diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
index 77bd5f5c3ca..1120d4c5292 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
@@ -597,8 +597,10 @@ void APIServer::request_time() {
 #endif
 
 bool APIServer::is_connected_with_state_subscription() const {
-  for (const auto &client : this->active_clients()) {
-    if (client->flags_.state_subscription) {
+  // Indexed iteration (not active_clients()) because this method is const; keeps the view
+  // struct single-flavor in the header.
+  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < this->api_connection_count_; i++) {
+    if (this->clients_[i]->flags_.state_subscription) {
       return true;
     }
   }
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
index 4810cd53885..b411ed770d2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
@@ -205,21 +205,9 @@ class APIServer final : public Component,
     APIConnectionPtr *begin() { return this->begin_; }
     APIConnectionPtr *end() { return this->end_; }
   };
-  class ConstActiveClientsView {
-    const APIConnectionPtr *begin_;
-    const APIConnectionPtr *end_;
-
-   public:
-    ConstActiveClientsView(const APIConnectionPtr *b, const APIConnectionPtr *e) : begin_(b), end_(e) {}
-    const APIConnectionPtr *begin() const { return this->begin_; }
-    const APIConnectionPtr *end() const { return this->end_; }
-  };
   ActiveClientsView active_clients() {
     return {this->clients_.data(), this->clients_.data() + this->api_connection_count_};
   }
-  ConstActiveClientsView active_clients() const {
-    return {this->clients_.data(), this->clients_.data() + this->api_connection_count_};
-  }
 
 #ifdef USE_API_HOMEASSISTANT_STATES
   struct HomeAssistantStateSubscription {