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Futures and margin trading are different instruments:
Futures are trading contracts for the future, where you can choose the price direction (up or down) and use leverage. Losses and profits depend on price changes, but you do not buy the underlying asset.
Margin trading is buying or selling an asset with borrowed funds. Here you actually own the asset, but trade with leverage.
Perpetual contract is a type of futures contract without an expiration date*. You can hold a position for as long as you want, but you have to pay a fee (funding rate)**.
For reference:
* Expiration is the date when the futures contract ends, and all open positions on it are automatically closed. After that, the contract is no longer traded.
**Funding rate is the fee that is periodically paid between traders on futures.
📌If the rate is positive, longs pay shorts.
📌If negative, shorts pay longs.
This system helps to keep the futures price closer to the actual market price.
There are 2 extensive articles on the topic of futures and margin trading in the profile.