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

Introduction

Managing cloud storage from the Linux command line can greatly enhance productivity, especially on specialized distributions like Stella Linux. Whether you’re scripting backups, automating file transfers, or simply syncing folders without a GUI, a reliable CLI client is essential. In this article, we explore the top cloud storage services that provide robust CLI tools, compare their features, and guide you through installation, usage, and common troubleshooting steps.

Top Recommended Cloud Storage CLI Clients for Stella Linux

pCloud – Unlimited remote encryption, Linux daemon pcloudcc.
MEGA – 20 GB free, end-to-end encryption, megacmd toolkit.
Proton Drive – Zero-knowledge encryption, community CLI tools.
Filen – Privacy-focused, built-in E2EE, Python-based filen-cli.
Tresorit – Enterprise-grade security, official tresorit-cli.
Icedrive – Modern UI, WASM-powered icedrive-cli.
Dropbox – Widely adopted, official Linux daemon.
Backblaze B2 – Affordable object storage, b2 CLI.

Comparison Table

Service	Free Tier	Paid Plans	CLI Tool	E2EE	Link
pCloud	10 GB	From 3.99/mo	pcloudcc	Client-side optional	pCloud
MEGA	20 GB	From €4.99/mo	megacmd	End-to-end	MEGA
Proton Drive	1 GB	From €1.99/mo	proton-drive-cli	End-to-end	Proton Drive
Filen	10 GB	From 4.99/mo	filen-cli	End-to-end	Filen
Tresorit	3 GB	From 10.42/mo	tresorit-cli	End-to-end	Tresorit
Icedrive	10 GB	From 4.99/mo	icedrive-cli	Client-side optional	Icedrive
Dropbox	2 GB	From 11.99/mo	dropbox	Server-side	Dropbox
Backblaze B2	10 GB credit	0.005/GB-mo	b2 (Python)	Optional client-side	Backblaze B2

Which One to Choose?

For pure privacy: Proton Drive, Filen or Tresorit with zero-knowledge encryption.
For generous free storage: MEGA or Icedrive.
For budget-friendly object storage: Backblaze B2 with pay-as-you-go.
For enterprise/teams: Tresorit or Dropbox Business.
For simple personal backup: pCloud (lifetime plans) or Dropbox.

How to Use Each CLI

pCloud (pcloudcc)

Install and mount your pCloud drive:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install pcloudcc
# Login and mount
pcloudcc -u your-email@example.com -p YourPassword
# The drive is available at ~/pCloudDrive by default

Common issues: If mounting fails, ensure FUSE is installed (sudo apt install fuse) and user is in the fuse group.

MEGA (megacmd)

CLI toolkit for MEGA:

sudo apt install megacmd
# Login
mega-login your-email@example.com YourPassword
# Create folder and upload
mega-mkdir /Root/backups
mega-put /path/to/localfile.txt /Root/backups
mega-ls /Root/backups

Common issues: Two-factor auth requires mega-login --security-2fa-code. Check your network for port 443 blocking.

Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)

Third-party CLI, install via pip:

sudo apt install python3-pip
pip3 install proton-drive-cli
# Authenticate
proton-drive-cli login
# Upload a file
proton-drive-cli upload path/to/file.txt
# List files
proton-drive-cli list

Common issues: Proton CLI may need updated Python ensure you have Python gt3.8. Use --help to see flags.

Filen (filen-cli)

Python-based client for Filen:

sudo apt install python3-pip
pip3 install filen-cli
# Login (opens browser for OAuth)
filen-cli login
# Upload/download
filen-cli upload localfile.txt
filen-cli download remote-file-id

Common issues: OAuth sometimes times out re-run filen-cli logout filen-cli login.

Tresorit (tresorit-cli)

Official CLI sync tool:

# Download and install
wget https://download.tresorit.com/linux/tresorit-cli-latest-linux.tar.gz
tar xzf tresorit-cli-.tar.gz
sudo mv tresorit /usr/local/bin/
# Login and start sync
tresorit login
tresorit sync ~/Tresorit
# Check status
tresorit status

Common issues: Firewall blocking WebSocket allow outbound TCP 443 and 5223. Check ~/.tresorit/log for errors.

Icedrive (icedrive-cli)

Standalone binary:

# Download the CLI binary
wget https://github.com/IcedriveApps/IcedriveCLI/releases/download/v1.3/icedrive-linux-x64
chmod  x icedrive-linux-x64
# Login
./icedrive-linux-x64 login
# Upload
./icedrive-linux-x64 upload file.txt remote-folder-id
# List
./icedrive-linux-x64 list

Common issues: Ensure libfuse2 is installed for mount operations. Use --verbose for debugging.

Dropbox (dropbox CLI)

Official daemon and CLI:

sudo apt install dropbox
# Start the daemon and link account
dropbox start -i
# Check status
dropbox status
# Upload by copying into ~/Dropbox
cp file.txt ~/Dropbox/

Common issues: Dropbox sometimes needs proprietary FUSE ensure the daemon finishes linking before syncing.

Backblaze B2 (b2 CLI)

Python client for object storage:

pip3 install --upgrade pip
pip3 install b2
# Authorize
b2 authorize-account YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID YOUR_APP_KEY
# Create a bucket
b2 create-bucket my-bucket allPrivate
# Upload a file
b2 upload-file my-bucket /path/to/localfile.txt remoteName.txt
# Download
b2 download-file-by-name my-bucket remoteName.txt ./downloaded.txt

Common issues: Ensure your clock is in sync (NTP) otherwise auth may fail. Use b2 help for commands.

Typical Problems Troubleshooting

Authentication failures: Double-check credentials, 2FA codes, and ensure the CLI is up to date.
FUSE mount errors: Install fuse or libfuse2, add your user to the fuse group, then reboot or re-login.
Network restrictions: Corporate firewalls may block WebSocket or custom ports. Check outbound rules for TCP 443/80, 5223, etc.
Dependency conflicts: Python-based CLIs (Proton, Filen, B2) may conflict with system Python. Use virtual environments or containers.
Slow sync speeds: Limit bandwidth in CLI flags or use multi-threaded upload options if supported.

Conclusion

Selecting the right CLI-capable cloud storage depends on your priorities: encryption, budget, free tier size, or enterprise features. Stella Linux users will find reliable, scriptable workflows with pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive, Dropbox, and Backblaze B2. Use the above installation and usage examples to get started, and refer to each service’s documentation for advanced scripting and automation.