The objective of the present invention is to provide a compressor that is applied to a refrigerator without a cycle matching capability or a refrigerator without a control unit and can control the driving of a linear motor by itself, in order to solve the problems of conventional compressors; and a control method therefor. To this end, a compressor installed in an apparatus including a refrigerantcycle disclosed in the present specification comprises: a piston reciprocating in a cylinder; a linear motor for providing a driving force for the movement of the piston; a sensing unit for sensing amotor current of the linear motor; and a compressor control unit for detecting information related to a load of the apparatus, separately from a control unit for controlling a main body of the apparatus, wherein the compressor control unit calculates a phase difference between a stroke of the piston and the sensed motor current, compares the calculated phase difference with a reference phase difference value, and controls the driving of the linear motor in accordance with the detected load on the basis of the comparison result.