Introduction
In rescue environments like Super Grub2 Disk or minimal Linux shells, having reliable cloud storage access via command-line can be a lifesaver. Whether you need to back up system images, retrieve important files or synchronize configurations, a lightweight CLI client is essential. This article explores the best cloud storage services with robust CLI support on Linux, compares their features, recommends top choices, and shows practical usage examples and troubleshooting tips.
Top CLI-Friendly Cloud Storage Services
- pCloud – Encrypted, zero-knowledge optional, official console client.
- MEGA – Generous free tier, end-to-end encryption, MEGAcmd.
- Proton Drive – Strong privacy, open-source proton-drive-cli.
- Filen – Zero-knowledge, GDPR compliant, filen-cli.
- Tresorit – Business-grade security, official Tresorit CLI.
- Icedrive – Secure, modern interface, community CLI.
- rclone – Universal CLI for dozens of providers (Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, B2, etc.).
- Dropbox – Widely used, third-party dbxcli or rclone.
- Google Drive – Integrate via rclone.
Comparison Table
| Service | Free Storage | Encryption | Official CLI | Price (from) | Privacy | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pCloud | 10 GB | Optional client-side | Yes (pcloudcc) | 4.99/mo | High | pCloud.com |
| MEGA | 20 GB | End-to-end | Yes (MEGAcmd) | 5.19/mo | Strong | mega.nz |
| Proton Drive | 1 GB | End-to-end | Yes (proton-drive-cli) | 4.99/mo | Very High | proton.me/drive |
| Filen | 10 GB | End-to-end | Yes (filen-cli) | 3.99/mo | High | filen.io |
| Tresorit | 3 GB | End-to-end | Yes (tresorit-cli) | 12.50/mo | Enterprise | tresorit.com |
| Icedrive | 10 GB | Optional client-side | No official (community CLI) | 4.99/mo | High | icedrive.net |
| rclone (generic) | Varies | Depends on provider | Yes (rclone) | Free | Variable | rclone.org |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | Server-side | No official, use dbxcli or rclone | 9.99/mo | Standard | dropbox.com |
| Google Drive | 15 GB | Server-side | No official, use rclone | 1.99/mo | Standard | google.com/drive |
Which Cloud Storage Should You Choose?
Your choice depends on priorities:
- Privacy Encryption: Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, pCloud Crypto.
- Free Tier Capacity: MEGA, Icedrive, Google Drive via rclone.
- Budget: Filen and pCloud offer lower entry prices.
- Universal Access: rclone supports the widest range of providers.
For a specialized, minimal recovery shell like Super Grub2 Disk, rclone’s single binary (no dependencies beyond libc and FUSE) often proves most flexible. If you prefer an official, dedicated client, pCloud or MEGA are best supported in headless mode.
Using Each Service with CLI
1. pCloud (pcloudcc)
# Install dependencies sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install cmake g libcurl4-openssl-dev libssl-dev # Clone and build git clone https://github.com/pcloudcom/console-client.git cd console-client cmake . make # Login and mount ./pcloudcc --login your@email.com --pass yourpassword mkdir ~/pcloud ./pcloudcc --mountpoint ~/pcloud
2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)
# On Debian/Ubuntu sudo apt-get install wget wget https://mega.nz/linux/MEGAsync/xUbuntu_20.04/amd64/megacmd_1.6.0-1.0.1_amd64.deb sudo dpkg -i megacmd_.deb # Login and mount mega-login you@domain.com YourMegaPassword mkdir ~/mega mega-mount ~/mega
3. Proton Drive (proton-drive-cli)
# Install via pip sudo apt-get install python3-pip pip3 install proton-drive-cli # Authenticate proton-drive-cli login # Follow browser auth prompt, then: proton-drive-cli ls
4. Filen (filen-cli)
# Download binary wget https://github.com/filendotio/filen-cli/releases/download/v1.0.0/filen-cli-linux-amd64 chmod x filen-cli-linux-amd64 sudo mv filen-cli-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/filen # Authenticate and mount filen setup filen mount ~/filen
5. Tresorit (tresorit-cli)
# Install from package sudo apt-get install tresorit-cli # Login and sync tresorit login tresorit sync --local ~/tresor ~/TresoritFolder
6. Icedrive (community CLI)
# Clone and build (example) git clone https://github.com/Icedrive-OSS/cli.git cd cli go build -o icedrive # Authenticate ./icedrive login # Mount via rclone (as remote) rclone config add icedrive icedrive rclone mount icedrive: ~/icedrive
7. Generic via rclone
# Install rclone curl https://rclone.org/install.sh sudo bash # Configure a remote (e.g., Google Drive) rclone config # Choose n for new, name it gdrive, select provider, follow OAuth. # List files rclone ls gdrive: # Mount to local folder mkdir ~/gdrive rclone mount gdrive: ~/gdrive --daemon
Typical Problems and Troubleshooting
- FUSE Not Installed: Error “fuse: device not found.”
sudo apt-get install fuse - Authentication Fails:
• Check clock sync (NTP).
• For OAuth (rclone), ensure correct redirect URI.
• For MEGA, enable “Allow less secure apps.” - Mount Hangs or Permissions:
• Run client as root or add user to fuse group: sudo usermod -aG fuse USER.
• Use –allow-non-empty if mountpoint not empty. - Network Timeouts:
• Use –timeout flags (rclone: –timeout 1m).
• Check /etc/resolv.conf if DNS fails. - Quota Exceeded:
• Monitor free vs used.
• Remove old snapshots or unused files.
Conclusion
For minimal environments like Super Grub2 Disk, rclone stands out due to its single-binary footprint and broad provider support. If you need a dedicated, high-privacy solution, Proton Drive or Filen offer strong encryption and straightforward CLI tools. pCloud and MEGA deliver balanced free storage with official clients. Evaluate your priorities—privacy, cost, simplicity—and you’ll find the right cloud storage CLI for any Linux recovery or headless scenario.
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