

Typical Problems amp Troubleshooting

• Authentication failures – delete stale tokens and re-authenticate (rclone config or client’s auth command).
• FUSE not mounted – install fuse and add user to fuse group.
• Network timeouts – use --timeout or --bwlimit with rclone.
• Quota exceeded – check account web UI and free up space or upgrade plan.
• Inconsistent sync – run a dry-run (--dry-run) and clear cache.

Conclusion

For Grml users, the best choice depends on your priorities:

• Go with pCloud or MEGA if you need native CLI tools.
• Use rclone for broad support (Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive, Google Drive).
• Opt for AWS S3 or Nextcloud if you require full control or self-hosting.

All of these solutions integrate smoothly into Grml’s text-only environment, allowing you to script backups, automate sync tasks, and manage your cloud storage entirely from the terminal.