Yes they do. Keep the balances that report low or pay in full and manage them correctly. Optimal to have 3 revolving cards for maximum point scoring.
Yes, secured cards build credit the same as any credit card.
However, we'd need to know more about your situation to give specific advice. If you already have several credit cards, you may not need more.
Assuming you have no cards or at least under three cards, most would suggest you ultimately get to three cards. It is often a good idea to space out new accounts a bit rather than get them all at once, though again, there are exceptions.
My generic suggestion for the first cards to get would be Citi secured, because it is easy to get. You cannot increase deposit/credit line later on this card, so go with the most that is comfortable for you. Let it report, and then check prequalification for Discover secured. If you prequalify, and you probably will, get that. You can add to the deposit/credit limit after a month, so no pressure to make a large deposit. Then, if you shop much on Amazon, I would apply for an Amazon Store Card. If you aren't approved for unsecured, you will probably get secured. The reason I suggest these particular cards is that they will all eventually graduate to unsecured. Not all secured cards do. The reason this is beneficial is that it means you can keep the accounts open longterm. If a secured card does not graduate, you will eventually close it to get your deposit back. Account age is important in your credit score in the long run.
If you live in an area with TD Bank, that is a good secured card, but you must open a savings account in person at a TD Bank branch to get one. It is a 3/2/1 rewards card that graduates. Bank of America has a secured card that graduates.
Avoid secured cards with annual fees unless you can't qualify for anything I listed here. If that is the case, get one card like that (for example, Open Sky) and wait a month or two, and you will probably start qualifying for the cards I listed earlier.
It almost goes without saying, but whatever card(s) you get, you want to pay your balance in full every month to avoid paying interest and building up debt, and also, your credit will be better in any given month/reporting period if you are using under 9% of your available credit. For example, if you have a card with a $1000 limit, your credit will be better if you have a balance of under $90 at the time your statement cuts. Many people on MyFICO make multiple payments per month to keep utilization low. Your credit scores have no "memory" of utilization prior to the current time, so if you are over 9% at some point, it's not the end of the world, just get under 9% before applying for something you're not sure you will get. There are some more details to how this works (google "AZEO method" if interested), but the short version is, make sure you pay in time and avoid maxing out cards.
Just my opinion. Good luck!
