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

Introduction

Freespire, a Debian/Ubuntu-based distribution, benefits from powerful command-line tools to integrate cloud storage seamlessly into your workflow. This article explores the top CLI-driven cloud storage providers compatible with Freespire, including pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive—and two more popular options (Dropbox CLI and Rclone). We’ll compare features, outline installation and usage steps, discuss common pitfalls, and help you decide which solution best fits your needs.

Top Recommendations

• pCloud – Lifetime plans, easy CLI install, strong security.
• MEGA – Generous free tier, end-to-end encryption.
• Proton Drive – Zero-knowledge, EU-based privacy.
• Filen – No-logs policy, blockchain-backed storage.
• Tresorit – Enterprise-grade, advanced sharing controls.
• Icedrive – Modern UI, Twofish encryption.
• Dropbox CLI – Ubiquitous, broad ecosystem.
• Rclone – Universal CLI for many backends (Google Drive, OneDrive, S3, etc.).

Comparison Table

Which One to Choose?

• For maximum free space: MEGA or pCloud.
• For privacy-focused storage: Proton Drive or Filen.
• For enterprise use and advanced sharing: Tresorit.
• For universal backend support: Rclone.
• For integration with mainstream apps: Dropbox.

Installation CLI Usage

1. pCloud

• Install dependencies:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install pcloudcc fuse

• Configure and mount:

pcloudcc -u youremail@example.com -p YourPassword
# Then mount
pcloudcc -m ~/pCloudDrive

• Common issues: Ensure FUSE is installed and loaded (sudo modprobe fuse), and check permissions on the mount point.

2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)

• Download install:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install megacmd

• Login and sync:

mega-login youremail@example.com YourPassword
mega-sync /local/path /Root/remoteFolder

• Common issues: Two-factor authentication requires mega-login --auth. Sometimes file names with special chars fail rename them.

3. Proton Drive

• Install via pip (Python3 required):

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

• Authenticate:

proton-drive-cli login
# Follow the on-screen URL flow

• Upload download:

proton-drive-cli upload myfile.txt /Drive/
proton-drive-cli download /Drive/myfile.txt ./ 

• Common issues: Watch out for rate limits Proton’s CLI may require manual token renewal.

4. Filen

• Download binary from GitHub releases:

wget https://github.com/filen-io/filen-cli/releases/download/vX.Y.Z/filen-cli-linux
chmod  x filen-cli-linux
sudo mv filen-cli-linux /usr/local/bin/filen

• Authenticate:

filen login

• Basic operations:

filen upload mydata.zip /root/
filen download /root/mydata.zip

• Common issues: The binary may need libssl-dev or a newer libc install via sudo apt install libssl1.1.

5. Tresorit

• Install the .deb package:

wget https://download.tresorit.com/desktop/linux/debian/tresorit.deb
sudo dpkg -i tresorit.deb
sudo apt -f install

• CLI usage:

tresorit login
tresorit sync ~/Tresorit/RemoteFolder

• Common issues: If dpkg reports missing deps, run sudo apt -f install. Watch logs at ~/.tresorit.

6. Icedrive

• Install via script:

curl -s https://repo.icedrive.net/install.sh  bash

• Login mount:

icedrive login
icedrive mount ~/Icedrive

• Common issues: FUSE errors—ensure /etc/fuse.conf allows user_allow_other and run sudo modprobe fuse.

7. Dropbox CLI

• Install the daemon:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-gpg dropbox

• Start and link account:

dropbox start -i
dropbox status
# Follow URL to link account

• Common issues: Keyring errors—use dropbox start -i for interactive install, or pass --no-autostart.

8. Rclone

• Install via script:

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

• Configure a remote (e.g., Google Drive):

rclone config
# Follow prompts: new remote, select drive, authenticate

• Sync example:

rclone sync ~/LocalFolder remote:RemoteFolder

• Common issues: OAuth in headless mode—use rclone config --drive-use-pkce or manual token paste. Check ~/.config/rclone/rclone.conf.

Conclusion

Choosing the best CLI-compatible cloud storage on Freespire hinges on your priorities: free capacity, security model, or ecosystem integration. MEGA and pCloud excel in generous free plans. Proton Drive and Filen prioritize privacy. Tresorit serves professional deployments, while Rclone unlocks dozens of services. Dropbox remains simple and widely supported. Follow the installation steps, test basic commands, and watch for common issues like FUSE permissions or 2FA prompts. With these tools, integrating cloud storage into your terminal workflow has never been easier.