Are futures profitable for beginning investors or are mutual funds a better option?

As the old saying goes, "one must learn to first crawl before they can walk, and then walk before they can run."
Options and futures are sophisticated investment/trading vehicles and are not for beginners. Better to first test-drive the ups and downs of the markets by using a diversified mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Once you've gained experience and better understand investing, then you might consider becoming a bit more adventurous (if it's consistent with your objectives, time frame, and so on). Hope that helps. All the best!

Futures speculation on your own with no knowledge of the financial markets is not a good idea from my experience with those markets.

If youhave an interest in futures and meet the investor qualifications, do a Google search on Commoity Trading Advisors (CTA's). These are professionals who, for a fee, usually a percent of assets under management, will manage an account for you. If you must enter this arena, there are a shrinking number of limited partnerships available slao to qualified investors. A Google search of managed futures advisors may give you some direction.