Forward contract: the counterparty is an individual, and the price of the forward contract is the price of the subject matter. But you don't need to pay before the expiration, and only when it expires will you trade according to the agreed price and quantity. The contents of the forward contract can be negotiated. The buyer pays the price agreed in the contract to the other party and obtains the subject matter agreed in the contract.

Futures: Like forward contracts, the difference is that the counterparty is an exchange, and futures contracts are standardized.

Option: Different from futures and forwards, the option fee is paid at the time of purchase, but the option fee is not the price of the subject matter. When the option expires, the holder can decide whether to exercise it.