What is the Difference between a Romantic Relationship and a Friendship?

The difference between a relationship and a friendship as followed. I have spent hours researching this because it has become something of a recent subject in my life. After a lot of reading, here are 12 things I found to be the general consensus on what the differences are. 

The main thing to keep in mind is that a relationship is basically a verbal contract, as to where a friendship is not. One of these has obligations and comes with a title typically reserved for one person. 

Now the title of best friend may come with obligations but just because one considers another their best friend, doesn't mean it has to be reciprocated and thus typically still doesn't have obligations.

1) How much time you spend together. In a friendship, you are not required to spend any time together even though it may be expected. Relationships normally have time requirements and partners expect to spend a lot of time together, this includes activities like dates and also sleeping arrangements.

2) How honest you are with the other person. In a friendship, you are not required to reveal everything. In a relationship, honesty is expected and typically required. White lies are done to protect the other on occasion in both friendships and relationships but people will normally tell their partner things that they won't tell their friends due to the level of intimacy between them.

3) Consideration, in a friendship you are not required to think of the other before you act. In relationships you are expected to check with your partner on many matters.

4) Dependency, In a friendship you're self dependent and not expected to help or take care of the friends in any way. In a relationship one maybe expected to play a role or take on certain actions, like taking care of a sick partner or helping them with bills. Bringing a partner food or buying them hygiene supplies.

5) Communications, in a friendship you can go days, weeks, months or years without talking to each other. Relationships expect to talk daily or at least multiple times a week. Relationships expect their partners to pick up the phone or to reply to texts or messages in an expedient manner. Partners are expected not to keep secrets from each other, that's not really an expectation for friends.

6) Physicality, in a friendship touching each other is not required, nor expected and is normally not done often. In a relationship cuddling, snuggling, hand holding, kissing, hugging are all expected and are normally required to some extent. 

7) Boundaries, Friendships normally have greater boundaries. In a relationship people have more freedoms around their partners. People will often allow their partners to get away with thing around them others cannot and allow their friends to get away with things while apart that their partners cannot.

8) Availability to others, in a friendship you can see and do anything with anyone without consequences. In a relationship, there maybe things off limits to others that could end relationships, and one's partner normally comes before most everyone else.

9) Compromise, friends aren't required to compromise or come to agreements. One can expect their friends may compromise on somethings but there is no requirement. In a relationship disagreements are expected to be settled via compromise, it's like an unwritten rule that one will compromise. Compromise also ties into consideration, honesty, and commitment.

10) Intimacy, Friendships will never experience the intimacy of a relationship. Sure friends can be close but friendships will never be as intimate as a relationship.

11) Commitment, In a relationship a partner is expected to want to do everything to make the relationship work or keep it going, they are expected to be there when needed. In a friendship there is no effort required, although it may be expected.

12) Sex, typically sex is expected in a relationship, as to where that boundary is not normally crossed between friends. There are friends with benefits or sexless relationships. Those normally get murky and don't typically last long, with exception to sexless relationships, which are more common with seniors and elderly. People with diminished sex drives due to age. It has been proven through many scientific studies that the more a couple has sex, the happier their relationship is and the stronger their bonds are.

There may be other things here or there that differ from friendship and relationship but these are the 12 most agreed upon things.

Now when it comes to blood family relationships, Next of kin, parents and children have obligations until the children are grown or other grim circumstances, otherwise family has no requirements. Regardless of personal expectation.

Roommates have financial and hygienic requirements, coworkers have work requirements but like with friends and family both are free from any other obligations. Again, regardless of expectations.

Now if a person decides to give an associate contract terms for association with them, although not very common but that's a whole another story. 

Souce:  Many pages of websites on google when asking for the difference.