Best cloud storage services with CLI for TurnKey Linux: (Guide)

Introduction

TurnKey Linux is a popular Debian-based virtual appliance library optimized for easy deployment on cloud, virtualization, or bare-metal platforms. For headless or SSH-only environments, integrating reliable cloud storage via CLI is essential. This article reviews the best cloud storage providers with native or well-supported CLI tools on TurnKey Linux, offers a comparison table, and provides setup and usage examples along with common troubleshooting tips.

Top Recommendations for TurnKey Linux

• pCloud – Robust CLI (pcloudcc), zero-knowledge encryption, generous free plan.
• MEGA – Official megacmd, 20 GB free, end-to-end encryption.
• Proton Drive – Privacy focus, third-party CLI wrappers, always encrypted.
• Filen – Native CLI, affordable, built on ZFS.
• Tresorit – Enterprise-grade encryption, official CLI.
• Icedrive – Modern UI CLI, client-side encryption.
• Backblaze B2 – S3-compatible, low cost, official b2 CLI.
• Google Drive (via rclone) – 15 GB free, integrates via rclone.
• Nextcloud (self-hosted) – Full control, nextcloudcmd and WebDAV CLI.

Comparison Table

Which One to Choose?

• If you need strong zero-knowledge encryption and easy command-line setup, choose pCloud or MEGA.
• For maximum privacy with a European backbone, consider Proton Drive (via community CLI) or Tresorit.
• If budget is a concern and you want S3 compatibility, Backblaze B2 is unbeatable.
• For self-hosting or complete control, install Nextcloud on your TurnKey appliance.
• Use rclone if you want one CLI to handle dozens of providers (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) with optional client-side encryption.

How to Use Each One with CLI

pCloud

Install the official pcloudcc client:

apt-get update
apt-get install pcloudcc

Configure and start:

pcloudcc set -u you@example.com -p YourPassword
pcloudcc start
pcloudcc list /
pcloudcc upload /path/to/file.txt /

MEGA

Install megacmd from the official repository:

apt-get install megacmd

Authenticate and use:

mega-login you@example.com YourPassword
mega-ls /
mega-put /local/file.txt /Backup
mega-get /Backup/file.txt /local/downloads

Proton Drive

Use the community CLI (proton-drive-cli):

pip3 install proton-drive-cli
proton-drive login
proton-drive upload local.txt /
proton-drive list /

Filen

Download and install their CLI (filen-cli):

wget https://filen.io/download/filen-cli-linux.zip
unzip filen-cli-linux.zip
chmod  x filen-cli
mv filen-cli /usr/local/bin/
filen-cli config
filen-cli sync /local/folder remote:/Backup

Tresorit

Install tresorit-cli (official docs):

wget https://download.tresorit.com/cli/tresorit-cli-linux.tar.gz
tar -xzvf tresorit-cli-linux.tar.gz
sudo mv tresorit-cli /usr/bin/
tresorit-cli login
tresorit-cli sync /local/path Tresorit:/Remote

Icedrive

Install icedrive-cli:

wget https://downloads.icedrive.net/cli/icedrive-cli-linux.tar.gz
tar -xzvf icedrive-cli-linux.tar.gz
sudo mv icedrive-cli /usr/local/bin/
icedrive-cli login
icedrive-cli upload /file.txt /

Backblaze B2

Install the official b2 tool:

pip3 install b2
b2 authorize-account yourAccountId yourApplicationKey
b2 sync /local/folder b2://my-bucket/folder

Google Drive via rclone

Install and configure rclone:

apt-get install rclone
rclone config   # choose drive remote
rclone ls mydrive:
rclone copy /local/file.txt mydrive:/Backup/

For client-side encryption:

rclone config   # add crypt remote on top of drive
rclone copy /local/file.txt cryptremote:/secure/

Nextcloud (self-hosted)

If you deploy TurnKey’s Nextcloud appliance, use:

apt-get update
apt-get install nextcloud-client
nextcloudcmd --user alice --password  /local/folder https://server.tld/remote.php/webdav/

Typical Problems and Troubleshooting

• Authentication failures: Double-check credentials, ensure time synchronization (NTP) and 2FA settings.
• Missing FUSE support: Some CLIs mount drives via FUSE. Install fuse and add your user to the fuse group.
• Dependency conflicts: Use virtual environments (for Python-based CLIs) or containers if version mismatches occur.
• Network timeouts: Ensure outbound ports (HTTPS, WebDAV) are permitted in your firewall or cloud security group.
• Rate limits: Bulk operations can trigger provider throttling. Use batch sizes, retries or backoff flags.

Conclusion

TurnKey Linux appliances pair perfectly with headless CLI cloud storage clients. Your choice depends on budget, privacy requirements, and feature set. For zero-knowledge encryption out of the box, pCloud and MEGA stand out. For S3-compatible low-cost storage, Backblaze B2 excels. If you prefer full self-hosting, Nextcloud on TurnKey offers maximum control. Finally, rclone remains the Swiss Army knife for dozens of services under a unified interface.