diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index cdeabb5cac..6e2af9a783 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -281,34 +281,42 @@ uint16_t APIConnection::encode_message_to_buffer(ProtoMessage &msg, uint8_t mess
   const uint8_t header_padding = conn->helper_->frame_header_padding();
   const uint8_t footer_size = conn->helper_->frame_footer_size();
 
-  // Calculate total size with padding for buffer allocation
-  size_t total_calculated_size = calculated_size + header_padding + footer_size;
+  // Calculate total size with padding
+  size_t total_size = calculated_size + header_padding + footer_size;
 
   // Check if it fits
-  if (total_calculated_size > remaining_size) {
+  if (total_size > remaining_size) {
     return 0;  // Doesn't fit
   }
 
-  // Allocate buffer space - pass payload size, allocation functions add header/footer space
-  ProtoWriteBuffer buffer = is_single ? conn->allocate_single_message_buffer(calculated_size)
-                                      : conn->allocate_batch_message_buffer(calculated_size);
-
-  // Get buffer size after allocation (which includes header padding)
+  // Get buffer and prepare it inline
   std::vector<uint8_t> &shared_buf = conn->parent_->get_shared_buffer_ref();
-  size_t size_before_encode = shared_buf.size();
+
+  if (is_single || conn->flags_.batch_first_message) {
+    // Single message or first batch message
+    shared_buf.clear();
+    shared_buf.reserve(total_size);
+    shared_buf.resize(header_padding);
+    if (conn->flags_.batch_first_message) {
+      conn->flags_.batch_first_message = false;
+    }
+  } else {
+    // Batch message second or later
+    // Add padding for previous message footer + this message header
+    size_t current_size = shared_buf.size();
+    shared_buf.reserve(current_size + total_size);
+    shared_buf.resize(current_size + footer_size + header_padding);
+  }
 
   // Encode directly into buffer
+  ProtoWriteBuffer buffer{&shared_buf};
+  size_t size_before_encode = shared_buf.size();
   msg.encode(buffer);
 
-  // Calculate actual encoded size (not including header that was already added)
   size_t actual_payload_size = shared_buf.size() - size_before_encode;
-
-  // Return actual total size (header + actual payload + footer)
-  size_t actual_total_size = header_padding + actual_payload_size + footer_size;
-
-  // Verify that calculate_size() returned the correct value
   assert(calculated_size == actual_payload_size);
-  return static_cast<uint16_t>(actual_total_size);
+
+  return static_cast<uint16_t>(total_size);
 }
 
 #ifdef USE_BINARY_SENSOR
@@ -1620,14 +1628,6 @@ bool APIConnection::schedule_batch_() {
   return true;
 }
 
-ProtoWriteBuffer APIConnection::allocate_single_message_buffer(uint16_t size) { return this->create_buffer(size); }
-
-ProtoWriteBuffer APIConnection::allocate_batch_message_buffer(uint16_t size) {
-  ProtoWriteBuffer result = this->prepare_message_buffer(size, this->flags_.batch_first_message);
-  this->flags_.batch_first_message = false;
-  return result;
-}
-
 void APIConnection::process_batch_() {
   // Ensure PacketInfo remains trivially destructible for our placement new approach
   static_assert(std::is_trivially_destructible<PacketInfo>::value,
@@ -1735,7 +1735,7 @@ void APIConnection::process_batch_() {
     }
     remaining_size -= payload_size;
     // Calculate where the next message's header padding will start
-    // Current buffer size + footer space (that prepare_message_buffer will add for this message)
+    // Current buffer size + footer space for this message
     current_offset = shared_buf.size() + footer_size;
   }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
index f0f308c248..09b2f15e7a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
@@ -265,42 +265,11 @@ class APIConnection : public APIServerConnection {
     return {&shared_buf};
   }
 
-  // Prepare buffer for next message in batch
-  ProtoWriteBuffer prepare_message_buffer(uint16_t message_size, bool is_first_message) {
-    // Get reference to shared buffer (it maintains state between batch messages)
-    std::vector<uint8_t> &shared_buf = this->parent_->get_shared_buffer_ref();
-
-    if (is_first_message) {
-      shared_buf.clear();
-    }
-
-    size_t current_size = shared_buf.size();
-
-    // Calculate padding to add:
-    // - First message: just header padding
-    // - Subsequent messages: footer for previous message + header padding for this message
-    size_t padding_to_add = is_first_message
-                                ? this->helper_->frame_header_padding()
-                                : this->helper_->frame_header_padding() + this->helper_->frame_footer_size();
-
-    // Reserve space for padding + message
-    shared_buf.reserve(current_size + padding_to_add + message_size);
-
-    // Resize to add the padding bytes
-    shared_buf.resize(current_size + padding_to_add);
-
-    return {&shared_buf};
-  }
-
   bool try_to_clear_buffer(bool log_out_of_space);
   bool send_buffer(ProtoWriteBuffer buffer, uint8_t message_type) override;
 
   std::string get_client_combined_info() const { return this->client_info_.get_combined_info(); }
 
-  // Buffer allocator methods for batch processing
-  ProtoWriteBuffer allocate_single_message_buffer(uint16_t size);
-  ProtoWriteBuffer allocate_batch_message_buffer(uint16_t size);
-
  protected:
   // Helper function to handle authentication completion
   void complete_authentication_();