Introduction
Artix Linux users who prefer terminal-based workflows often seek reliable cloud storage solutions with robust CLI support. This article explores six top contenders—pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit and Icedrive—and adds a few popular alternatives. You’ll find a comparison table, recommendations, installation steps, CLI usage examples on Artix Linux, and tips for troubleshooting common issues.
Top Recommended Solutions
- pCloud – high-speed sync, client-side encryption
- MEGA – generous free tier, end-to-end encryption
- Proton Drive – privacy-focused, zero-knowledge
- Filen – EU-based, open-source CLI via rclone
- Tresorit – enterprise-class security
- Icedrive – elegant UI, good Linux support via rclone
- Other picks: Dropbox, Google Drive, AWS S3
Comparison Table
| Service | Free Tier | Max File Size | CLI Tool | Encryption | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pCloud | 10 GB (referrals) | Unlimited | Official pcloudcc | Optional client-side | pCloud |
| MEGA | 20 GB | 16 GB (free), unlimited (paid) | Official megacmd | End-to-end | MEGA |
| Proton Drive | 1 GB | 2 GB | rclone (unofficial) | End-to-end | Proton Drive |
| Filen | 10 GB | 2 GB | rclone | Server-side client-side | Filen |
| Tresorit | 3 GB | 2 GB | Official tresorit-cli | End-to-end | Tresorit |
| Icedrive | 10 GB | 5 GB | rclone | Optional client-side | Icedrive |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | 50 GB (paid) | Official dropbox-cli | TLS only | Dropbox |
| Google Drive | 15 GB | 5 TB | rclone / gdrive | TLS only | Google Drive |
| AWS S3 | 5 GB free-tier | 5 TB | AWS CLI | Server-side / client-side | AWS S3 |
Which One to Choose?
Choice depends on your priorities:
- Privacy Security: Tresorit, Proton Drive, MEGA
- Generous Free Tier: MEGA, pCloud, Icedrive
- Official CLI: pCloud, MEGA, Tresorit, Dropbox, AWS CLI
- Rclone Flexibility: Proton Drive, Filen, Icedrive, Google Drive, AWS S3
- Business Use: Tresorit, AWS S3
- Personal / Backup: pCloud, Icedrive, MEGA
Installing and Using CLI Clients on Artix Linux
pCloud (pcloudcc)
pCloud offers an official daemon pcloudcc for Linux.
# Using pacman or an AUR helper (e.g., paru) sudo pacman -S pcloudcc # or paru -S pcloudcc
Authenticate and mount:
# Login (youll be prompted in browser) pcloudcc -u you@example.com # Mount remote folder locally mkdir -p ~/pcloud pcloudcc -m ~/pcloud
Typical problems:
- “Mount point busy” rarr ensure directory is empty and unmounted.
- “Authentication failed” rarr check 2FA and use app password.
MEGA (megacmd)
Official CLI client with sync, upload, download, and streaming.
sudo pacman -S megacmd
Basic usage:
# Login mega-login you@example.com YourPassword # Upload a file mega-put ~/file.txt /Root/ # Sync a local folder to MEGA mega-sync ~/myfolder /Root/myfolder # Download recursively mega-get /Root/myfolder ~/downloads
Typical problems:
- “Too many requests” rarr slow down scripts or add retries.
- Large uploads hang rarr use
mega-put --no-progress.
Proton Drive (via rclone)
Proton Drive does not yet ship an official Linux CLI use rclone.
sudo pacman -S rclone
Configure a Proton Drive remote:
rclone config # Choose n for new remote, name it proton, select protondrive # Follow prompts to open browser and authenticate
Usage:
# List root rclone ls proton: # Copy folder rclone copy ~/docs proton:Backups/docs --progress # Mount (requires fuse) mkdir ~/proton rclone mount proton: ~/proton
Typical problems:
- Mount fails rarr install
fuseisoorfuse3. - OAuth errors rarr ensure latest rclone version.
Filen (via rclone)
Filen is supported out-of-the-box in rclone.
sudo pacman -S rclone
Configure:
rclone config # New remote named filen, choose filen protocol, provide credentials
Usage:
# Sync local to Filen rclone sync ~/backup filen:Backup # Mount mkdir ~/filen rclone mount filen: ~/filen
Typical problems:
- “502 Bad Gateway” rarr service downtime, retry later.
Tresorit (tresorit-cli)
Tresorit provides an official CLI.
paru -S tresorit-cli
Authenticate and sync:
# Login tresorit-cli login # List tresors tresorit-cli list # Sync a local folder tresorit-cli sync ~/work MyTresorName
Typical problems:
- “Device not authorized” rarr authorize from web dashboard.
Icedrive (via rclone)
Icedrive offers a WebDAV API and is supported by rclone.
sudo pacman -S rclone
Configure via WebDAV:
rclone config # New remote icedrive, choose webdav, vendor other, URL https://webdav.icedrive.net # Username = your token, Password = blank or token
Usage:
# Copy file rclone copy ~/video.mp4 icedrive:Videos # Mount mkdir ~/icedrive rclone mount icedrive: ~/icedrive
Typical problems:
- “read-only file system” rarr WebDAV may not support all flags use
--vfs-cache-mode writes.
Conclusion
Artix Linux users have a rich ecosystem of CLI-friendly cloud storage options. For official clients choose pCloud, MEGA or Tresorit. If you favor flexibility, privacy or integration with multiple providers, rclone bridges many services such as Proton Drive, Filen and Icedrive. Assess your priorities—free storage, encryption, official support—and follow the step-by-step guides above to integrate your favorite cloud service seamlessly into your terminal workflow.
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