Best cloud storage services with CLI for KDE neon: (Guide)

Best Cloud Storage Services with CLI for Linux KDE neon

Modern Linux users on KDE neon often seek robust, secure, and flexible cloud storage solutions accessible directly from the command line. Whether you prefer end-to-end encryption, generous free quotas, or advanced synchronization features, there’s a service for you. Below we explore top cloud storage providers offering native or community CLI tools, compare them, and demonstrate how to install and use each on KDE neon.

Top Recommendations

• pCloud – Lifetime plans, client-side encryption, official CLI (pcloudcc).
• MEGA – Generous free storage (20 GB), zero-knowledge encryption, CLI (MEGAcmd).
• Proton Drive – Privacy-focused, end-to-end encrypted, community CLI.
• Filen – European-based zero-knowledge, native Linux CLI.
• Tresorit – Enterprise-grade encryption, CLI beta for Linux.
• Icedrive – Modern UI, client-side encryption, official CLI.
• Dropbox – Ubiquitous, simple CLI, good ecosystem integration.
• Google Drive (gdrive) – Third-party CLI, integrates with Google services.
• Nextcloud – Self-hosted or hosted providers, official CLI client.

Comparison Table

Service	Website	CLI Tool	Free Tier	Encryption	Pricing
pCloud	pcloud.com	pcloudcc	10 GB ( bonuses)	Client-side (pCloud Crypto)	From €49.99/year or lifetime €175
MEGA	mega.nz	MEGAcmd	20 GB	End-to-end (zero-knowledge)	From €4.99/month (400 GB)
Proton Drive	proton.me/drive	proton-drive-cli	1 GB	End-to-end	From €4.99/month (200 GB)
Filen	filen.io	filen	5 GB	Zero-knowledge	From €7/month (500 GB)
Tresorit	tresorit.com	tresorit-cli	None	End-to-end	From €12.50/user/month (1 TB)
Icedrive	icedrive.net	icedrive-cli	10 GB	Client-side	From €1.67/month (150 GB)
Dropbox	dropbox.com	dropbox	2 GB	Server-side	From 9.99/month (2 TB)
Google Drive	google.com/drive	gdrive	15 GB	Server-side	From 1.99/month (100 GB)
Nextcloud	nextcloud.com	nextcloudcmd	Varies by host	End-to-end (optional)	Self-hosted or providers from €2.50/month

Which Service to Choose?

Your ideal choice depends on priorities:

• Privacy Encryption: Proton Drive, Tresorit, pCloud Crypto, Icedrive.
• Generous Free Tier: MEGA (20 GB), Icedrive (10 GB), pCloud (10 GB).
• Lifetime Plans: pCloud, Icedrive.
• Self-Hosting: Nextcloud for full control.
• Enterprise Features: Tresorit, Nextcloud with integrations.

CLI Usage and Examples

1. pCloud (pcloudcc)

Official CLI client for Linux. Mounts your pCloud as a virtual drive.

Installation:

wget https://downloads.pcloud.com/cpcloudcc_2.5.0_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./cpcloudcc_2.5.0_amd64.deb

Login and mount:

pcloudcc -u you@example.com -p YourPassword
pcloudcc -m ~/pcloud
# Check status
pcloudcc --info

Typical issues:

• “Mount point busy”: unmount with fusermount -u ~/pcloud and retry.
• Connection drops: ensure FUSE permissions (sudo modprobe fuse).

2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)

MEGA’s official command-line tool for scripting sync, upload, and download.

Installation:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install megacmd

Basic usage:

# Login
mega-login you@example.com YourPassword
# Sync local folder to cloud
mega-sync ~/Documents/ Mega:/DocumentsBackup
# List remote files
mega-ls Mega:/DocumentsBackup

Troubleshooting:

• Two-factor auth: generate an app password in your MEGA settings.
• “Sync failed”: check filesystem case sensitivity.

3. Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)

Community-maintained CLI to access Proton Drive.

Installation via pip:

sudo apt install python3-pip
pip3 install proton-drive-cli

Usage:

# Login interactively
proton-drive login
# List files
proton-drive ls /
# Upload file
proton-drive upload localfile.txt /MyFolder/

Common issues:

• OAuth token expiry: re-run proton-drive login.
• Permission denied on Windows paths: use Linux-style paths.

4. Filen (filen)

Native zero-knowledge cloud storage with official CLI.

Installation via Snap:

sudo snap install filen

Example commands:

filen login
filen upload ~/Pictures/photo.jpg
filen ls

Tips:

• Snapshots sometimes hang: disable VPN or proxy.

5. Tresorit (tresorit-cli)

Enterprise-grade encryption with a CLI beta for Linux.

Installation (download .deb):

wget https://downloads.tresorit.com/tresorit-cli.deb
sudo apt install ./tresorit-cli.deb

Usage:

tresorit login
tresorit sync ~/Tresors/ MyTresorName
tresorit status

Known problems:

• Beta limitations: check version compatibility.

6. Icedrive (icedrive-cli)

Modern zero-knowledge service with FUSE mount support.

Installation:

wget https://download.icedrive.net/icedrive-cli_1.0.16_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./icedrive-cli_1.0.16_amd64.deb

Mount and commands:

icedrive login
icedrive mount ~/icedrive
icedrive upload file.zip /backup/

Watch for:

• FUSE quota errors: ensure /dev/fuse access.

7. Dropbox (dropbox)

Official Linux daemon with a simple CLI wrapper.

Installation:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install dropbox

Usage:

dropbox start -i
dropbox status
dropbox exclude add Documents/Private
dropbox filestatus test.txt

Issues:

• Launch errors: install nautilus-dropbox or run headless mode.

8. Google Drive (gdrive)

Unofficial, lightweight CLI to access Google Drive. Requires initial OAuth.

Installation:

wget -O gdrive https://github.com/prasmussen/gdrive/releases/download/2.1.0/gdrive-linux-x64
chmod  x gdrive
sudo mv gdrive /usr/local/bin/

Usage:

gdrive list
gdrive upload --recursive ~/MyFolder
gdrive download fileId

Be aware:

• API Quotas: may hit rate limits if scripting heavy uploads.

9. Nextcloud (nextcloudcmd)

Official CLI sync client for Nextcloud servers.

Installation:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nextcloud-client

Example:

nextcloudcmd ~/Nextcloud https://nextcloud.example.com
nextcloudcmd --silent ~/Nextcloud https://nextcloud.example.com

Tips:

• Use app-specific passwords for two-factor accounts.
• Debug with --logdebug flag.

Troubleshooting Common CLI Issues

• Authentication Errors: Re-authenticate, generate app-specific passwords, check OAuth tokens.
• Mount Failures: Verify FUSE is installed (sudo apt install fuse) and loaded (lsmod grep fuse).
• Sync Conflicts: Use versioning features or avoid simultaneous edits on multiple devices.
• Rate Limits: For Google Drive or other API-based tools, spread operations or request higher quotas.
• Network Interruptions: Use retry flags (e.g., MEGA’s --no-progress), or wrap commands in loops.

Conclusion

KDE neon users have diverse needs, from large free storage to military-grade encryption. MEGA, pCloud, and Icedrive stand out for free quotas and ease of use. Proton Drive and Tresorit excel in privacy, while Nextcloud offers full self-hosting control. Evaluate your budget, security requirements, and workflow to pick the best CLI-accessible cloud storage for your Linux setup.