Magazines are considered more ephemeral than books, and less durable means of binding them are usually used. The cover papers of magazines will be the same as the inner pages or only slightly heavier.
Perfect binding, similar to paperback books is often used. National Geographic is perhaps the best known of this type.
Spiral binding is commonly used for atlases and other publications where it is necessary or desirable to be able to open the publication back on itself without breaking the spine. There are several types but basically it is made by punching holes along the entire length of the spine of the page and winding a wire spiral through the holes to proved a fully flexible hinge at the spine.
Stapling through the centerfold, also called saddle stitching, joins a set of nested folios into a single magazine issue. Most American comic books are a good example of this type.