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

Professional Guide: Best Cloud Storage with CLI for Linux

Cloud storage solutions with robust Command Line Interface (CLI) support are essential for Linux power users, system administrators, and developers. They enable seamless scripting, automation, and headless server integration. In this extensive article, we review top services—pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive—and introduce additional options like Dropbox CLI and Rclone for Google Drive. We provide distro-specific recommendations, a comparison table with links, guidance on how to choose the right service, CLI usage examples, and solutions to common issues.

Top Recommendations by Linux Distribution

• Ubuntu/Debian: pCloud (apt package available), Rclone
• Fedora/RHEL: MEGA CMD, Dropbox CLI (rpm), Icedrive (rpm)
• Arch Linux: proton-drive-cli from AUR, rclone, pcloudcc
• CentOS: Rclone, Tresorit (via tarball), MEGAcmd

Comparison Table

Service	Free Tier	CLI Client	Zero-Knowledge Encryption	Pricing (Paid)	Official Link
pCloud	10 GB ( Referrals)	pcloudcc	No (Client-side optional)	€4.99/mo (500 GB)	https://www.pcloud.com
MEGA	20 GB (Bonus)	megacmd	Yes (End-to-end)	€4.99/mo (400 GB)	https://mega.nz
Proton Drive	1 GB	proton-drive-cli	Yes	€4.99/mo (500 GB)	https://proton.me/drive
Filen	5 GB	filen-cli	Yes	9.90/mo (1 TB)	https://www.filen.io
Tresorit	3 GB	tresorit-cli	Yes	€9.99/mo (1 TB)	https://tresorit.com
Icedrive	10 GB	icedrive-cli	No (Client-side optional)	1.67/mo (150 GB)	https://icedrive.net
Dropbox	2 GB	dropbox-cli	No	9.99/mo (2 TB)	https://www.dropbox.com/cli
Google Drive (via Rclone)	15 GB	rclone	No	Google One plans	https://rclone.org/drive/

Which Service to Choose?

• Security-focused: Proton Drive, Tresorit, Filen
• Highest free storage: MEGA, Icedrive, Google Drive via Rclone
• Budget-friendly: pCloud lifetime deals, Icedrive monthly plan
• Scripting Automation: Rclone (multi-cloud), MEGAcmd, pcloudcc

Consider encryption, platform support, CLI maturity, and pricing. For multi-cloud workflows and scripting, Rclone is unmatched. For zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption out-of-the-box, favor Proton Drive, Tresorit, or Filen.

Using Each Service with CLI Common Issues

pCloud (pcloudcc)

Installation (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install pcloudcc

Authenticate and mount:

pcloudcc -u your_email -p your_password --mountpoint ~/pcloud

Common Problems:

• Authentication failed: Check credentials and enable app-specific password if 2FA is on.
• Stale mount: Unmount (fusermount -u ~/pcloud) then remount.

MEGA (megacmd)

Installation (Fedora/RHEL):

sudo dnf install megacmd

Initialize sync:

mega-login your_email
mega-sync /local/folder /Root/RemoteFolder

Common Problems:

• “Storage limit exceeded”: Remove old files or upgrade plan.
• Sync errors: Use mega-sync --clear then re-sync.

Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)

Installation (Arch Linux AUR):

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/proton-drive-cli.git
cd proton-drive-cli
makepkg -si

Login and list:

proton-drive-cli login
proton-drive-cli ls /

Common Problems:

• Network timeouts: Check VPN/firewall blocking proton.me domains.
• Captcha loop: Login via web, then retry CLI.

Filen (filen-cli)

Installation:

curl -sSL https://cli.filen.io/install.sh  sudo bash

Basic usage:

filen login
filen upload file.txt /
filen list /

Common Problems:

• “Invalid token”: Logout filen logout then re-login.
• Slow uploads: Check bandwidth throttling in config.

Tresorit (tresorit-cli)

Installation (generic Linux):

wget https://download.tresorit.com/cli/linux/tresorit-cli.tar.gz
tar -xzvf tresorit-cli.tar.gz
cd tresorit-cli
sudo ./install.sh

Login and sync:

tresorit login
tresorit sync /local/folder RemoteFolder

Common Problems:

• Quota errors: Verify the folder is shared and you have storage left.
• Daemon not running: Start with tresorit daemon start.

Icedrive (icedrive-cli)

Installation (Fedora):

sudo dnf install icedrive-cli

Login and mount:

icedrive-cli login
icedrive-cli mount ~/icedrive

Common Problems:

• Mount errors: Ensure FUSE is installed and you’re in the fuse group.
• Stale token: icedrive-cli logout then login.

Dropbox CLI (dropbox-cli)

Installation:

sudo apt install python3-dropbox
pip3 install --user dropbox-cli

Link account and sync:

dropbox-cli link
dropbox-cli sync ~/Dropbox

Common Problems:

• Rate limiting: Avoid large bursts of small file uploads.
• Stuck syncing: dropbox-cli stop then start.

Google Drive via Rclone

Installation:

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

Configure and mount:

rclone config
rclone mount gdrive: ~/gdrive --daemon

Common Problems:

• “corrupt on transfer”: Use --checksum or --size-only flags carefully.
• Cache slowness: Enable --vfs-cache-mode full for better random access.

Conclusion

Select your cloud storage solution based on free tier, security features, CLI maturity, and cost. For one-off encrypted workflows, Proton Drive or Tresorit excel. For heavy automation across multiple providers, Rclone is unbeatable. pCloud and MEGA offer a balance of free storage and ease of use. Armed with the CLI examples and troubleshooting tips above, you can integrate any of these services into your Linux environment with confidence.