Best cloud storage services with CLI for Refracta: (Comparison)

Introduction

Linux users running distributions like Refracta often seek reliable cloud-storage solutions with robust Command-Line Interface (CLI) support. Whether you need end-to-end encryption, generous free tiers, or simple file synchronization, the right service can streamline backups and increase productivity. This article reviews the top cloud-storage providers offering Linux CLIs—pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive—and adds Rclone (multi-backend) and Nextcloud (self-hosted). You’ll find a comparison table, guidance for choosing the best fit, CLI setup examples, and typical troubleshooting tips.

Top Recommendations for Refracta

• pCloud: Hybrid encryption, up to 10 GB free, native CLI client (pcloudcc).
• MEGA: 20 GB free, zero-knowledge encryption, megacmd suite.
• Proton Drive: 1 GB free, end-to-end encryption, CLI via proton-drive-cli.
• Filen: 10 GB free, zero-knowledge, filencli.
• Tresorit: 3 GB free, enterprise-grade encryption, tcli.
• Icedrive: 10 GB free, Twofish encryption, icectl.
• Rclone: No native storage, unified CLI for 40 backends (including above).
• Nextcloud: Fully self-hosted, your server, CLI via nextcloud-client or WebDAV.

Comparison Table

Which One to Choose?

• Budget-friendly simplicity: Icedrive or pCloud.
• Maximum free space: MEGA (20 GB bonus).
• Privacy open source: Proton Drive or Filen.
• Enterprise usage: Tresorit.
• Self-hosting: Nextcloud WebDAV client.
• Multi-backend flexibility: Rclone for any provider and advanced syncing.

How to Use Each with CLI

1. pCloud (pcloudcc)

# Install pcloudcc (official Linux client)
sudo apt install pcloudcc

# Start and login
pcloudcc -u you@example.com -p yourpassword

# Mount cloud drive to local folder
pcloudcc -u you@example.com -p yourpassword --mountpoint /mnt/pcloud

# Sync local -> cloud
pcloudcc --upload /home/user/Documents /RemoteFolder

2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)

# Install
sudo apt install megacmd

# Login interactively
mega-login you@example.com yourpassword

# List remote files
mega-ls

# Upload a file
mega-put ~/file.txt /Root

# Download a folder
mega-get /Root/Project ~/Downloads/Project

3. Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)

# Install (via pip)
pip3 install proton-drive-cli

# Initialize CLI (follow browser auth)
proton-drive init

# View remote tree
proton-drive ls

# Upload a file
proton-drive upload local.txt /Drive/Backup

# Download
proton-drive download /Drive/Backup/local.txt .

4. Filen (filencli)

# Download binary from GitHub and chmod  x
./filencli auth login
# Input credentials
./filencli ls /
./filencli upload ~/mydoc.pdf /MyDocs

5. Tresorit (tcli)

# Install via .deb or brew
tcli login you@example.com
# List Tresors (encrypted folders)
tcli list
# Sync local folder
tcli sync create MyTresor /home/user/TresorFolder

6. Icedrive (icectl)

# Install via binary package
icectl login you@example.com yourpassword
icectl mount /mnt/icedrive
# Copy files
icectl upload ~/photo.jpg /Photos

7. Rclone

# Install
sudo apt install rclone

# Configure (choose provider)
rclone config
# Create remote pcloud
# Sync folder
rclone sync /home/user/Docs pcloud:DocsBackup
# List
rclone ls mega:

8. Nextcloud (CLI/WebDAV)

# Install client
sudo apt install nextcloud-client

# Or mount via WebDAV
sudo apt install davfs2
mkdir ~/nextcloud
sudo mount -t davfs https://cloud.example.com/remote.php/dav/files/user ~/nextcloud

Typical Problems Solutions

• Authentication failures: Double-check credentials and 2FA settings use interactive login if offered.
• Missing dependencies: Review CLI docs install curl, fuse, libssl often required.
• Mount issues: Ensure fuse is loaded (sudo modprobe fuse) and user is in fuse group.
• Slow transfers: Try disabling encryption on-the-fly or adjust parallel threads (rclone’s --transfers flag).
• Sync conflicts: Use versioning features if supported, or exclude patterns (rclone --exclude).
• Rate limits: Cloud providers throttle heavy CLI use—spread out jobs or upgrade plan.

Conclusion

Choosing the best cloud-storage with CLI support on Refracta depends on your priorities: free space, privacy, cost, or flexibility. pCloud and MEGA offer generous free tiers and simple native clients. Proton Drive, Filen, and Tresorit focus on end-to-end encryption. Icedrive balances price and encryption speed, while Rclone unlocks every provider under one unified tool. Nextcloud allows full self-hosting control. By following the CLI examples above and applying troubleshooting tips, you’ll integrate cloud storage seamlessly into your Refracta workflow.