Is a lijfrente the same as a pension?

Not the same, but it is a form of pension accrual. A lijfrente sits in the third pillar: the pension you arrange yourself, alongside your AOW (first pillar) and any employer pension (second pillar).

The difference is the regime: a second-pillar pension falls under the Pensioenwet, a lijfrente under the fiscal rules for inkomensvoorzieningen. The tax advantages are comparable, but a lijfrente gives you more control. Read what a lijfrente is.