Regardless, Lightning is no longer a fast connector. If only Apple had a faster standard they could use. You're right, Thunderbolt 3 is frequently used by Apple, and at 40 gigabits per second ...
Thunderbolt and USB-C ports look identical, and they work in pretty much the same way. The broad-brush answer is that ...
USB-C is a type of port, the shape of the connector, just like how USB-A is known for its big block shape and lightning for its tiny size. Thunderbolt 3 is how the connection functions ...