What is a key characteristic of the POST method compared to the GET method?

The key characteristic of the POST method compared to the GET method is that POST is more secure for sensitive data transmission. This is primarily because POST does not include data in the URL, unlike GET, which appends data directly to the URL as query parameters. Data sent via POST is included in the body of the HTTP request, making it less exposed to interception via URL inspection tools or in browser history.

Moreover, since POST requests can contain larger amounts of data and allow for various types of data encoding, they are generally more suitable for submitting sensitive information such as passwords, personal identifiers, and payment details. While using HTTPS can add encryption to both GET and POST requests, the structure of POST inherently offers a layer of protection that is advantageous when dealing with sensitive data.

In contrast, the other options do not correctly represent the primary distinctions between POST and GET. POST does not inherently send data in an encrypted format unless combined with HTTPS, does not append data to the URL, and is not limited to only text fields, as it can handle binary data as well.