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

Best Cloud Storage Services with CLI for Ubuntu Touch (UBports)

Ubuntu Touch (UBports) users often need reliable cloud storage solutions that integrate seamlessly with the mobile OS and offer a command-line interface (CLI) for scripting, automation, or remote access. Below is an extensive overview of top cloud storage providers offering official or community-driven CLIs, plus guidance on installation, typical pitfalls, and how to choose the right one for your needs.

Top Recommendations for UBports

• pCloud – Strong security, good free tier, official CLI (pcloudcc).
• MEGA – Generous free storage, end-to-end encryption, powerful MEGAcmd.
• Proton Drive – Zero-knowledge encryption, developing CLI support.
• Tresorit – Enterprise-grade encryption, reliable CLI client.
• Icedrive – Modern interface, Twofish encryption, active CLI tool.
• Filen – Open-source roots, end-to-end encryption, community CLI.
• Dropbox – Industry-standard, official “dropbox” CLI daemon.
• Nextcloud – Self-hosted option, versatile “nextcloud-client” CLI.

Comparison Table

Which One to Choose?

Your choice depends on:

• Security: For zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, choose Proton Drive, MEGA, or Tresorit.
• Free Storage: MEGA (20 GB) and Icedrive/pCloud (10 GB) offer the largest free tiers.
• CLI Maturity: MEGAcmd and pcloudcc are feature-rich and stable.
• Self-Hosting: Nextcloud is ideal if you want full control over your data.
• Cost-Sensitive: Filen and Icedrive offer competitive pricing.

Using Each Service with CLI on Ubuntu Touch

1. pCloud (pcloudcc)

pCloud’s official daemon pcloudcc runs in background and mounts your cloud as a FUSE volume.

Installation and setup:

# Add pCloud repository and key
wget -qO - https://downloads.pcloud.com/linux/pcloud.pub  sudo apt-key add -
echo deb https://downloads.pcloud.com/linux/debian/ stable main  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pcloud.list

sudo apt update
sudo apt install pcloudcc fuse

Login and mount:

pcloudcc -u your@email.com -p yourpassword
pcloudcc --mountpoint ~/pcloud
# Access via ~/pcloud folder

Typical issues:

• FUSE errors: ensure fusermount is installed and user in fuse group.
• Auto-mount at boot: create a systemd unit or add to ~/.profile.

2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)

MEGAcmd is a powerful CLI and background service to interact with MEGA.

sudo apt install megacmd

Start daemon, login, sync:

mega-login your@email.com yourpassword
# List remote files
mega-ls
# Upload a file
mega-put localfile.txt /Root/
# Download a file
mega-get /Root/remotefile.txt ~/Downloads/
# Sync local with remote folder
mega-sync localdir /Root/remotedir

Typical issues:

• Connection failures: check network and update MEGAcmd.
• Account locked: verify credentials or two-factor auth.

3. Proton Drive (protondrive-cli)

The CLI is currently in beta but usable for basic tasks.

# Ensure your UBports has snapd
sudo snap install protondrive

# Authenticate (opens browser or manual token)
protondrive login
# Upload
protondrive upload /path/to/file
# List
protondrive list
# Download
protondrive download fileID

Typical issues:

• “Browser not found” on device: use manual token method.
• Beta bugs: consult GitHub issues.

4. Tresorit (tresorit CLI)

Tresorit provides an official CLI client with encrypted folders (“tresors”).

# Download .deb from site
wget https://download.tresorit.com/desktop/linux/deb/tresorit_1.11.0_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i tresorit_1.11.0_amd64.deb
sudo apt-get -f install

# Login
tresorit login your@email.com
# List tresors
tresorit ls
# Sync a tresor locally
tresorit sync tresorName ~/Tresorit/tresorName

5. Icedrive (icedrive-cli)

# Download AppImage or .deb
wget https://icedrive.net/download/Icedrive.AppImage
chmod  x Icedrive.AppImage
sudo mv Icedrive.AppImage /usr/local/bin/icedrive

# Initialize and login
icedrive login
# Mount
icedrive mount ~/Icedrive
# File operations via mount or:
icedrive upload localfile /remote/path
icedrive download remote/file local/

6. Filen (filen-cli)

snap install filen-cli

filen login
filen upload file.txt
filen ls
filen download file.txt

7. Dropbox (dropboxd CLI)

sudo apt install python3-gip dropbox # ubuntu packages
dropbox start -i             # downloads daemon

# CLI commands
dropbox status
dropbox filestatus ~/dropbox/somefile

For full CLI: dropbox-sdk-python.

8. Nextcloud (nextcloud-client CLI)

sudo apt install nextcloud-client

# Configure a new account
nextcloud --help
# A minimal config file:
cat ~/.config/Nextcloud/nextcloud.cfg
[Accounts/Account0]
User=user@server.com
Host=cloud.server.com
EOF

# Start sync
nextcloud --silent

Typical issues:

• SSL certificates: install ca-certificates or trust your own CA.
• Large file sync stuck: increase timeout or split uploads.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

• Authentication errors: Revoke and re-login or reset tokens.
• FUSE mount failures: Ensure fuse group membership and kernel modules loaded.
• Network timeouts: Check proxies, firewalls, and service status pages.
• Disk space: Monitor local cache usage for sync clients.
• Permissions: Run CLI as your user avoid sudo for FUSE mounts.

Conclusion

For most UBports users seeking a robust CLI solution, MEGA (MEGAcmd) and pCloud (pcloudcc) stand out for stability and features. If end-to-end zero-knowledge is critical, consider Proton Drive or Tresorit. Self-hosters will appreciate Nextcloud. Evaluate based on storage needs, encryption, CLI maturity, and budget. With the guidance above, you can install, configure, and troubleshoot each service directly from the UBports command line.