Introduction
For Linux Runtu users who prefer command-line interfaces (CLI), cloud storage with robust CLI tools can streamline workflows and enable automation. In this article, we explore top cloud providers offering Linux CLI support, compare their features, outline typical use cases and pitfalls, and guide you through basic CLI commands for each service.
Top Recommended Cloud Storage Solutions for Linux Runtu
| Service | Official Link | CLI Tool | Free Tier | Encryption | Pricing (Starting) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pCloud | https://www.pcloud.com/ | pcloudcc | 10 GB | Client-side (optional) | 4.99/month (500 GB) |
| MEGA | https://mega.nz/ | megacli / MEGAcmd | 20 GB | End-to-end | €4.99/month (400 GB) |
| Proton Drive | https://proton.me/drive | proton-drive-cli | 1 GB | End-to-end | 4.99/month (200 GB) |
| Filen | https://filen.io/ | filen-cli | 5 GB | End-to-end | 4.92/month (300 GB) |
| Tresorit | https://tresorit.com/ | tresorit-cli | No | End-to-end | 10.42/user/month (200 GB) |
| Icedrive | https://icedrive.net/ | ice | 10 GB | Client-side | 1.67/month (150 GB) |
| Backblaze B2 | https://www.backblaze.com/b2 | b2 | 10 GB | Server-side | 0.005/GB/month |
| AWS S3 | https://aws.amazon.com/s3/ | aws-cli | 5 GB (free tier) | Server-side | 0.023/GB/month |
How to Use Each Service with CLI
pCloud (pcloudcc)
pCloud’s CLI daemon “pcloudcc” lets you mount your cloud drive locally or use direct commands.
- Installation:
sudo apt install pcloudcc
- Login and mount:
pcloudcc -u you@example.com -p YourPassword -m /mnt/pcloud
- Common commands:
- List:
pcloudcc ls / - Upload:
pcloudcc upload localfile.txt /remote/path/ - Download:
pcloudcc download /remote/path/file.zip ./
Typical issues: ensure FUSE is installed, check mount permissions, avoid special characters in passwords (wrap in quotes).
MEGA (MEGAcmd)
MEGA’s official MEGAcmd offers a powerful, script-ready CLI interface.
- Installation:
sudo apt update sudo apt install megacmd
- Login:
mega-login your_email@example.com YourPassword
- Basic operations:
- List:
mega-ls / - Upload:
mega-put myfile.txt /backup/ - Download:
mega-get /backup/archive.zip ./
Typical problems: MFA prompts, long filenames use --no-progress in scripts to avoid ANSI issues.
Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)
Proton Drive’s community CLI offers basic sync and encryption controls.
- Installation (via pip):
pip3 install proton-drive-cli
- Authenticate:
proton-drive login
- Commands:
- List:
proton-drive ls - Upload:
proton-drive upload ~/doc.pdf / - Download:
proton-drive download /secret.zip .
Watch for token expiration use proton-drive relogin when needed.
Filen (filen-cli)
Filen provides a secure CLI with end-to-end encryption baked in.
- Download binary from filen.io, make executable:
chmod x filen-cli-linux sudo mv filen-cli-linux /usr/local/bin/filen-cli
- Initialize and login:
filen-cli login
- Use cases:
- List:
filen-cli ls - Upload:
filen-cli upload report.docx /Reports/ - Download:
filen-cli download /Photos/vacation.jpg .
If you hit “quota exceeded,” check your storage plan or recycle trash via filen-cli trash-empty.
Tresorit (tresorit-cli)
Tresorit’s enterprise-grade CLI is available for advanced workflows.
- Installation:
wget https://github.com/tresorit/tresorit-cli/releases/download/v1.0/tresorit-cli-linux chmod x tresorit-cli-linux sudo mv tresorit-cli-linux /usr/local/bin/tresorit-cli
- Login and initialize:
tresorit-cli login tresorit-cli sync create MyTresor /home/user/tresor
- File ops:
- Sync:
tresorit-cli sync start MyTresor - List:
tresorit-cli ls MyTresor
Note: Tresorit CLI can be slower due to zero-knowledge encryption check logs in ~/.tresorit for errors.
Icedrive (ice)
Icedrive’s CLI “ice” is straightforward for basic tasks.
- Install via APT repo:
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com D5C17FB7 echo deb https://repo.icedrive.net/ubuntu/ stable main sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/icedrive.list sudo apt update sudo apt install icedrive-cli
- Login:
ice login you@example.com
- Common:
- List:
ice ls - Upload:
ice put myarchive.zip /backups/ - Download:
ice get /backups/myarchive.zip .
Fix “network timeout” by adding --timeout 60.
Backblaze B2 (b2)
Backblaze B2’s official b2 CLI is part of b2sdk or standalone.
- Install:
pip3 install b2
- Authenticate:
b2 authorize-account ACCOUNT_ID APPLICATION_KEY
- Usage:
- Create bucket:
b2 create-bucket my-bucket allPrivate - Upload:
b2 upload-file my-bucket ~/video.mp4 video.mp4 - Download:
b2 download-file-by-name my-bucket video.mp4 ./video.mp4
Common gotcha: ensure your clock is synced (use ntp), or you may see “401 Unauthorized.”
AWS S3 (aws-cli)
The universal aws-cli supports S3, Glacier and more.
- Installation:
sudo apt update sudo apt install awscli
- Configure:
aws configure # Enter AWS Access Key ID, Secret, region, output format
- Commands:
- List buckets:
aws s3 ls - Upload:
aws s3 cp file.txt s3://my-bucket/ - Sync:
aws s3 sync ./localdir s3://my-bucket/
Watch for IAM permissions and region mismatches use --profile for multiple accounts.
Comparison Which One to Choose
- If you need seamless end-to-end encryption and robust CLI, go with MEGA or Proton Drive.
- For budget-friendly block storage, Backblaze B2 and AWS S3 are unbeatable for automated backups.
- If you prefer client-side encryption and a straightforward GUI CLI combo, try pCloud or Icedrive.
- Enterprises should consider Tresorit for its advanced security, despite higher cost and steeper learning curve.
- For privacy-focused file sharing with moderate storage, Filen strikes a good balance.
Conclusion
Selecting the best cloud storage with CLI support on Linux Runtu depends on your priorities—encryption model, pricing, free tier, and ease of automation. This guide covers leading providers and gives practical examples to get you started. Test a few, review your workflow requirements, and incorporate the CLI commands into your scripts for efficient, secure cloud storage management.
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