diff --git a/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.cpp b/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.cpp
index 6350f43ef6..48e730d500 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.cpp
@@ -204,49 +204,82 @@ void Modbus::send(uint8_t address, uint8_t function_code, uint16_t start_address
     return;
   }
 
-  std::vector<uint8_t> data;
-  data.push_back(address);
-  data.push_back(function_code);
+  // Calculate the expected message size
+  size_t msg_size = 4;  // address + function + CRC(2)
   if (this->role == ModbusRole::CLIENT) {
-    data.push_back(start_address >> 8);
-    data.push_back(start_address >> 0);
+    msg_size += 2;  // start_address
     if (function_code != 0x5 && function_code != 0x6) {
-      data.push_back(number_of_entities >> 8);
-      data.push_back(number_of_entities >> 0);
+      msg_size += 2;  // number_of_entities
+    }
+  }
+  if (payload != nullptr) {
+    if (this->role == ModbusRole::SERVER || function_code == 0xF || function_code == 0x10) {
+      msg_size += 1 + payload_len;  // byte count + payload
+    } else {
+      msg_size += 2;  // single register value
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Use stack buffer for small messages (most common case)
+  static constexpr size_t STACK_BUFFER_SIZE = 64;
+  uint8_t stack_buffer[STACK_BUFFER_SIZE];
+  std::vector<uint8_t> heap_buffer;
+
+  uint8_t *data;
+  if (msg_size <= STACK_BUFFER_SIZE) {
+    data = stack_buffer;
+  } else {
+    heap_buffer.resize(msg_size);
+    data = heap_buffer.data();
+  }
+
+  // Build the message
+  size_t pos = 0;
+  data[pos++] = address;
+  data[pos++] = function_code;
+
+  if (this->role == ModbusRole::CLIENT) {
+    data[pos++] = start_address >> 8;
+    data[pos++] = start_address >> 0;
+    if (function_code != 0x5 && function_code != 0x6) {
+      data[pos++] = number_of_entities >> 8;
+      data[pos++] = number_of_entities >> 0;
     }
   }
 
   if (payload != nullptr) {
     if (this->role == ModbusRole::SERVER || function_code == 0xF || function_code == 0x10) {  // Write multiple
-      data.push_back(payload_len);  // Byte count is required for write
+      data[pos++] = payload_len;  // Byte count is required for write
     } else {
       payload_len = 2;  // Write single register or coil
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < payload_len; i++) {
-      data.push_back(payload[i]);
+      data[pos++] = payload[i];
     }
   }
 
-  auto crc = crc16(data.data(), data.size());
-  data.push_back(crc >> 0);
-  data.push_back(crc >> 8);
+  auto crc = crc16(data, pos);
+  data[pos++] = crc >> 0;
+  data[pos++] = crc >> 8;
 
   if (this->flow_control_pin_ != nullptr)
     this->flow_control_pin_->digital_write(true);
 
-  this->write_array(data);
+  this->write_array(data, pos);
   this->flush();
 
   if (this->flow_control_pin_ != nullptr)
     this->flow_control_pin_->digital_write(false);
   waiting_for_response = address;
   last_send_ = millis();
-  ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Modbus write: %s", format_hex_pretty(data).c_str());
+  ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Modbus write: %s", format_hex_pretty(data, pos).c_str());
 }
 
 // Helper function for lambdas
 // Send raw command. Except CRC everything must be contained in payload
-void Modbus::send_raw(const std::vector<uint8_t> &payload) {
+void Modbus::send_raw(const std::vector<uint8_t> &payload) { send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t>(payload)); }
+
+void Modbus::send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t> payload) {
   if (payload.empty()) {
     return;
   }
@@ -255,14 +288,14 @@ void Modbus::send_raw(const std::vector<uint8_t> &payload) {
     this->flow_control_pin_->digital_write(true);
 
   auto crc = crc16(payload.data(), payload.size());
-  this->write_array(payload);
+  this->write_array(payload.data(), payload.size());
   this->write_byte(crc & 0xFF);
   this->write_byte((crc >> 8) & 0xFF);
   this->flush();
   if (this->flow_control_pin_ != nullptr)
     this->flow_control_pin_->digital_write(false);
   waiting_for_response = payload[0];
-  ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Modbus write raw: %s", format_hex_pretty(payload).c_str());
+  ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Modbus write raw: %s", format_hex_pretty(payload.data(), payload.size()).c_str());
   last_send_ = millis();
 }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.h b/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.h
index ec35612690..9ca3eeceb9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.h
+++ b/esphome/components/modbus/modbus.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
 #include "esphome/components/uart/uart.h"
 
+#include <span>
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace esphome {
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ class Modbus : public uart::UARTDevice, public Component {
   void send(uint8_t address, uint8_t function_code, uint16_t start_address, uint16_t number_of_entities,
             uint8_t payload_len = 0, const uint8_t *payload = nullptr);
   void send_raw(const std::vector<uint8_t> &payload);
+  void send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t> payload);
   void set_role(ModbusRole role) { this->role = role; }
   void set_flow_control_pin(GPIOPin *flow_control_pin) { this->flow_control_pin_ = flow_control_pin; }
   uint8_t waiting_for_response{0};
@@ -65,13 +67,10 @@ class ModbusDevice {
     this->parent_->send(this->address_, function, start_address, number_of_entities, payload_len, payload);
   }
   void send_raw(const std::vector<uint8_t> &payload) { this->parent_->send_raw(payload); }
+  void send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t> payload) { this->parent_->send_raw(payload); }
   void send_error(uint8_t function_code, uint8_t exception_code) {
-    std::vector<uint8_t> error_response;
-    error_response.reserve(3);
-    error_response.push_back(this->address_);
-    error_response.push_back(function_code | 0x80);
-    error_response.push_back(exception_code);
-    this->send_raw(error_response);
+    uint8_t error_response[3] = {this->address_, static_cast<uint8_t>(function_code | 0x80), exception_code};
+    this->send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t>(error_response, 3));
   }
   // If more than one device is connected block sending a new command before a response is received
   bool waiting_for_response() { return parent_->waiting_for_response != 0; }
diff --git a/esphome/components/modbus_controller/modbus_controller.cpp b/esphome/components/modbus_controller/modbus_controller.cpp
index 0f3ddf920d..05ee6bf9dd 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modbus_controller/modbus_controller.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/modbus_controller/modbus_controller.cpp
@@ -224,12 +224,11 @@ void ModbusController::on_modbus_write_registers(uint8_t function_code, const st
     return;
   }
 
-  std::vector<uint8_t> response;
-  response.reserve(6);
-  response.push_back(this->address_);
-  response.push_back(function_code);
-  response.insert(response.end(), data.begin(), data.begin() + 4);
-  this->send_raw(response);
+  uint8_t response[6];
+  response[0] = this->address_;
+  response[1] = function_code;
+  std::copy(data.begin(), data.begin() + 4, response + 2);
+  this->send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t>(response, 6));
 }
 
 SensorSet ModbusController::find_sensors_(ModbusRegisterType register_type, uint16_t start_address) const {
diff --git a/esphome/components/pzemac/pzemac.cpp b/esphome/components/pzemac/pzemac.cpp
index 0dbe0e761d..3172b5aefb 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pzemac/pzemac.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/pzemac/pzemac.cpp
@@ -77,10 +77,8 @@ void PZEMAC::dump_config() {
 }
 
 void PZEMAC::reset_energy_() {
-  std::vector<uint8_t> cmd;
-  cmd.push_back(this->address_);
-  cmd.push_back(PZEM_CMD_RESET_ENERGY);
-  this->send_raw(cmd);
+  uint8_t cmd[2] = {this->address_, PZEM_CMD_RESET_ENERGY};
+  this->send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t>(cmd, 2));
 }
 
 }  // namespace pzemac
diff --git a/esphome/components/pzemdc/pzemdc.cpp b/esphome/components/pzemdc/pzemdc.cpp
index 428bcc1fcf..c297199ca9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pzemdc/pzemdc.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/pzemdc/pzemdc.cpp
@@ -65,10 +65,8 @@ void PZEMDC::dump_config() {
 }
 
 void PZEMDC::reset_energy() {
-  std::vector<uint8_t> cmd;
-  cmd.push_back(this->address_);
-  cmd.push_back(PZEM_CMD_RESET_ENERGY);
-  this->send_raw(cmd);
+  uint8_t cmd[2] = {this->address_, PZEM_CMD_RESET_ENERGY};
+  this->send_raw(std::span<const uint8_t>(cmd, 2));
 }
 
 }  // namespace pzemdc